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Prediction markets have been booming for a couple of years now, and they just took a very unexpected turn (one with some shopping carts).
Polymarket and Kalshi’s rivalry went offline, straight into supermarkets, offering free groceries to the people of New York. Yes, you read that right.
With daily volumes now topping $400M, the battle for prediction market dominance is very real between the two. Bonus points for the timing, of course, as the Super Bowl is taking place this weekend, with a bunch of Americans already thinking about bets, odds, and outcomes.
Polymarket: the first free grocery store
After months of planning, the platform announced “The Polymarket” (yeah, they didn’t have to think a lot about the name), New York’s first free grocery store, opening on February 12.
This is bigger than just a marketing stunt, and that’s what makes it interesting:
• A real physical Polymarket-branded store
• Fully stocked with staple goods already paid for
• No need to sign up, create a wallet, or bet on anything
• And an actual lease has been signed for it
The "Polymarket" illustrations - Source
As they put it: “Free groceries. Free markets. Built for the people who power New York.”
On top of that, Polymarket donated $1M to Food Bank For NYC, showing their will to anchor this initiative in real community impact, not just brand visibility.
Coming right after its regulatory green light to operate again in the US (after being forced offshore in 2022), Polymarket’s is making a symbolic come back home in style!
Kalshi: the grocery giveaway
On their side, Kalshi went for speed and visibility with a grocery giveaway (if we can call it that). On February 3, and for three hours at a Manhattan grocery store, they covered $50 tabs for shoppers.
The result was immediate with nearly 1,800 people who showed up and lines stretching multiple blocks. Awareness spiked too as many people in line had never even heard of Kalshi before, but they knew what $50 of groceries meant.
With grocery prices having surged over the past few years, this type of action lands really hard, creating instant goodwill and attention from a general audience that might otherwise never engage with prediction markets at all.
Thousands have already picked up their free Kalshi groceries!
— Kalshi (@Kalshi) February 3, 2026
We are being told we've already inspired other companies to keep up the initiative!
2 more hours to get yours
Westside Market | 84 3rd Ave. NYC pic.twitter.com/8R11OGODLu
What this really signals
Obviously, free groceries don’t explain what prediction markets are, and aren’t even related to them per se. But they do bring the spotlight onto these platforms while clearly showing where they want to go:
• From niche platforms → mainstream financial products
• From online-only → physical & cultural presence
• From abstract bets → everyday relevance
Beyond the mission-driven aspect, these actions show that the battle between Kalshi and Polymarket is only getting stronger.
It gives a bit of Coca-Cola vs Pepsi vibes, but Web3 style.
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