Sports Illustrated Unveils SI Predict with Galactic Partnership
Sports Illustrated teamed up with UK media firm Galactic to roll out SI Predict, a new prediction market platform set for Q2 2025.
Platform Details and Launch Plans
Slated for global markets where it qualifies, SI Predict skips traditional sports betting. Instead, it lets fans trade forecasts on sport-related trends and side events, like stadium attendance or halftime show setlists.
Users might guess if a celebrity shows up at a game or if a quarterback hits 300 passing yards. Galactic’s CEO Stuart Stott said, “Modern sports viewing isn’t one-way. Fans want their takes to count.”
SI Predict skips winner bets or point spreads, focusing on lifestyle and entertainment angles tied to major sports events. Built on blockchain tech for transparency, it doesn’t hold user funds and keeps things simple, no crypto know-how needed. Galactic ensures compliance with the UK Financial Conduct Authority and U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) standards.
Dan Dienst, Sports Illustrated’s EVP at Authentic Brands Group, noted, “This fits our long-term goal of connecting fans deeper with sports stories.” Early access sign-ups are live at galacticmarkets.io.
The move pivots from past ventures. SI Sportsbook, a betting and casino site run with 888 Holdings (now Evoke plc), shut down in 2024 after 888 pulled out of U.S. betting. SI Predict flips that script, aiming for a broader, less regulated fan hook. Launch timing, between April and June 2025, aligns with events like the NBA Finals, offering a fresh slate for predictions.
Focus and Features
SI Predict stands apart from sportsbooks. It’s not about who wins or loses but what happens around the games. Stott framed it as a space for fans to swap ideas, saying, “It’s about engagement, not just watching.”
The platform uses yes-or-no contracts, like futures markets, letting users buy or sell based on their hunches. Galactic’s blockchain backbone tracks every move.
The setup targets active fans. Unlike SI Sportsbook’s odds and casino games, SI Predict skips gambling’s legal tangle. It’s pitched as a non-betting platform, dodging state-by-state rules that hit traditional books after the 2018 PASPA repeal.
In 2024, U.S. sports betting revenue topped $11 billion, per AGA stats, but SI Predict aims for a lighter lift—fan chatter over cash stakes. Dienst added, “It’s a new way to join the sports conversation.” Galactic handles the tech, keeping it compliant and user-friendly.
SI Sportsbook folded amid 888’s U.S. exit, costing Authentic a $50 million deal, per 2023 filings. Prediction markets, though, are heating up. Kalshi hit $2 billion in trades by March 2025, per its data. SI Predict leans on Sports Illustrated’s brand, still a draw with 3 million readers despite media shifts, to grab a slice of that action without sportsbook baggage.
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