An independent beginner's guide to Polymarket — the world's largest prediction market platform. Sign up, fund your account, place your first trade, and cash out, explained in plain language.
A prediction market lets you buy and sell shares in the outcome of real-world events — elections, sports results, economic data, even weather. If your prediction is right, your shares pay out. Because prices move with supply and demand, the current price doubles as the crowd's best guess at the probability of the event happening.
Every market has two sides. "Yes" shares pay $1 if the event happens; "No" shares pay $1 if it doesn't. You buy whichever side you believe in.
A "Yes" price of 62¢ means the market believes there's a 62% chance the event happens. Prices move as traders react to news.
You don't have to wait for the outcome. Sell your shares early to lock in profit, or cut losses if the odds turn against you.
When the event concludes, the market resolves and winning shares redeem at $1.00 each. Losing shares expire worthless.
From zero to your first trade — the full journey, simplified.
Sign up with an email address — no identity verification is required. Your account is ready immediately.
Signup guide →Deposit with crypto. Deposits convert into the platform's dollar-pegged balance, so 1 unit = $1 of buying power.
Deposit guide →Pick a market, choose Yes or No, enter an amount, and confirm. Many markets accept trades under $5.
Trading guide →Sell positions or wait for resolution, then withdraw your balance back to your own wallet.
Withdraw guide →Each topic covered in plain language — no trading background assumed.
Email-based signup with no KYC. How to secure your account and what to do if you lose access.
Read guide →Which networks and tokens are accepted, how conversion works, and what deposit fees to expect.
Read guide →Limit vs. market orders, reading the order book, and what spread and liquidity mean for your fill price.
Read guide →Where the platform makes money and how fees affect small vs. large trades.
Read guide →How to get money out, typical timelines, minimums, and mistakes that delay withdrawals.
Read guide →Position sizing, why most short-term traders lose money, and how to keep this entertainment, not income.
Read guide →The beginner's guide: how prediction markets work, what Yes/No shares mean, and why prices move.
Read guide →The two big prediction market platforms compared: markets, fees, availability, and which suits you.
Read guide →An honest review: company background, fund safety, market resolution, and red flags to watch for.
Read guide →Practical approaches for new traders — plus position sizing and when not to trade.
Read guide →Perpetual futures with up to 20x leverage on crypto, stocks, indices, and commodities — explained.
Read guide →Each market category works a little differently. Learn how to read them before you trade.
Electoral markets, reading polls vs prices, and trading around debates and election night.
Read guide →BTC and ETH price-target markets, hedging your portfolio, and how settlement works.
Read guide →How prediction exchanges differ from sportsbooks, championship futures, and in-season trading.
Read guide →Awards shows, box office, and viral moments — fun markets with thin-liquidity warnings.
Read guide →Our free calculator shows shares, max payout, and implied probability for any trade.
Availability spans 100+ countries. Check the quick reference for your region.
Check availability →Join millions of users trading on real-world events. No KYC required — fund your account and start in minutes.
Sign Up on Polymarket