Polymarket vs Betfair: Which is Better in 2025?
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.
Prediction markets across Europe are shaped by two dominant players: Betfair (the established betting exchange) and Polymarket (the blockchain-enabled prediction platform). What distinguishes them from one another?
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 across US electoral contests, European governance outcomes, and international affairs compared to its rival
- Transparency: Settlement occurs on-chain with complete auditability; Betfair's ruleset may lack such clarity
- Market variety: Digital asset valuations, breakthrough AI developments, breakthrough discoveries in research — offerings absent from Betfair's catalogue
- No bookmaker margin: Participant-driven pricing eliminates the traditional vig overlay
Where Betfair wins
- Sports markets: Live sports wagering represents Betfair's principal competitive advantage; Polymarket provides minimal coverage of active sports events
- Fiat deposits: Betfair requires no blockchain familiarity to fund an account
- Regulation: FCA oversight provides investor safeguards and responsible gaming frameworks
- Track record: Two-and-a-half decades of proven operations and established complaint procedures
Our verdict
For those focused on political forecasting, Polymarket emerges as the superior choice. PolyGram streamlines Polymarket participation whilst removing blockchain friction. Start trading on PolyGram →