Securing a place in sports business history, Novig announced on July 30, 2026, a multi-year exclusive agreement designating it as the official prediction market partner of a Major League Baseball club. The deal stands as the first of its kind for any MLB franchise and positions the sports-focused platform for prominent visibility across stadium activations and broadcasts. Polymarket already has an exclusive deal with MLB itself.
Fans will encounter Novig branding on the outfield wall, while digital signage and LED displays carry the partnership throughout the ballpark. Broadcast integrations and original digital content will further expand the marketing presence, encouraging Mets fans to explore Novig. This marks Novig’s first professional team sponsorship and arrives just ahead of its nationwide launch next month.
The arrangement builds on Novig’s recent designation as an MLB-authorized prediction market. That status grants access to official league data and places the platform within the league’s integrity program, which covers market monitoring and reporting protocols.
Terms remain undisclosed, yet both sides highlighted the strategic fit. Novig, founded in 2021 by Harvard graduates Jacob Fortinsky and Kelechi Ukah, focuses exclusively on sports and maintains a 21-year-old age requirement. Having raised more than $100 million, the company recently secured federal approval enabling expansion into all 50 states. The name Novig refers to the fact that the platform operates a peer-to-peer betting exchange without the “vig,” the built-in service charge taken by traditional sportsbooks on every bet.
Two NHL franchises have previously entered into similar prediction market company team sponsorships, making this the third such deal in North American professional sports and the first in baseball.
Mets President of Business Operations Lew Sherr underscored the club’s focus on innovation:
“We’re proud to be the first Major League Baseball club to partner with a prediction market company, giving our fans a new and engaging way to connect with the game. Innovation is a defining characteristic of our business, and this partnership is another example of our commitment to staying at the forefront of the evolving sports landscape.”
Novig CEO and co-founder Jacob Fortinsky outlined the company’s mission:
“Our mission is to build the home for sports trading,” he explained. “Partnering with one of baseball’s most iconic franchises allows us to bring that vision directly to fans. The Mets have consistently embraced innovation that enhances the fan experience, and together, we’re introducing a new way for fans to engage with the game that is transparent, regulated and built on integrity.”
Fortinsky also pointed to shared identity. “There’s an underdog mentality with the Mets. In some sense, we’re the underdog coming into the prediction-market space.”
Perhaps not the strongest metaphor in the world, but you can’t blame a CEO for trying to sound profound.
The seeds of the agreement were planted when Fortinsky met Josh Cohen, son of the Mets owner, at a recent UFC event. “I told him about the business, he was excited about it, and the conversation went from there,” Fortinsky recalled. That initial discussion evolved into formal talks that favored Novig’s pure focus on sports. While many are driven by sports contracts, most notably Kalshi, Novig is only sports.
Club officials evaluated multiple options yet chose Novig for its technology orientation and fan-first mindset. Novig’s federal designation as a CFTC-regulated platform arrived only weeks earlier, clearing the path for nationwide operations. The timing allowed sponsorship activations to begin immediately while the company prepares its full public rollout.
Integrating a sports trading platform into the live game experience creates fresh interactive engagement options for fans already following the Mets. Digital content and broadcast branding gradually introduce the concept of prediction-market sports contracts, while on-screen or in-person physical signage reinforces it during high-attention moments.
With activations beginning shortly, Novig gains a high-profile showcase just as it prepares to open app access across all 50 states. The multi-year deal structure ensures Novig’s sustained presence, allowing the company to refine messaging, measure engagement, and shift marketing toward higher-performing channels. Expect far more of similar-style deals coming soon.
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