Market types

Binary markets

A clean yes-or-no question with a fixed resolution date. Shares pay $1 if your side wins, $0 if it loses. Prices between 1¢ and 99¢ tell you what the market thinks the probability is.

Multi-outcome markets

Multiple candidates or possibilities for a single event - think nominees, winners, or champions. Trade each outcome as its own line. Only one outcome resolves Yes.

Scalar and bucketed markets

For questions with numeric answers, like price ranges or vote totals. Markets are sliced into buckets so you can take a position on the range you think will resolve.

Conditional markets

Markets that resolve only if a precondition is met. Useful for questions like "if X is elected, will Y happen?" Conditional markets isolate the variable you actually want to trade.

Categories on Polymarket

Every category runs on the same mechanics. The difference is the kind of expertise that pays off. Find the corner of the world you know best and put it to work.

Politics & Elections

Election outcomes, primary races, legislative votes, cabinet appointments, and policy decisions. The category that put prediction markets on the map.

Example market

Which party will win the next presidential election?

Party A · 54¢ Party B · 46¢
Example market

Will a particular bill pass the legislature this session?

Yes · 31¢ No · 69¢

Crypto

Price targets, protocol launches, ETF approvals, and regulatory decisions. Crypto-native traders use Polymarket to express views the spot market can't price directly.

Example market

Will Bitcoin trade above a given price target before year-end?

Yes · 72¢ No · 28¢
Example market

Will a major Layer-1 ship its next protocol upgrade on schedule?

Yes · 58¢ No · 42¢

Sports

Championship odds, season win totals, individual awards, head-to-head outcomes. A market for every fan who thinks the public is wrong.

Example market

Which team will win the championship this season?

Team A · 33¢ Team B · 19¢
Example market

Will a player reach a given statistical milestone before season's end?

Yes · 41¢ No · 59¢

Economics

Central bank moves, inflation prints, GDP figures, unemployment data, and recession calls. The data points that move every other market.

Example market

Will the central bank cut rates at its next meeting?

Yes · 64¢ No · 36¢
Example market

Will headline inflation come in below a given threshold for the next print?

Yes · 47¢ No · 53¢

Pop Culture

Awards shows, opening weekends, viral moments, streaming hits, and entertainment rankings. The questions everyone has an opinion on.

Example market

Which film will win Best Picture at the next major awards ceremony?

Front-runner · 38¢ Field · 62¢
Example market

Will a particular release open above its tracking projection?

Yes · 56¢ No · 44¢

Tech & Science

Product launches, AI benchmarks, regulatory decisions, space missions, climate milestones, and research breakthroughs. The slow-burn questions that quietly reshape everything.

Example market

Will a major frontier model clear a given benchmark threshold?

Yes · 49¢ No · 51¢
Example market

Will a planned launch happen within its announced window?

Yes · 35¢ No · 65¢
Note: The markets shown above are illustrative examples of the categories Polymarket supports. They are not actual questions or prices. The full set of active markets is visible inside the platform once your account is open.

How markets get listed

Markets are proposed and reviewed for clear resolution criteria before they go live. Each question includes:

If something unexpected happens, disputes get reviewed openly and resolved against the published rules. The goal is simple: when you place a trade, you should know exactly what wins and what loses.

Find the market that fits what you know.

Open an account and start trading on the questions you've already been arguing about.

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