About this app
What is Bucaneros?
Americans wagered nearly $167 billion on sports in 2025 through regulated sportsbooks, an 11% increase year-over-year, according to data from the American Gaming Association (AGA).
The blurring line between financial investing and gambling has been accelerated by the rise of prediction markets—exchanges offering event contracts that are federally regulated as financial derivatives. U.S. News found that over 40% of active sports bettors now also participate in sports prediction markets.
Financial advisors continue to urge consumers to view sports wagering strictly as entertainment and to only risk funds they can afford to lose.
How to play Bucaneros
With ice hockey and UFC-themed initiatives driving engagement in North America and a 45% lifetime value increase seen with the launch of MEGA Shoot, a player-versus-player simulation penalty shootout game initiative which launched during the World Cup, it is an exciting time for the Malta-based platform provider.
Barrett also describes how MEGA can “make a player feel connected within the software ecosystem and the brands” Soft2Bet operate with.
Play the video above to watch the full video interview and hear more insights from Harrison Barrett.
About Bucaneros
“By bringing together official data, live streaming, league IP, integrity services and the reach of our Legend media network, we are helping Polymarket deliver a differentiated and trusted experience for sports fans across the US.”
Genius signed deals with both Polymarket and Kalshi in August, to provide real-time event data and league integrity services, as well as streaming services. Fellow data provider Sportradar also announced similar multi-year partnerships with both Kalshi and Polymarket in June.
Initial reaction from investors was largely unfavourable. Genius shares plunged 13% on 18 Sept., falling 17% for the week. The data provider closed the session at $5.64 per share, well below the $6.19 price when it announced the Legend acquisition in February.
