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 centres on two major players: Betfair (the established betting exchange) and Polymarket (the blockchain-powered forecasting 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 order book depth across US electoral contests, continental European politics, and global flashpoint scenarios compared to its rival
- Transparency: Blockchain-verified settlement leaves no room for ambiguity; Betfair's rulebook interpretation can sometimes lack clarity
- Market variety: Digital asset valuations, technological breakthroughs, breakthrough discoveries in science — Betfair simply does not service these segments
- No bookmaker margin: Trader-determined pricing eliminates the house edge built into traditional sportsbooks
Where Betfair wins
- Sports markets: Live sports wagering represents Betfair's flagship offering; Polymarket's coverage of active sporting contests remains minimal
- Fiat deposits: Traditional currency funding requires zero cryptocurrency familiarity on Betfair
- Regulation: FCA oversight provides statutory safeguards and responsible gaming infrastructure
- Track record: A quarter-century operational history with proven complaint handling mechanisms
Our verdict
For those chasing political outcome markets, Polymarket emerges as the superior choice. PolyGram removes friction from Polymarket participation, stripping away unnecessary blockchain barriers. Start trading on PolyGram →