The Golden Globes’ partnership with prediction market platform Polymarket rankled some viewers during Sunday’s telecast, who slammed the integration as “a new low” and “an end-times indicator” as statistics on who was most likely to win certain categories encouraged viewers to place bets throughout the show.
Throughout the night, announcers Marc Malkin and Kevin Frazier teased upcoming categories like Best Podcast and Original Song by showing betting prediction metrics from the app.
“Polymarket odds on the telecast of the golden globes,” one X user wrote. “Just push me in front of a bus at this point.”
Another X user called the promotional spot “cringe hunger games bulls–t.”
“The encouragement of gambling across all forms of American ‘entertainment’ is such an end-times indicator,” the user added.
the polymarket ads are sooooo cringe hunger games bullshit, the encouragement of gambling across all forms of american “entertainment” is such an end-times indicator
—
roxana |
zivar |
hadadi (@roxana_hadadi) January 12, 2026
Many Penske Media Corp-owned media companies, like Variety, Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter, promoted the partnership on their websites with a real-time ticker during the show and through sponsored posts on their social media feeds, further boosting the Polymarket partnership.
The Golden Globes are owned by Penske Media Eldridge.
“Our partnership with Polymarket unlocks a groundbreaking new frontier, redefining how audiences engage with and connect to the content they love,” Craig Perreault, president of Penske Media Corp and part owner of the Golden Globes, said in a statement last week announcing the partnership. “Deepening the connection between fans and their favorite films, shows, and actors strengthens the entertainment industry and highlights the award-winning content celebrated at the Golden Globes.”
#sponsored | Make your @GoldenGlobes predictions now on @Polymarket
#polymarketpartner pic.twitter.com/9n4A1Fq4Z9
— Variety (@Variety) January 12, 2026
Social media users were not as complimentary of the inclusion of the partnership in the broadcast. “We’re so deep into capitalism that the golden globes are showing polymarket betting odds on award winners,” another X user wrote. “We’re so cooked.”
For more viral reactions to the Polymarket partnership, keep reading:
polymarket odds on the telecast of the golden globes. just push me in front of a bus at this point
— Bobby Wagner (@bwags) January 12, 2026
the polymarket promo … this ain’t the oscars is it! i’m used to something a little bit different. but come on we bring our own liquor into places like this
— hunter harris (@hunteryharris) January 12, 2026
“The Golden Globes Best Podcast odds presented by Polymarket” is a new low for this humiliating awards show pic.twitter.com/aGs0av9GfF
— Josh Billinson (@jbillinson) January 12, 2026
Okay, this Polymarket bit is actually pretty funny #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/RDWGOWvUUc
— Isaac Feldberg (@isaacfeldberg) January 12, 2026
Best Podcast getting clips but not the film/tv awards, the DJ being on random shuffle, the Polymarket predictions, and Variety Grover going on random ass tangents as the winners walk on stage. This is like watching a car crash in real time.
— Andrew J. Salazar (@AndrewJ626) January 12, 2026
the Polymarket odds on screen pic.twitter.com/nFbYmHW1kv
— MrsFishVEVO (@Will_Kellogg) January 12, 2026
Golden Globes… is partnering… with Polymarket? Sigh.
— Charlotte Clymer
(@cmclymer) January 12, 2026
The post Golden Globes’ Polymarket Partnership Slammed by Viewers: ‘New Low for This Humiliating Awards Show’ appeared first on TheWrap.
