Tesla bros, it turns out, can be pretty sore losers.
On the crypto-based prediction hub Polymarket, some of the automaker's diehards can't accept that they're about to lose a boatload of money after betting that their hero Elon Musk would launch a public robotaxi service in June. Which he didn't, by the way; the trial is limited to a few people with an invite, and beyond that, the most notable thing it's accomplished was earn the attention of federal regulators for flubs like violating traffic laws.
Now, with July in full effect, the Tesla bettors are begging the site admins to let them win anyway, with some already crying foul if they don't get what they want.
"This is a public launch," insisted one user who bought nearly 22,000 "Yes" shares on the bet titled, "Will Tesla launch a driverless Robotaxi service before July?"
Dismissing the "haterz," the user added: "If they resolve this any other besides a YES, it's called a scam."
In a hilarious testament to their zeal, the total bet volume has shot up by nearly $1,000,000 from just a day or two earlier, when the Polymarket event should've already closed. All the while, the odds of the yes-camp winning haven't budged from less than one percent.
Many of them were inspired by Musk calling out the bet weeks ago, guaranteeing easy riches for his followers.
"Money-making opportunity," he wrote in a tweet pointing to the Polymarket event.
Musk's tweet briefly caused the "yes" odds to surge, but the reality of the situation has since set in. Tesla is operating an extremely limited form of a Robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, with only ten to 20 vehicles on the road. And with its myriad of caveats, it doesn't appear to meet the bet's definition.
In the rules section, it clearly states that a program restricted to "invite-only testers" will not qualify as a robotaxi service. Tesla's program is currently invite-only, with most of the participants being Tesla "influencers." In the past few days, it has reportedly begun inviting people outside this small pool of personalities, but it remains invite-only nonetheless.
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