OG
Code NYPREDICTSCrypto-native event markets - confirm current fees in-app before trading.
Earn up to $100 in bonuses with code NYPREDICTS. Travel-only for NYers (42 eligible states).
New York
Prediction Markets
New York · Prediction Markets
The honest New York guide to prediction markets.
Compare OG, Polymarket, Kalshi and other platforms, all reviewed by a 15-year iGaming and sportsbook professional, written for the city that already prices the news in real time.
Filed from downtown · Manhattan · Updated August 2026
Start trading · Reader offers
Polymarket
Code NYPREDICTSSmall taker fee on most markets; geopolitical markets are fee-free.
Get a $50 deposit boost with code NYPREDICTS.
Kalshi
Code NYPREDICTSVariable per-contract trading fee - see Kalshi's official fee schedule.
Claim $10 on signup with code NYPREDICTS.
Affiliate links · We may earn a commission · 21+ NY-focused
- Independent
- Founded by Catie Di Stefano, 15+ yrs iGaming
- 21+ NY-focused
In plain English
What is NY Prediction Markets?
NY Prediction Markets is an independent editorial guide to prediction markets for New Yorkers. Two platforms are recommendable to play from inside NY: Kalshi, Polymarket, and our wider coverage set. OG is our crypto-native event-market pick (travel-only for NYers; up to $100 in bonuses with code NYPREDICTS when you sign up from one of the 42 eligible states). Four platforms (Sleeper, Chalkboard, Novig, and Rebet) are travel-only under NY's DFS, exchange, and sweepstakes rules. We cover the markets the city is already trading on the 4/5/6, at the bar, and in the group chat: Knicks playoffs, the mayoral race, Fed-cut odds, Met Gala outcomes. Founded and edited by Catie Di Stefano, a 14+ year iGaming marketing veteran.
Are prediction markets legal in New York?
Yes!!!! Federally regulated event-contract exchanges like Kalshi are legal for New York residents, and Polymarket's US iOS app is now available in all 50 states. OG is our crypto-native event-market pick with up to $100 in bonuses for new traders with code NYPREDICTS, travel-only for New Yorkers (live in 42 US states). DFS pick'em apps (Sleeper, Chalkboard), unlicensed sports exchanges (Novig), and sweepstakes-style sports apps (Rebet) are not legal to play from inside NY: they're travel-only for New Yorkers. For the full picture, read our NY legality guide or browse the platforms comparison. For a national view beyond New York, our sibling site has every legal venue ranked.
What is Kalshi?
Kalshi is a CFTC-regulated event-contracts exchange where you trade Yes/No contracts on real-world outcomes: elections, Fed decisions, weather, sports, culture. Each contract settles at $1 if the event happens and $0 if it doesn't, so the price between is the market's probability. Kalshi is legal in 49 US states including New York (not available in Michigan) and runs on iPhone, Android, and desktop. New traders get a $10 credit with code NYPREDICTS. For the deep dive, see our Kalshi explainer and the full Kalshi review.
Kalshi vs Polymarket - which is better for New Yorkers?
Both are legal in New York. Kalshi is CFTC-regulated, runs on iPhone, Android and desktop, and dominates US politics, macro, and Fed-decision markets. Polymarket has deeper global and cultural markets and a US iOS app live in all 50 states (iPhone-only for US users). For NY-specific markets like the mayoral race or Knicks contracts, Kalshi tends to have tighter spreads; Polymarket tends to have more long-tail markets. Full breakdown in our Kalshi vs Polymarket comparison.
Is Kalshi legit?
Yes. Kalshi is a Designated Contract Market regulated by the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the same federal regulator that oversees CME futures. It is legally distinct from a sportsbook or casino, operates in all 50 states, and customer funds are held in segregated accounts at qualified US banks. Risk of loss is still real, but the venue itself is federally regulated and fully legal for New Yorkers. See our independent NYC-trader review of Kalshi.
At a glance
Prediction market platforms for New Yorkers, compared
| Platform | Legal in NY? | Best for | New-trader bonus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kalshi | Yes - 49 states (not MI) | Politics, macro, Fed odds | $10 credit, code NYPREDICTS |
| Polymarket | Yes - iOS only, all 50 states | Global, cultural, long-tail | $50 after $20 deposit, code NYPREDICTS |
| OG | Travel-only (42 states) | Crypto-native event markets | Up to $100, code NYPREDICTS |
| Rebet | Travel-only (40 states) | Social sweepstakes sports | 100% match (travel-only) |
| Sleeper | Travel-only | DFS pick'em | Varies by state |
| Chalkboard | Travel-only | Player props, pick'em | Varies by state |
| Novig | Travel-only (~10 states) | Peer-to-peer sports exchange | Varies by state |
Bonuses verified August 2026. "Travel-only" means New Yorkers can sign up and play only when physically located in an eligible US state.
The picker
Find your platform in three steps.
- 1
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Step 1 of 3
What's the argument you're already having?
PoliticsMamdani approval above 50% at 100 days47¢
NYCKnicks repeat as NBA champions19¢
SportsKnicks reach the Eastern Conference Finals41¢
FinanceFed cuts rates in September68¢
SportsMets reach the NLCS33¢
SportsYankees win the AL pennant27¢
SportsJets make the playoffs21¢
SportsGiants make the playoffs26¢
CultureA new musical wins Best Musical at the 2027 Tonys54¢
CultureMet Gala 2027 crosses 50M social mentions69¢
NYCNYC sees 6+ inches of snow before January 122¢
FinanceUS enters recession by mid-202724¢
SportsA Knick finishes top-5 in MVP voting44¢
SportsSpain wins the 2026 World Cup17¢
SportsUSA reaches the 2026 World Cup Round of 1664¢
SportsMexico reaches the 2026 World Cup Round of 1671¢
SportsFinal at MetLife is decided in regulation (no extra time)58¢
PoliticsMamdani approval above 50% at 100 days47¢
NYCKnicks repeat as NBA champions19¢
SportsKnicks reach the Eastern Conference Finals41¢
FinanceFed cuts rates in September68¢
SportsMets reach the NLCS33¢
SportsYankees win the AL pennant27¢
SportsJets make the playoffs21¢
SportsGiants make the playoffs26¢
CultureA new musical wins Best Musical at the 2027 Tonys54¢
CultureMet Gala 2027 crosses 50M social mentions69¢
NYCNYC sees 6+ inches of snow before January 122¢
FinanceUS enters recession by mid-202724¢
SportsA Knick finishes top-5 in MVP voting44¢
SportsSpain wins the 2026 World Cup17¢
SportsUSA reaches the 2026 World Cup Round of 1664¢
SportsMexico reaches the 2026 World Cup Round of 1671¢
SportsFinal at MetLife is decided in regulation (no extra time)58¢
Tracked by 2,400 New Yorkers this week
What we're watching this week
Notes from Catie · downtown deskPolitics · from Park Slope
"The mayoral field hasn't settled and Kalshi's pricing is moving faster than the polling, faster than the Brooklyn Paper, faster than the F train."
Sports · from Midtown
"Knicks playoff odds keep drifting up on Garden nights. Watch the post-game minutes on the 1 train home, not just the box score."
Macro · from FiDi
"Q2 cut odds at 61¢ feel rich. I'd rather sit on this one than chase it, same way I sit on the L instead of running for it."
The latest
News
Editorial only. No recommendations to trade, just where the conversation already is.
The categories
Where New Yorkers are trading attention
The five
Borough explorer
Each borough trades a different version of the same city.
The platforms
Best for…
A short list of where to start, sorted by what you actually care about.
Tonight in New York
Three picks, from the city's calendar
Editorial only. No recommendations to trade — just where the conversation already is.
Tonight at the Garden
Knicks at home, event-style contracts
Kalshi's Knicks series and player-milestone contracts are the NY-legal way to put a number on a Garden night. Polymarket's iOS app carries the same beat. Chalkboard player props are travel-only — pack them for a road trip.
This week, City Hall
Mayoral race, watch-party energy
The field's still finding its shape. Kalshi's live numbers are quietly becoming dinner-party material from the UWS to Park Slope.
Broadway
A new musical making a Tony run
OG lists fast-moving cultural markets that move with each round of nominations — up to $100 in bonuses for new traders with code NYPREDICTS (travel-only for NYers). Kalshi covers the bigger awards-season questions from inside NY.
The basics
What is a prediction market, anyway?
A two-minute primer for the New Yorker who's heard the term six times this week.
Read the full guide01
A market on an outcome
Each contract pays $1 if the event happens, $0 if it doesn't.
02
The price is the probability
A contract at 62¢ means the market thinks ~62% chance.
03
You can sell anytime
Trade the price like a stock, not just the final result.
The masthead
Common questions
New York's questions about prediction markets, answered.
21+Responsible Use · New York
Prediction markets and related products involve real risk of loss. Eligibility and product availability vary by state. Never trade money you can't afford to lose. If gambling is causing harm in New York, call 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY to 467369. More at nyproblemgambling.org.
Affiliate Transparency
NY Prediction Markets earns commissions when readers sign up to partner platforms through our links. Editorial coverage is independent of those commissions, and we maintain a separate, conservative posture on platforms whose US status is unsettled. Read the full disclosure.