Saquon Barkley says NFL rules forced him to sell his stake in Polymarket

NewsWhy Saquon Barkley says the NFL made him sell his stake in a fast-growing companyPhiladelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley told Front Office Sports he had to sell his stake in the prediction market Polymarket because of NFL rules on gambling-related investments. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)AP Photo/Chris SzagolaPhiladelphia Eagles star Saquon Barkley once owned a piece of a fast-growing company. The NFL made him give it up.Barkley told Front Office Sports he had to sell his stake in Polymarket because of league rules. “I was in it before, but no bueno,” he said. Polymarket is a prediction market. Users pay to trade on what they think will happen in the future, from elections to football games. The company says it is different from a sportsbook, but critics say it works a lot like betting. The NFL treats prediction markets like gambling companies. Players aren’t allowed to invest in them or promote them. Barkley said the league explains the rules to players before every season. Barkley was one of the first athletes to invest in a prediction market. He invested before the NFL made clear that its gambling rules also covered these companies. Other leagues see it differently. The NBA lets players invest in and promote prediction markets, as long as they don’t promote bets on NBA games. LeBron James reportedly signed a Polymarket deal worth $15 million a year. Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer and the NHL all have deals with Polymarket. The news comes during a rough stretch for Barkley and the Eagles. Philadelphia has lost five straight games and is 2-5. Barkley hurt his back in Monday’s 38-21 loss to the Dallas Cowboys and ran for just 62 yards. Chris Pugh covers trending news and national breaking stories, focusing on the moments, conversations, and cultural flashpoints shaping the national news cycle. Chris worked as a digital reporter for...This article was produced with assistance from AI tools and reviewed by Cleveland.com staff.