Kalshi Traders Won Big on Low-Odds Bets for Trump's Press Secretary Pick
Three small bets on Katie Zacharia as Trump's press secretary paid out nearly $9,600 after being placed when her odds were under 20%.
Three small bets on Katie Zacharia as Trump's press secretary paid out nearly $9,600 after being placed when her odds were under 20%. This is an original TLT brief synthesising 2 outlets (Unchained, The Block), plus live market data, as of Mon, 12 Oct 2026 10:45:03 UTC.
This highlights the potential of prediction markets to efficiently price political outcomes and reward early, informed bets, even with very low probabilities.
- Three bets on Katie Zacharia were placed when her odds were under 20%.
- The bets totaled about $173 and are expected to pay out $9,600.
- The trades were executed shortly before official news broke.
- This showcases the predictive power of decentralized markets in politics.
Both Unchained and The Block report that three bets on Katie Zacharia as Trump's press secretary were placed when her odds were extremely low, with Unchained specifying they were placed when her chances were about 1% and The Block noting they were made before official news outlets reported her selection. The Block provides the specific figures of $173 in total bets and an expected payout of roughly $9,600, while Unchained emphasizes the timing of the bets, highlighting that the last two were placed less than 20 minutes before the news broke.
Kalshi, a platform for event-based prediction markets, has seen significant returns on a series of bets predicting Katie Zacharia as Donald Trump's press secretary. According to reports, these bets were placed when the market gave her only a 1% chance of being selected, as stated by Unchained.
The Block provides additional details, noting that the three bets in question totaled approximately $173. These bets are expected to pay out around $9,600 combined, showcasing the high returns possible from accurately predicting low-probability events.
The trades were executed shortly before major news outlets reported Zacharia's selection, with Unchained specifying that the last two bets were placed less than 20 minutes before the announcement. This timing underscores the rapid reaction of traders to emerging information.
Kalshi's platform allows users to bet on the outcomes of various events, including political developments. The success of these bets highlights the potential for decentralized markets to efficiently price political outcomes and reward informed, early predictions.
In the current market context, with the total crypto market cap at $2.9 trillion and 
Bitcoin up 0.61% in the last 24 hours, this story adds a layer of interest to the broader discussion of crypto applications beyond finance. The Fear & Greed Index stands at 69, indicating a state of 'Greed' among investors.
Kalshi Traders Won Big on Low-Odds Bets for Trump's Pres — questions & answers
What were the odds of Katie Zacharia being selected as Trump's press secretary?
The odds were about 1%, according to Unchained.
How much were the bets worth and what was the payout?
The bets totaled $173 and are expected to pay out around $9,600.
When were the bets placed?
The bets were placed shortly before the official announcement, with the last two less than 20 minutes prior.
Which outlets reported this story?
This is an original TLT brief that synthesises reporting from Unchained, The Block, with the key figures cross-checked for agreement across them. It is not a copy of any one article — follow the source links above for the original reporting.
Original summary — not financial advice. This is an original TLT brief that summarises a development reported elsewhere and adds live market data for context; it is not the original article and reproduces no part of it. Follow the source link above for full details. Crypto is volatile and high-risk — always do your own research.