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.
The prediction market landscape across Europe is shaped by two dominant players: Betfair (the established betting exchange pioneer) and Polymarket (the decentralised blockchain-powered alternative). 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 order-book depth across US elections, continental European politics, and world events compared to Betfair
- Transparency: Settlement occurs on-chain with full auditability; Betfair's adjudication framework remains less transparent
- Market variety: Digital asset valuations, technological breakthroughs, research milestones — categories absent from Betfair's offering
- No bookmaker margin: Counterparties determine pricing rather than house-imposed spreads
Where Betfair wins
- Sports markets: Live sports wagering represents Betfair's competitive advantage; Polymarket provides minimal live sports coverage
- Fiat deposits: Traditional currency funding requires no blockchain familiarity on Betfair
- Regulation: FCA-authorised operation delivers statutory protections and gambling safeguards
- Track record: Quarter-century operating history with established complaint procedures
Our verdict
For those targeting political prediction markets, Polymarket emerges as the standout choice. PolyGram removes friction from accessing Polymarket without requiring cryptocurrency expertise. Start trading on PolyGram →