What are prediction markets?

A prediction market is a place where people trade on the outcome of a future event. Instead of asking people for opinions in a poll, a prediction market asks them to take a position on a specific question with clear rules.

A simple market might ask: Will Denmark qualify for a major football tournament? Users can buy Yes or No. If the event resolves Yes, Yes shares pay out and No shares expire worthless. If the event resolves No, the opposite happens.

Why this matters in the Nordics

Nordic public debate is full of forecasts: coalition talks, inflation releases, company earnings, energy prices, football results, Eurovision outcomes, weather events, and cultural milestones. Prediction markets give those forecasts a shared scoreboard.

NordCast is starting as a play-money alpha so people can learn the format without financial risk. The goal is to see whether Nordic users enjoy forecasting, debating evidence, and watching crowd probabilities move as new information arrives.