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Prediction market events trading platform Kalshi has released its events trading volume report for the early part of July, and it is dominated by Major League Baseball as well as Wimbledon for tennis - which was not surprising. But the report also had some surprising entries, such as Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, which accounted for 10% of all the volume in trading. In a week defined by both athletic prowess and oddly specific wagering, sports betting has once again taken center stage at Kalshi, the US-regulated prediction market platform. For the week ending in July 6, sports-related markets accounted for more than 70% of total trading volume, with tennis, Major League Baseball, and the ever-iconic Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest leading the pack. According to the latest volume data, eight of Kalshi's top ten markets were sports-related, and 12 of the top 20 overall fell under the sports category. Although overall trading volume remains below the peaks seen during NBA and NHL seasons, the latest figures show a strong resurgence in market activity tied to live sports events. Wimbledon wagers take the crown Kalshi users were particularly engaged with Wimbledon betting, which accounted for more than one-third of all trading volume on the platform last week. Tennis fans and traders were drawn to a wide array of betting opportunities - from forecasting winners of the men's and women's singles tournaments to speculating on individual match outcomes. Part of the appeal comes from the sheer number of matchups available in the tournament's early rounds, creating ample opportunities for varied predictions. These markets were not only available on Kalshi directly but also accessible via trading apps like Robinhood. Baseball betting hits a home run and hotdog eating contest sizzles with activity Major League Baseball also drew significant attention, making up more than 16% of total market activity. Kalshi's KXMLBGAME market - which covers single-game outcomes - saw robust participation, suggesting a consistent appetite for daily sports speculation among traders. As the MLB season marches on, these day-to-day markets are likely to remain a steady source of volume for the platform. In what could only be described as a blend of sports, spectacle, and satire, the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest commanded nearly 10% of Kalshi's weekly trading. Traders were able to place bets not only on the contest's male winner (KXNATHANSHD) but also on how many hot dogs he would consume (KXNATHANDOGS). While these wagers may seem frivolous - the font about it being a 'serious financial market and hedging opportunity' is oozing with sarcasm - the market activity says otherwise. Notably, there were no markets available for the women's division of the contest. Beyond the big three, Kalshi traders also engaged with several niche and emerging sports markets. These included bets on the John Deere Classic of the PGA Tour, the Grant Park 165 NASCAR race, the FIFA Club World Cup matches, WNBA games, and finally, Major League Soccer matchups. Interestingly, Kalshi did not offer a market on the widely anticipated Gold Cup championship match between the US and Mexico. Non-sports markets still active but overshadowed While sports betting dominated the top 20, other prediction markets managed to maintain a presence. These included economic forecasts like Bitcoin's daily price, S&P index levels, and the Federal Reserve's next rate decision. Political and entertainment markets also made the cut, including predictions on the 2028 Democratic presidential nominee, the New York City mayoral race, and even the Rotten Tomatoes score for the upcoming film Jurassic World Rebirth. Despite more than a thousand markets being live on Kalshi, the top 20 accounted for a staggering 87% of all trading volume - which strongly demonstrates the platform's skewed focus on high-engagement events and culturally resonant topics. As sports continue to dominate trading sentiment on Kalshi, the intersection of entertainment, economics, and eccentric events promises a fascinating glimpse into what traders truly care about - or at least what they're willing to stake money on.

Chet Holmgren was instrumental in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s bid for a league title in the 2024-25 season. Despite missing a full year and then nearly half of the previous season, Holmgren proved to be pivotal in impacting OKC’s offense and defense, which led to the team to eventually push to sign him for more years to come. This comes as a timely extension after the Thunder have also signed superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to a four-year, $285 million deal. The KIA MVP, WCF MVP, and Finals MVP have earned it well after a majestic season in which he also finished as the league’s scoring champion among many accolades, as well as being recently named the cover athlete of NBA 2K26. Holmgren averaged 15.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.2 blocks per game for the Thunder last season. Despite what can be seen as his worst season, it only gets better from there. Oklahoma City’s plan to run it back rests on having its big three core intact together, and now it is going to be one heck of a push to make them all stay for more years to come. OKC has ticked two, now there’s only one left. The Holmgren Deal With SGA finally done with his extension and guaranteed to stay until the 2030-31 season, it definitely made sense that Oklahoma City would now move to its next stars at hand for a chance to keep them together. With the deal, Holmgren is now slated to make about $41 million per year starting the 2026-27 season, which is the start of the extension. Next year, however, the Thunder big man will make $13.7 million – which is the final year of his rookie deal. This should be a landmark season and a chance to improve his numbers before entering the prime years of his career with OKC. Holmgren has already proved his worth on the big stage when he averaged 15.2 points and 8.7 rebounds in 23 playoff games – never missing a single one when it mattered most. OKC capped off a massive run where they managed to beat Indiana in a seven-game clincher. For what it is worth, Holmgren had his ups and downs, and yet he managed to come back strong for OKC when it mattered most, and that says a lot about his value for the team. Facing Adversity with Grit Holmgren was selected as the no. 2 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft behind Orlando Magic’s Paolo Banchero. Had it not been for his foot injury, he may have ended up winning Rookie of the Year. Instead, he redshirted the entire season while also paving the way for the breakout of fellow 2022 pick Jalen Williams. “They went through a fair amount of adversity during the season,” Presti said last month in his end-of-season meeting with reporters. “In reality, a lot of that adversity forged us into the team that we were, playing different lineups and being without certain players and then getting those players back, and the selflessness and humility that the players coming back had to have in order to fit into a team that was really cooking without them. Chet is one example of that, but we had many others.” The Thunder center then returned in the 2023-24 season and played all 82 games to showcase his ability to stay on the court when healthy. OKC reached the semis in that run but was eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks. Holmgren also had a great start in the 2024-25 season, going as far as being the top three in MVP talks before his hip injury.