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) and Polymarket (the blockchain-enabled forecasting platform). What distinguishes them?
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 electoral contests, European political developments, and global geopolitical forecasts compared to its rival
- Transparency: Settlement occurs on-chain with full auditability; Betfair's terms of service can lack clarity
- Market variety: Digital asset valuations, technological breakthroughs, academic research outcomes — categories absent from Betfair's offerings
- No bookmaker margin: Participant-driven pricing replaces house-imposed spreads
Where Betfair wins
- Sports markets: Live sports wagering represents Betfair's foundational competency; Polymarket provides minimal coverage of active sporting contests
- Fiat deposits: Traditional currency funding requires no blockchain familiarity on Betfair
- Regulation: FCA authorisation delivers investor safeguards and gambling harm reduction features
- Track record: Two and a half decades of market operation, with established complaint procedures
Our verdict
For those focused on political prediction markets, Polymarket emerges as the superior choice. PolyGram streamlines Polymarket engagement whilst eliminating cryptocurrency friction. Start trading on PolyGram →