More than half a million euro wagered on Gerry Hutch to win Dáil seat

Polymarket has taken $1.1m in bets on the outcome of the Dublin Central by election — including $180,000 on campaigner Gillian Sheratt who is not a candidate

Gerard Hutch canvassing on Lindsay Rd in Glasnevin ahead of the Dublin Central by-election on May 22. Picture: Leah Farrell/RollingNews 

Over half a million euro has been wagered on Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch to win the Dublin Central by-election on a US predictions market.

Polymarket says that $1.1m (€930,000) has been bet on the by-election, which it says "reflects strong engagement" from its community and "helps ensure that the current odds are informed by a deep pool of market participants". 

Nearly half of that has been bet on Mr Hutch who is contesting the by-election in Dublin Central on May 22 in a race to fill the seat vacated by former Fine Gael TD and finance minister Paschal Donohoe, who left Irish politics in November to work at the World Bank.

$180k wagered on non-candidate

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The next highest amount bet on a single candidate is $180,000 on campaigner Gillian Sheratt — who is not a candidate in the election.

She was defeated by councillor Janice Boylan at the Sinn Féin selection convention in the constituency.

The favourite, according to Polymarket, is Social Democrat councillor Daniel Ennis, who is listed as having a 76% chance of winning.

Prediction markets allow users to bet on virtually anything and have drawn controversy in recent months over bets wagered on the war in Ukraine and the US-Iran ceasefire.

The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI), told the Irish Examiner that there are no specific laws around gambling on politics, but that new licensing for predictions markets not based in Ireland was being rolled out on a phased basis.

Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch narrowly missed out on the fourth seat in the Dublin Central constituency in the 2024 general election. File picture: Brian Lawless/PA

"The GRAI began accepting and processing applications for remote betting licences, remote betting intermediary licences, and in-person betting licences on the 9th of February 2026. 

"The first licences — remote betting and remote betting intermediary — are expected to be issued by the GRAI by July 2026. Existing remote betting intermediaries currently operate under licences issued by Revenue under the Betting Act 1931 which was the previous regulatory regime in respect of betting."

• Paul Hosford, Deputy Political Editor