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What do prediction markets predict?

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  • John Fountain
  • Glenn Harrison

Abstract

We show that prediction markets cannot be relied on to always elicit any interesting statistic of aggregate beliefs. Formal derivations of the bets placed in prediction markets can be viewed as demands for state-contingent commodities. We provide derivations for two popular cases, log utility and Constant Relative Risk Aversion (CRRA) utility, connecting these derivations to familiar scoring rules. We then use these results to demonstrate how the properties of prediction markets depend critically on the assumed homogeneity of participants.

Suggested Citation

  • John Fountain & Glenn Harrison, 2011. "What do prediction markets predict?," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(3), pages 267-272.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:apeclt:v:18:y:2011:i:3:p:267-272
    DOI: 10.1080/13504850903559575
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Manski, Charles F., 2006. "Interpreting the predictions of prediction markets," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 91(3), pages 425-429, June.
    2. Forsythe, Robert & Rietz, Thomas A. & Ross, Thomas W., 1999. "Wishes, expectations and actions: a survey on price formation in election stock markets," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 83-110, May.
    3. Marco Ottaviani & Peter Norman Sørensen, 2007. "Aggregation of Information and Beliefs in Prediction Markets," FRU Working Papers 2007/01, University of Copenhagen. Department of Economics. Finance Research Unit.
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    Cited by:

    1. He, Xue-Zhong & Treich, Nicolas, 2012. "Heterogeneous Beliefs and Prediction Market Accuracy," TSE Working Papers 13-394, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE).
    2. Antonio Filippin & Marco Mantovani, 2023. "Risk aversion and information aggregation in binary‐asset markets," Quantitative Economics, Econometric Society, vol. 14(2), pages 753-798, May.
    3. Karl Schlag & James Tremewan & Joël Weele, 2015. "A penny for your thoughts: a survey of methods for eliciting beliefs," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 18(3), pages 457-490, September.
    4. Karl Schlag & James Tremewan & Joël Weele, 2015. "A penny for your thoughts: a survey of methods for eliciting beliefs," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 18(3), pages 457-490, September.
    5. Steffen Andersen & John Fountain & Glenn Harrison & E. Rutström, 2014. "Estimating subjective probabilities," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 48(3), pages 207-229, June.
    6. Antonio, Filippin & Marco, Mantovani, 2019. "Risk Aversion and Information Aggregation in Asset Markets," Working Papers 404, University of Milano-Bicocca, Department of Economics, revised Apr 2019.
    7. Marco Mantovani & Antonio Filippin, 2024. "When do prediction markets return average beliefs? Experimental evidence," Working Papers 532, University of Milano-Bicocca, Department of Economics.
    8. Daniel Kirste & Niclas Kannengie{ss}er & Ricky Lamberty & Ali Sunyaev, 2023. "How Automated Market Makers Approach the Thin Market Problem in Cryptoeconomic Systems," Papers 2309.12818, arXiv.org, revised Sep 2023.

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