Astronomer CEO Andy Byron's 'kiss cam' scandal triggers $7M in bets on his resignation

As a video of Byron and Cabot embracing on a kiss cam during a Coldplay concert went viral on July 16, it drove heavy trading on prediction platforms Kalshi and Polymarket as speculation mounted over his departure, CNBC reported.

The following day, Kalshi showed a 65% chance Byron would step down as CEO by the end of the month. On Polymarket, odds surged from 30% to over 80% on July 18.

Astronomer announced Byron’s resignation on July 19, stating: "Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met."

The scandal fueled $2.4 million in trading volume on Kalshi and $5.3 million on Polymarket, making it one of the most active cultural events on prediction markets in recent years.

Astronomer's former CEO Andy Byron and HR chief Kris Cabot were captured cozied up during a Coldplay concert on July 16, 2025. Photo from Facebook

The controversy erupted during a Coldplay concert in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on July 16 when the jumbotron zoomed in on Byron hugging Cabot.

The pair quickly ducked out of view as Coldplay frontman Chris Martin quipped: "Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy," the New York Post reported.

Byron and Cabot were placed on leave following the incident, a source told Axios on July 18.

The next day, the company confirmed Byron’s resignation, with co-founder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy appointed interim CEO.