During the intense media coverage of the 2024 U.S. presidential election, Polymarket became nearly impossible to ignore. It was everywhere, quoted in major articles, retweeted by political influencers, and shared across Telegram and Discord groups. Some users began treating its price movements as de facto election projections, often refreshing markets more obsessively than FiveThirtyEight or CNN. That’s when a curious user named HolyMoses7 stumbled across the platform.
“Polymarket was everywhere. I started following it out of curiosity, and after a while I saw real opportunities to make money and have fun,” he says.
At the time, he was new not just to prediction markets, but to crypto as a whole. And like many newcomers, he immediately hit a technical wall: he had no crypto, and Moonpay, one of the easiest onboarding options, didn’t work in his country.
Instead of giving up, HolyMoses7 turned to his network. A friend from Germany deposited $30 into his own account and transferred just $1 to get him started. That single dollar, symbolic, modest, but full of potential launched his entire journey into the prediction economy.
“That $1 meant a lot, because that’s how I started.”
A Fast Rise, Then a Hard Lesson
Incredibly, within his first month, HolyMoses7 managed to reach $4K in profits. He navigated markets with instinct, timing, and a bit of luck, capitalizing on the chaos and volatility that often defines early Polymarket participation.
But his success would soon come with a cost.
While dealing with a connection issue, he posted in the official #user-support Discord channel, hoping for technical help. Shortly after, he received a private message from someone who appeared to be from the support team. The tag was nearly identical to official accounts, and the tone was convincing.
“He asked for my email—something that didn’t seem dangerous. Then he told me to fill in some codes from an email to help fix the issue,” he recalls.
“That’s when I unknowingly gave him full access to my account.”
By the time he realized what had happened, it was too late. The scammer had drained his positions. Only about $300 remained.
“When he was done, there were about $300 left in my account. So I sold them and transferred them to a new account.”
The experience was a painful wake up in the unforgiving nature of crypto security. It taught him that even platforms built on transparency and community aren’t immune to deception if users let their guard down.
Losing Due to Bias
Beyond the scam, HolyMoses7 faced another challenge that many traders will find familiar: emotional bias.
“Try not to bet on topics you are biased on,” he advises. “I lost some money on those myself, and I saw many other people doing the same.”
Being too personally invested—especially in politically charged markets can lead to distorted reasoning, confirmation bias, and risk mismanagement. After a few painful missteps, he learned to step back emotionally and trade based on logic, not identity or ideology.
Advice for New Traders
When asked what he’d tell someone new to Polymarket, HolyMoses7 offered simple but deeply earned wisdom:
“Start small. Figure out what you’re good at. Don’t go in with a lot of money and no experience that’s the fastest way to end up in the red.”
He encourages new users to identify their niche, avoid overconfidence, and stay skeptical in fast-moving markets.
“Avoid markets where you have strong personal bias. Watch out for scammers. Only bet what you can afford to lose.”
“Finding a niche you’re good at helps a lot. When I trade, I mostly focus on a few topics that I try to be as professional as possible at.”
Even then, he maintains humility:
“Honestly, I don’t know if my tips are better than anyone else’s, but if it helps someone avoid the mistakes I made, it’s worth sharing.”
The Takeaway: Polymarket Is More Than Just a Platform
HolyMoses7’s journey, from a single dollar to thousands, from growth to near total loss, and finally to hard won, perspective is a snapshot of what makes Polymarket so much more than a gambling site.
It’s a live experiment in psychology, strategy, and information theory. A place where trading skill, curiosity, and caution can pay off if you’re ready to learn.
“After this experience, I realized I need to be much more careful in the crypto world. Recheck who I am speaking with, and generally watch out more.”
Polymarket doesn’t guarantee profit. But it does offer a real education, and for those who stick with it, a chance to grow not just as traders, but as thinkers.
Because on Polymarket, you can lose, but you can also build something meaningful, one dollar, one trade, one lesson at a time.