""Gambling on the weather has become an institution throughout a great part of the United States." This sentiment from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in 1915 highlights the long-standing tradition of weather betting in American culture."
"As the Palisade fires raged, bettors engaged in a million-dollar game of chance, wagering on how fast the fires would spread and how many acres would ultimately burn."
"One Polymarket bettor quipped that trading volume was 'so high in this market it cause[d] another fire,' illustrating the dark humor surrounding the commodification of disaster."
"Tyler Austin Harper, an environmental studies professor, remarked on the tastelessness of profiting from such tragedies, emphasizing the ethical implications of weather-based betting."
Intensifying wildfires, coastal erosion, and hurricanes are increasingly impacting humanity. As climate change consequences become routine, some individuals are focusing on profiting from these disasters through weather-based betting. This practice has historical roots in the US, dating back to the 1880s, where communities engaged in betting on weather events. Modern examples include betting on the Palisade wildfires of 2025, where gamblers wagered on the spread and duration of the fires, reflecting a troubling trend of capitalizing on climate-related catastrophes.
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