Odds of a government shutdown on Wednesday rose on markets offered by prediction market giants Kalshi and Polymarket following an impasse at the White House.
According to Forbes, the spike in shutdown odds came after President Donald Trump, Republican, and Democratic Congressional leaders failed to reach an agreement on legislation to bankroll the government ahead of the impending shutdown deadline.
79% are banking on it happening Wednesday
As of Tuesday morning, the shutdown market on Polymarket reveals that 85% of bettors believe the government will shut down sometime in 2025, while 79% are banking on it happening Wednesday.
Kalshi bettors agree, with 79% also backing a shutdown on October 1. Reports state that both the rivals’ markets have surged by 11 percentage points in just 24 hours. Kalshi’s market for a “sometime in 2025” shutdown is slightly less than its competitor, at 82%.