Inkling: Another New Prediction Market

Thanks to a tip from Kevin Grinberg, I learned about yet another new prediction market: Inkling. It looks for now to aim merely at play-money trading. Interestingly, though, Inkling's COO said on the market's blog, "We’re working with the lawyers to finalize the details of our rewards system. Eventually, (we hope) you’ll get cash for trading wisely."

Later, in a comment on Grinberg's blog, Inkling's CEO seemed to backpedal a bit: "[W]e actually are using all fake money; the payouts are definitely not real money (we would have to move overseas to do this.)" I take it, though, that he (the CEO, Adam Siegel), meant merely to clarify that Inkling would not offer money prizes itself. Rather, it appears to plan to let other take up that legally risky strategy. Siegel followed his above comment with this bit: "However, in the coming weeks we’re going to create the ability for people to run their own markets, either publicly or privately and they can offer up incentives to those who participate if they want to - it will be up to them. As far as we know, no one else is allowing people to roll their own and hopefully it will prove to be popular…"

Speaking of prediction markets, have you checked out Chris F. Masse's 2005 prediction market awards? I think I won the one for "opinion of the year", myself! It's a bit hard to be sure, though, given Chris's sharp wit; I might have been roasted rather than celebrated. He says of my supposedly award-winning opinion, "Was it an attempt at humor??? Does Tom Bell need a timeout???" (Gee, Chris, if you're going to make me famous, at least you could use my middle initial! It's all about the branding, mon ami.) I have to give Chris credit, though: He has already added Inkling to his burgeoning list of prediction markets.