Forbes Experiments with Prediction-Style Engagement

Forbes is testing a new way to keep readers engaged, borrowing ideas from prediction markets without stepping into gambling or wagering. The media company has introduced ForbesPredict, a token-based forecasting tool designed to make news consumption more interactive rather than to offer real-money bets.

For casino and sportsbook enthusiasts, the distinction between what is on offer here and traditional prediction markets is important. While ForbesPredict uses outcome-based questions similar to those found in betting markets, there are no wagers, odds, or payouts. Users are not risking money, and in the same vein, they cannot cash out anything.

In essence, where sportsbooks rely on odds, liquidity, and risk to drive engagement, ForbesPredict relies on participation, accuracy, and competition among readers.

How ForbesPredict Works

ForbesPredict is going to integrate and function directly inside Forbes articles as interactive widgets. Readers are prompted with simple “will or won’t” questions tied to the story they are reading, covering politics, business, sports, entertainment, weather, and breaking news.

Users indicate how confident they are in an outcome using a sliding scale, then see how their prediction compares with the broader audience. As stories evolve, Forbes sends alerts via email, SMS, push notifications, or onsite messages, encouraging users to return and track results.

An entertainment story might ask whether a film will win an award, while a business article could prompt predictions on earnings announcements or policy decisions. Fast-moving news will thus likely be a key focus during testing.

Users then earn internal tokens based on forecast accuracy. These tokens have no monetary value, and players cannot transfer them. They function as reputation markers, allowing users to track performance over time rather than measure success in dollars won or lost.

Engagement and Monetization Strategy

Forbes is positioning ForbesPredict as a gamified engagement layer meant to increase time spent onsite, repeat visits, and daily usage as traditional traffic sources soften.

New users receive a limited number of tokens to try the platform. Registered users unlock performance tracking and additional prompts, and Forbes has indicated tokens may also be awarded for actions like profile completion.

Monetization will come through sponsorships, branded prediction prompts, and advertising placements within the widgets. Prediction data will also feed into ForbesOne, the company’s first-party data platform, helping build sentiment-based audience segments for advertisers.