Gamblers Accuse Karoline Leavitt of ‘Insider Trading’ After Abrupt Stage Exit

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s decision to abruptly end Wednesday’s daily briefing just 30 seconds short of the 65-minute mark has sparked a firestorm of accusations on social media and prediction market platforms, with gamblers alleging “insider trading” after a small group of bettors reaped massive profits from the unexpected cutoff.

The incident—coming as Leavitt promoted new administration initiatives and a controversial website mocking the January 6 Capitol riot—has highlighted the growing intersection of political events, online betting, and public scrutiny of government officials.

Leavitt’s briefing covered several key administration priorities: the rollout of new dietary guidelines under the “Making America Healthy Again” campaign, details on President Trump’s oil deal with Venezuela following recent military actions, and the U.S. seizure of a tanker linked to sanctions violations.

She concluded by touting a new White House website dedicated to revisiting the January 6 events: “And so I would encourage everyone to take a look at the website. It’s quite well done. And thank you all very much. It’s great to be back with you.”

With that, Leavitt gathered her papers and quickly exited the stage, clocking out at 64 minutes and 30 seconds—mere moments before crossing the 65-minute threshold that dominated betting odds on platforms like Kalshi.

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Prediction Market Mechanics and Massive Payouts

Kalshi, a regulated prediction market, had offered bets on whether Leavitt’s briefing would exceed 65 minutes, with rules measuring time from her first to last audible word, including pauses. Heading into the close, the market assigned a 98% probability to “YES” (over 65 minutes), making “NO” bets extremely high-risk, high-reward.

When Leavitt ended early, “NO” bettors saw returns of up to 50x their stake in seconds.

“Traders on the NO side made 50x in seconds,” posted X influencer PredictionMarketTrader, capturing the frenzy.

Observers noted Leavitt appeared to glance upward—possibly at a clock or monitor before wrapping up, adding to suspicions of deliberate timing. “This s— has me in tearz. She even looked at the clock n dipped. IT WAZ HER WHO MADE THE TRADE,” wrote user Braden Hoffman.

The market’s precise definition—time between first and last word meant even a brief extension could have flipped outcomes, making the cutoff appear suspiciously calibrated.

The episode exploded across social media, blending humor, outrage, and calls for regulation.

Democratic strategist Mike Nellis posted: “We live in the dumbest f—ing timeline.” Trader Hash commented: “Prediction market bros will tell you this isn’t insider trading.”

User h index enjoyer warned of broader implications: “If this is true, and Congress bans stock trading… figure that these ‘prediction markets’ will soon be used to bribe politicians and whatnot.”

Account Myst demanded: “Prediction markets gotta get banned ASAP lmaooo.” Political commentator ettingermentum added: “This isn’t tenable.”

The controversy reflects growing unease with prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket, which have surged in popularity for political events after accurate 2024 forecasts. Critics argue they incentivize manipulation and create conflicts for public officials.

No evidence suggests Leavitt or staff placed bets or intentionally timed the exit for financial gain. The White House has not commented.

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Leavitt’s Role and Briefing Style

Leavitt, 28, has earned a reputation for lengthy, combative briefings, often extending well beyond scheduled times with sharp rebuttals to reporters. Her sessions frequently exceed an hour, making the under-65-minute bet a long shot—until Wednesday.

The briefing itself promoted administration priorities, including health guidelines and Venezuela policy, before the January 6 website plug. The sudden end—without taking final questions—deviated from her usual pattern, fueling timing suspicions.

Leavitt’s high-visibility role as Trump’s youngest press secretary has made her a frequent target for criticism, from appearance-focused attacks to accusations of misinformation. The betting incident adds a new layer: unintended enrichment of gamblers through routine decisions.

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Why It Matters

Prediction markets operate as regulated exchanges, allowing bets on event outcomes with real money. Proponents argue they aggregate wisdom better than polls; critics warn of manipulation risks, especially when events involve public figures with inside knowledge.

Congress has debated restricting or banning such platforms, particularly after their role in 2024 election betting. The Leavitt episode—trivial in isolation but lucrative for a few revives calls for oversight, with some arguing officials’ actions shouldn’t create windfalls for speculators.

As platforms grow in influence, incidents like this risk eroding trust in both markets and government transparency.

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Leavitt’s exit—intended to wrap a standard session has instead become a viral meme and accusation point, showing the unpredictable fusion of politics, media, and online gambling in the digital age.

Whether the timing was coincidence or conscious remains unproven, but the fallout ensures Leavitt’s briefings will face even closer scrutiny from reporters and bettors alike.