Prediction markets have really come to the fore over the last couple of years, and Polymarket is one of the biggest names in that space. This review will break down all of the key information you need to know about this platform ahead of its relaunch in the United States. The site was unavailable in the US from 2022 to 2025, but now it is legal in the US with Polymarket US – a CFTC regulated prediction market operator.
We will explain how to use it properly, how the platform works, and how you can start participating in various markets. Also, our in-house prediction market experts will share their insights for each of the features – from the fee schedule to crypto deposits and withdrawals – so you get an idea of how the service rates against other top prediction markets.
What Users Are Saying About Polymarket
| Positive Feedback | Negative Feedback |
|---|---|
| Really good prices | They change the rules by adding “context” that makes the big players win |
| Fast/instant pay outs on crypto | I have been unable to withdraw for months and nothing had been done to resolve the problem |
| Navigating the platform is easy thanks to its clear layout, and there’s a wide variety of subjects available | The statistics you are betting on are not up to date and they will change them after the bet has completed |
| The variety of markets keeps me engaged, and I appreciate the real-time updates | Polymarket manipulates markets and propose resolutions that are contrary to the reality |
What is Polymarket?
Polymarket is a platform that allows users to make predictions on real-world events in a fully transparent environment. The site was founded in 2020, but went offline in 2022 following a settlement with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. It returned in 2025 under Polymarket US, and is currently in the Beta stage. No official timing has been given for the full launch of Polymarket in America.
That being said, you can still sign up at Polymarket US, either through the website or the dedicated iOS and Android trading apps, and use the trading features. You can deposit money into your Polymarket account, take or make trades against other US traders. Most of the events offer ample liquidity, allowing you to achieve the desired value, along with a user-friendly interface that creates a very pleasant experience.
Polymarket.com vs Polymarket.US
This is important to know – there are two versions of Polymarket right now. One is Polymarket.com – a crypto-based operator that runs on blockchain technology caters to international audiences. But this version is not legal in the US.
Instead, US bettors have Polymarket US (Polymarket.us), which is regulated by the CFTC as a Designated Contract Market. This is a fiat-based platform, so you can pay using bank transfers or card payments, but crypto is not supported on Polymarket US. Another major difference is that right now, Polymarket US is in Beta phase. In this phase, Polymarket US occasionally runs maintenance checks (they tend to fall on Thursdays, and can last a few hours). You do get notice of this beforehand, but just be sure not to leave any open orders or resting orders during this time because you may get exposed when the market reopens.
How To Sign Up At Polymarket
Although this prediction site is different from a traditional sportsbook, the sign-up process is just as simple. You can create an account by signing up through our link to get an exclusive welcome bonus
On the site, you will need to make an account linked to your Google or Apple ID. It takes seconds to set up, and you will need to complete these steps.
- Sign up with Google or Apple ID
- Set a username
- Enter your personal details (full name, DoB, residential address)
- Verify your ID (with government-issued ID and a selfie check)
Next, you can use the deposit methods to transfer USD into your account, and you are ready to start trading. You can browse the markets, assess the prices and line movements, and then start making your first trades.
Polymarket Welcome Bonus Promo Code
New users at Polymarket can get $50 in trading credits, and all it requires is to sign up and then make a qualifying deposit of $10. This offer is only available through our link – you won’t need a Polymarket promo code – but you can only get the offer if you sign up through the linked registration form.
Polymarket Welcome Bonus: Deposit $10 Get $50 in Trading Credits
This is a pretty generous offer for a prediction market, and you can claim it within minutes. All you need to do is sign up through the link, link your Google/Apple ID and complete the registration form, and then make a qualifying deposit of $10 or more.
Then, you get $50 in trading credits, that you can put towards your first trades.
Key Features of Polymarket
At Polymarket, you can make trades on sports events, going beyond moneyline outcomes and buying spreads, totals, props, and even set alternate lines for spreads and totals. The really unique thing about prediction sites is that these markets are created by traders who buy and sell contracts to each other. The contracts are backed by liquidity, so the buyers and sellers of the contracts are financing the market. The more liquidity there is, the more robust the market is. Higher liquidity also increases the chance of you finding the price you want as probabilities change in real-time.
Regarding features, Polymarket is just as flexible as Kalshi, as it offers point spreads and totals, and not just win and loss outcomes. Polymarket allows you to monitor where the money is going as an event draws closer, which is very helpful, and you can also trade during events.
Prediction markets such as Polymarket have introduced a whole new way of forecasting events, and they are becoming increasingly attractive for sports bettors.
Market Coverage
One of the reasons Polymarket is so popular is the range of markets it has available. There are all kinds of pregame and futures trades, from individual match props to full-season awards like the MVP. You can enter contracts on players, teams, and special events on major and niche sports. There are options for everyone. If you are looking for a contract that is mainstream or something more quirky, Polymarket will have it.
The sports category covers 15+ sports, including the most popular ones like football, soccer, baseball, basketball, hockey, tennis, and UFC/MMA. You also get good niche sports coverage, with lots of eSports, motorsports and even a miscellaneous category (here, we have seen trades on cycling, chess, and other even more niche sports).
This platform doesn’t just stop at sports, either. If you like to keep track of the goings on in the political world, there are plenty of things to keep up with during election races. You can also look at contracts for movies and awards. Polymarket even had a market for whether it would relaunch in the US this year.
Live Trading
One of the greatest draws of Polymarket US is its live trading features. You can set up trading orders with limits, or take the going live prices, and hold onto those contracts or sell them early if good value arises. We also have to note that a lot of alternate markets and props are also offered during games, diversifying the options if you want to get into more detail with your predictions.
Another key feature for live trading is the historic line movement graphs, which update continuously, and you can also toggle to the Order Book to see the latest prices and shares for each Yes/No market. Polymarket US also has live streams for selected tennis, eSports, soccer, and other sports.
Polymarket Combos
Polymarket supports combos, which are parlay-style trades, but these are not built into the contract slip like at other prediction markets. Instead, you have to use the Request for Quote function, and this must be confirmed to activate your parlay. This basically makes it more difficult to construct these orders, and also you may lose valuable time between submitting the order and getting confirmation, which can lead to slippage. So while Polymarket does, in fact, support combos – we felt they are quite poorly designed and need further work.
Polymarket Fees
Polymarket charges negligible fees to buy or sell a contracts, which is an important criteria that a lot of prediction market users care about.
If you make an order, you won’t have to pay fees if someone fills your order. Polymarket US has taker fees, where you get charged for buying a bet against existing liquidity. This is a scalable fee, which peaks at the 50% point (even money trades) and becomes smallest at the extemities (1% or 99%).
The fees for taking can range from around 0.5% up to 3% (approx). You don’t have to pay fees if your contract settles, but if you want to sell it early, you will have to pay another fee. Traders don’t really like the scalable fees as these tend to climax at the 50% mid-point, therefore making those 50-50 trades more expensive.
But at Polymarket US the trading fees are pretty minimal, they are fairly priced and way below the juice you would pay at a US sportsbook.
How Polymarket Trading Contract Works
The prediction market model relies on interest at both ends of a contract. This is called a Central Limit Order Book mechanic – meaning that you are always trading against the liquidity of another trader (and not against a “pool” of liquidity). Someone buys a contract at a specific price, and someone ‘fills’ the order, or agrees to fulfil that contract at the specified price. The market liquidity and fairness are ensured on both sides of the agreement.
If there is insufficient liquidity in a market, a difference in price from what was initially expected is possible. If your order is not filled at its set price, it may then be filled at a different price that guarantees liquidity in the market. This would be entered by a trader ‘filling’ the order, likely at a lower price.
Slippage can occur when new information comes to light that alters the probability of an outcome. For example, if you are buying a sports contract on the Kansas City Chiefs winning their next 3 games, but Patrick Mahomes picks up a bad injury, prices will change instantly.
If an outcome has a designation of ‘correct’ in a smart contract, the buyer of the contract is paid out. If it does not have a ‘correct’ designation, then the investment is unsuccessful, and the trader selling the contract is paid out. For sports markets, sites for major leagues like the NFL and NBA act as the official stats and data sources, and contracts are paid based on the results listed on those sites.
Always read the terms and conditions before entering a market contract. Some markets have strict limits on contract sizes, while others may use different sources for their information. Additionally, read up on how you can dispute an outcome if you encounter any issues with your contract.
Banking
Polymarket US is a fiat-based prediction market, as opposed to the crypto-native Polymarket.com. As such, you can deposit with USD, via debit card, ACH bank transfers or wire transfers. You can deposit up to $50,000 in a single day with bank cards and transfers. Wire transfers can be made from a miniomum $1,000 and have no maximum cap.
Withdrawals can be made out through the same payment gateway you use to make your deposit, and processing times can take 3 to 4 days.
Related Reviews
Polymarket is one of the biggest prediction market brands available today. Trading contracts on potential outcomes of various events, sporting or otherwise, is becoming increasingly popular. Here are some other prediction market sites for your perusal.
Our Verdict
If you are looking for an established prediction market that has a wide range of sports markets and is easy to use, then Polymarket is one of the best options out there. It is easy to see why this is considered one of the ‘big two’, alongside Kalshi in the prediction markets space.
It has a favorable fee schedule, extensive sports coverage, and professional peer trading features. Sure, we would like Polymarket US to finally ditch the Beta and give a full launch, and we are expecting more high value features to roll out. There are some areas to improve, such as the few payment options, the relatively primitive combo options and the Beta phase limits.
That being said, this is one of the most popular prediction markets in the world, and US traders have access to a plethora of sports markets, and the functions are designed to accommodate the most professional of strategies.
