Pakistan, Oct. 11 -- The Norwegian Nobel Institute has launched an investigation into possible leaks before the Nobel Peace Prize announcement. This comes after unusual betting activity on Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado winning the prize. Betting odds on Machado jumped from 3.75% to nearly 73% overnight on Polymarket, a predictive betting platform. However, no experts or media had listed her as a favorite before the announcement in Oslo. Data specialist Robert Naess called the sudden change "very suspicious," according to Norwegian broadcaster NRK.

Despite the unusual betting pattern, Nobel Committee Chairman Jorgen Watne Frydnes expressed skepticism about leaks. He told the NTB news that he doubted any leak had ever o...