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 in Europe is shaped by two major 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 depth in US electoral contests, continental European politics, and global geopolitical outcomes relative to Betfair
- Transparency: Blockchain-verified settlement is auditable end-to-end; Betfair's terms of service can obscure decision-making processes
- Market variety: Digital asset valuations, artificial intelligence breakthroughs, academic research milestones — categories absent from Betfair's offering
- No bookmaker margin: Participant-driven pricing eliminates the vigorish overlay typical of traditional operators
Where Betfair wins
- Sports markets: Live sports wagering represents Betfair's fundamental advantage; Polymarket's sports coverage remains minimal
- Fiat deposits: Traditional currency funding bypasses blockchain infrastructure entirely on Betfair
- Regulation: FCA oversight provides statutory guardrails, complaint mechanisms, and responsible play safeguards
- Track record: Two and a half decades of operational history, mature complaint adjudication frameworks
Our verdict
For those focused on political and geopolitical forecasting, Polymarket emerges as the superior choice. PolyGram streamlines Polymarket access without demanding blockchain expertise. Start trading on PolyGram →