Giannis Antetokounmpo Is Now a Kalshi Investor
Posted on: February 6, 2026, 07:36h.
Last updated on: February 6, 2026, 07:36h.
- Company says it has $100 billion in annualized revenue
- Antetokounmpo is first NBA star to join Kalshi investor ranks
- He won’t be able to trade on NBA markets
Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is now a Kalshi shareholder, according to announcements on his social media accounts and confirmed by the prediction market operator.
Also known as the “Greek Freak,” the 10-time all-star and two-time MVP is active off-the-court business ventures through his company, Ante Inc., and his venture fund, BYL Venture. Add Kalshi, which says it has $100 billion in annualized revenue, to the ranks of Antetokounmpo’s business pursuits.
I love the Kalshi markets and have been checking them often recently,” said Antetokounmpo in a press release. “I like to win. It’s clear to me Kalshi is going to be a winner and I’m excited to be getting involved.”
The Kalshi-issued statement also indicates Antetokounmpo will be prohibited from trading on any NBA event contracts offered on the platform because he’s a current league player — a restriction that aligns with “Kalshi’s strict terms of service that ban insider trading and market manipulation.” Article 35 of the league’s constitution contains provisions explicitly prohibiting players from wagering on NBA and G League contests.
Antetokounmpo Joins List of Well-Known Kalshi Investor
Following a $1 billion funding round late last year, privately held Kalshi was valued at $11 billion. Antetokounmpo’s investment terms weren’t revealed.
What is clear is that the basketball star is joining a list of widely recognized Kalshi investors, including Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia Capital, Coinbase Ventures Paradigm, Anthos Capital, Neo, and Cathie Wood’s ARK Venture Fund, among others.
News of Antetokounmpo becoming a Kalshi shareholder extends a brisk week of news flow regarding prediction market financing. On Wednesday, Opinion Labs, the company behind the Opinion Trade prediction, raised $20 million in a pre-Series A financing round.
Kairos, a tech startup developing a terminal that would unify prediction markets for professional traders, raised $2.5 million, which was also announce on Wednesday.
Antetokounmpo Not First NBA Star to Invest in Prediction Markets
Antetokounmpo isn’t the first NBA star to invest in prediction markets operator, but he took a more direct path than some of his predecessors. Kevin Durant of the Houston Rockets, Trae Young of the Washington Wizards, and former Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban are investors in Underdog. Underdog started as a daily fantasy sports (DFS) company and flirted with sports betting before turning its focus to prediction markets via a partnership with Crypto.com announced last October.
Under the league’s collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with players, the NBA allows those athletes to invest in sports wagering companies and cannabis firms.
The league has voiced concerns about the potential risks prediction markets pose to game integrity and has pressed the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to adopt guidelines comparable to those adhered to by state-regulated sportsbook operators.
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