Opinion

The worst bet in America isn't Kalshi or Polymarket. It's hiding in plain sight

Your odds of winning the Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots are astronomical

By Ted Jenkin Fox News

Published September 25, 2026 5:00am EDT

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America suddenly has a gambling problem.

Sports betting is everywhere. Prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket let people wager on everything from football games to elections. Politicians and regulators are asking whether we've gone too far.

Fair question.

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But there's another gambling operation that's been sitting on street corners for decades, quietly pickpocketing people. The government lottery. And it may offer some of the worst bets in America.

The prediction market company Polymarket prepares to open a free grocery store in Manhattan on Feb. 12, 2026, in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Americans bought more than $113 billion in lottery products in fiscal 2024, according to the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries. That's more than $300 million every single day.

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And business is booming. Census........

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