Oslo, Norway – Nobel peace Prize officials are investigating a dramatic surge in betting activity on María Corina Machado, a venezuelan opposition leader, just hours before teh prize was announced, raising concerns about a potential leak of the winner.
The betting site in question has gained popularity for wagers on political events, notably in the United States, and relies heavily on speculation. According to reports, Machado’s odds on the site jumped from 3.75% shortly after midnight Norwegian time to 72.8% less than two hours later.
The rapid shift prompted ample payouts; one user reportedly won over US$65,000 on a Machado bet, and another winning profile was created on the same day the wager was placed, according to finansavisen.
Jørgen Watne Frydnes, head of the Nobel committee, told Aftenposten the committee “tends to be very good at keeping secrets,” emphasizing the historically secretive nature of the selection process. Kristian Harpviken, a Nobel expert, also told Aftenposten it was “too early to be certain” if the winner had been leaked, but anticipated an examination would be launched.
