Key takeaway: Betfair is regulated, fiat-friendly, and suited for sports bettors. Polymarket is unregulated, blockchain-based, and excels at political and real-world event prediction. For European political markets, Polymarket wins on liquidity and variety.
Two platforms lead the European prediction market landscape: Betfair (the established betting exchange) and Polymarket (the blockchain-powered prediction platform). What sets them apart?
At a glance
| Feature | Polymarket | Betfair |
| Founded | 2020 | 2000 |
| Regulation | Unregulated (decentralised) | FCA, Malta, Gibraltar licensed |
| Currency | USDC (stablecoin) | GBP, EUR, AUD |
| Market types | Politics, crypto, science, culture | Sports, politics, entertainment |
| Fees | ~2% (spread-based) | 2–5% commission on winnings |
| Deposits | USDC, MoonPay | Card, bank transfer, PayPal |
Where Polymarket wins
- Political markets: Polymarket commands superior liquidity across US elections, European politics, and geopolitical developments compared to Betfair
- Transparency: Blockchain-based settlement is fully auditable; Betfair's terms can lack clarity
- Market variety: Cryptocurrency valuations, AI breakthroughs, scientific milestones — categories absent from Betfair's offering
- No bookmaker margin: Trader-driven pricing eliminates the built-in edge
Where Betfair wins
- Sports markets: Live sports wagering remains Betfair's flagship; Polymarket offers minimal coverage of active sporting events
- Fiat deposits: Betfair requires no cryptocurrency background for funding
- Regulation: FCA-authorised with investor safeguards and responsible gambling features
- Track record: Quarter-century operational history with established complaint handling procedures
Our verdict
For those focused on political event prediction, Polymarket emerges as the superior choice. PolyGram delivers Polymarket trading without the cryptocurrency friction. Start trading on PolyGram →