Top 7 Political Betting Sites - Trade On The 2026 Elections

Political betting has gone mainstream. Kalshi and Polymarket have handled about $1.36 billion in US election trades this year, with the midterms on November 3 and the 2028 race already drawing hundreds of millions in volume.

Here we've compared seven CFTC-regulated platforms on their election markets, fees, liquidity and state availability. Here's how they stack up for making politics and elections trades.

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Best political betting sites at a glance

Of the politics betting sites we reviewed, Kalshi and Polymarket cover the most election contracts, while the other five trade depth for a bigger bonus, a simpler app or a sports-first experience. All seven offer contracts through CFTC-regulated structures, and none is a state-licensed sportsbook.

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How we ranked these political betting sites

We weighted election market depth and liquidity above sign-up bonuses, because the price you can actually trade at matters more than a one-off credit. The order reflects political betting, so it can differ from our overall app ratings, which also weigh sports features. Each platform was scored on:

• Election market selection: presidential, congressional control, individual Senate, House and governor races, primaries and international contests
• Liquidity: how easily you can enter and exit without moving the price
• Trading costs: per-contract fees, spreads and any deposit or withdrawal charges
• Regulation and trust: CFTC status, who clears trades and how identity checks work
• Availability and usability: state restrictions, app quality and how simple the sign-up offer is

We also compare prices on the same contract across platforms. A "Democrats win the Senate" contract can trade a few cents apart on two exchanges, which is why comparing matters before you place a trade.

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1. Kalshi: best overall for political betting

Kalshi has the broadest and most liquid election menu of any US-regulated exchange, covering presidential races, congressional control, individual Senate and House contests, governors and the 2028 nominee fields.

Regulation and legal status

Kalshi is a CFTC-registered Designated Contract Market (DCM), a status it has held since November 2020. Its legal fight shaped the whole industry: a federal judge ruled in September 2024 that its election contracts were not gaming, and the CFTC dropped its appeal in May 2025.

Kalshi's politics markets

For the midterms, Kalshi lists Senate and House control, individual races, seat-count brackets and governor markets. As of October 15, traders gave Democrats about a 62% chance of winning the Senate and about 90% for the House. Kalshi also runs 2028 presidential and party nominee markets, tracked on our 2028 presidential hub.

Kalshi trading fees

The fee is 7% of expected earnings, so it peaks near 50¢ and shrinks toward 1¢ and 99¢; 100 contracts at 90¢ cost $0.63. There are no settlement fees, and resting limit orders are generally fee-free. ACH deposits and withdrawals are free, while debit card deposits can carry a 2% fee. See our Kalshi fees guide for the detail.

Kalshi promo

The welcome offer needs a $10 deposit and $25 in trades settled within seven days, and the $55 credit expires seven days after it is issued. The credit is trading-only, but winnings from it can be withdrawn once settled.

Who it's best for: serious traders and anyone who wants the widest choice of election contracts in one regulated app.

Read more in our Kalshi promo code page.

Certain limitations apply. The offer is available to new users only, subject to the terms and conditions at kalshi.com/tc/55. 18+ only. Restrictions and eligibility requirements apply. Event contract trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. Please carefully consider if it is appropriate for you in light of your personal financial circumstances. Kalshi products are not available in all jurisdictions. Residents of Michigan, Washington and Nevada are not eligible. See kalshi.com/regulatory for more information.

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2. Polymarket: best for price shopping and international elections

Polymarket is the strongest alternative to Kalshi on politics, with single-contract markets on congressional control, individual races and elections abroad.

Regulation and access

The version US residents can use is Polymarket US, which trades on QCX, a CFTC-regulated exchange the company acquired in 2025 before relaunching to US users in December 2025. It is a separate product from the international Polymarket.com, with its own markets, access rules and resolution process.

Polymarket politics markets

Polymarket launched a dedicated 2026 midterms hub on September 16. You can trade Senate and House control, individual Senate races, House districts, governor races, turnout and popular-vote markets. It also lists contracts on foreign elections. Our midterms odds page compares prices across platforms.

Polymarket's trading fees

On fees, Polymarket charges takers a category-based fee on a formula that peaks near 50¢. Our March 2026 figures put politics at roughly 1% at the peak, so check the cost shown on the order ticket and use our fee calculator before you trade. Maker (limit) orders are free and can earn daily rebates.

Polymarket liquidity

Depth on Polymarket is uneven. Headline markets such as chamber control trade in size, while niche races can have thin order books. Because the contract's own rules decide the winner, read the resolution section on any market before you buy.

Who it's best for: traders who want to compare election prices against Kalshi, or who follow races outside the US.

Read more in our Polymarket promo code page.

18+ only. Restrictions and eligibility requirements apply. Not available in all jurisdictions. Trading is risky. 100% loss can occur. See polymarket.com/tos for more information. The Polymarket US App serves as an independent software provider and affiliate of Polymarket US and Polymarket Clearing, the CFTC-regulated exchange and clearing organization.

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3. OG.com: best for beginners and social trading

OG.com pairs a simple, fast app with a no-code welcome offer and a real election menu, from chamber control down to individual House races. It is the easiest way into political trading for someone coming from a sportsbook app.

Regulation and background

OG.com launched in February 2026 as Crypto.com's prediction market and spun off as an independent company on September 8, valued at roughly $5 billion. Contracts are offered by North American Derivatives Exchange (Nadex), a CFTC-registered exchange that has held Designated Contract Market status since 2004, so trading falls under federal rather than state gaming rules.

OG.com's politics markets

On politics, OG lists Senate and House control, a balance-of-power market, seat counts, governorships, the House popular-vote margin and individual House races. As of October 18, traders gave Democrats about a 69% chance of winning the Senate and about 92% for the House, with the Senate market drawing more than $450,000 in volume. Individual races are much thinner, so prices can swing on small trades.

OG.com promo

The welcome offer is paid in two parts. You earn a $25 reward after trading $25 in total on contracts priced below 80%, and a 100% boost worth up to $25 follows a week later. Trades must settle within seven days of verifying your account, and each reward expires seven days after it is issued, so short-term markets work best. Anyone who signs up through a referral link cannot claim the welcome offer.

Who it's best for: newer traders who want an approachable app and a simple welcome offer.

Read more in our OG.com promo code page.

New users only. 18+. Trade $25 on contracts priced below 80% within seven days of verifying your account; rewards expire seven days after they are issued. Not available in New York or Arizona. Event contract trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone.

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4. Plus500

Plus500's futures platform also gives US customers access to political event contracts on CFTC-regulated exchanges like Kalshi. Its election menu covers presidential races, Senate and House races and control of Congress.

We found it best for traders who want a low-cost way to start on midterm markets. Fees are a $0.01 commission plus a $0.01 exchange fee per contract, per side. The selection is narrower than Kalshi's, though, and liquidity depends on the underlying exchange rather than a Plus500 order book.

Restrictions and eligibility requirements apply. The offer is available to new customers only, subject to the terms and conditions specified by Plus500, with one bonus per eligible customer. 18+ only. The offer runs until October 31, 2026 or the first 5,000 eligible customers. Trading in futures involves the risk of loss and is not suitable for everyone. Plus500 products are not available in all jurisdictions.

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5. Gemini Predictions

If you already hold a Gemini account, Gemini Predictions is the lowest-friction way to trade politics there. Contracts run on Gemini Titan, a CFTC-registered exchange, and the election menu covers congressional control, Senate races, governors, presidential contests and international elections. Taker fees run up to about 1.75% and maker fees up to about 0.44%, so posting limit orders keeps costs down. Availability is the main drawback: it is closed to eight states, including Illinois, Ohio and Michigan.

Restrictions and eligibility requirements apply, subject to the Gemini Predictions promotional terms and conditions. Identity verification is required. 18+ only (21+ in some states). Predict Cash cannot be withdrawn and expires 30 days after it is credited. Event contracts are speculative and involve risk of loss, so do not trade solely to obtain a promotional reward. Gemini Predictions products are not available in all jurisdictions.

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6. Onyx Odds

Onyx Odds started as a sports app, and politics is the newer side of its regulated Onyx Predictions product. The midterm menu covers House and Senate control, congressional and state Senate races, governors and primaries. Combos let you bundle several outcomes into one position, which will feel familiar to anyone who builds parlays.

Onyx does not publish a public fee schedule, so check the cost before you confirm a trade, and it is available in only nine states. We'd treat it as a secondary option for political trades, best suited to sports fans who want to build midterm combos.

Read more in our Onyx Odds promo code page.

Restrictions and eligibility requirements apply. The offer is available to new users only, subject to the terms and conditions specified by Onyx Predictions. You must be 18+ or the legal age of majority in your state, whichever is higher, and located in an eligible state. Bonus Picks are promotional credit and cannot be withdrawn as cash. Event contract trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. Onyx products are not available in all jurisdictions.

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7. Fanatics Markets

Fanatics Markets is a sports app first, and its political offering is the thinner side of the menu. Politics, including the midterms, sits alongside finance and culture on Crypto.com's CFTC-regulated exchange, so check the live lobby for the specific race you want. It makes the most sense for existing Fanatics customers aged 21 and over in one of its 24 states, with per-contract fees of roughly $0.003 to $0.028.

Restrictions and eligibility requirements apply. The offer is available to new customers only, subject to the terms and conditions specified by Fanatics Markets, with one sign-up offer per customer. 21+ only. Only trades priced at $0.90 or below qualify, and FanCash is not withdrawable and expires after seven days. Trading involves significant risk and is not suitable for all investors. Fanatics Markets products are not available in all jurisdictions.

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What political markets can you trade in 2026?

Political markets fall into four groups: the midterms on November 3, the 2028 presidential race, non-election politics such as legislation and shutdowns, and elections abroad. We track each one across exchanges so you can compare prices before you trade.

2026 midterm markets

The midterms decide all 435 House seats, 35 Senate seats and 36 governorships. On October 27, our 2026 midterms odds hub showed prediction markets pricing Democrats at about 65% to win the Senate, 91% to win the House and 80% to win a majority of governorships.

Beyond chamber control you can trade individual Senate races, House districts, seat-count brackets and primaries. Race markets typically settle once results are certified, while chamber-control contracts can settle when the new Congress organizes in January 2027, so read each contract's rules.

Presidential and nominee markets

The 2028 race is already heavily traded. As of October, about $719 million has been traded on Polymarket's international 2028 winner market since it opened in July 2025, and Kalshi's winner, Democratic nominee and Republican nominee markets have drawn roughly $390 million between them.

Our 2028 presidential hub puts general election, Democratic nominee and Republican nominee prices from Kalshi, Polymarket and other exchanges on one page. You can trade the winner of the general election, the winning party, or each party's nominee.

As of October 27, our hub showed J.D. Vance as the Republican nomination favorite at about 39%, with Marco Rubio at 18%. On the Democratic side, Gavin Newsom was at 16%, narrowly ahead of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jon Ossoff at 15% each.

Note that prices this far out are weak signals, because front-runners three years from an election often fail to win their own party's nomination. Compare live prices across exchanges on our Democratic nominee odds and Republican nominee odds.

2028 presidential nominee odds (market average across exchanges, October 27)

Source: 2028 presidential hub.

How to bet on the presidential election

To bet on the presidential election, open an account on a CFTC-regulated exchange such as Kalshi or Polymarket US, verify your identity, fund it, and buy Yes contracts on a candidate, a party or a nominee. The next presidential election is on November 7, 2028, and you can sell your position well before then if the price moves your way.

Kalshi and Polymarket US both list 2028 winner contracts, and Kalshi also runs separate Democratic and Republican nominee markets. Prices run from 1¢ to 99¢, so a Yes contract at 39¢ costs $0.39 and pays $1.00 if it wins. Read the contract rules first, because a nominee contract and a general-election contract on the same person are different bets, and your money stays tied up until you sell or the market settles.

Policy and non-election politics

Outside elections, you can trade whether a bill becomes law, whether the government shuts down, whether an official leaves office and how courts rule. These are usually deadline markets, so prices drift toward zero as the date nears unless news breaks. Browse them on our politics odds page.

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Is political betting legal in the US?

Yes, through federally regulated prediction markets, though access still varies by state. Election contracts have the clearest federal footing of any event contract: a federal judge ruled in September 2024 that Kalshi's election markets were not gaming, and the CFTC dropped its appeal in May 2025. That precedent is why Kalshi, Polymarket US and Gemini can list midterm markets today.

The legal fight has since moved to the states, and most of it concerns sports contracts rather than elections. In April 2026 the CFTC and Justice Department sued Arizona, Connecticut and Illinois to defend federal authority over prediction markets. The Ninth Circuit ruled against Kalshi's sports contracts in Nevada on August 28, and the Sixth Circuit sided with Ohio and Tennessee on September 26. Courts have disagreed, and the Supreme Court has not settled the question.

A Washington court ordered Kalshi to limit political and election contracts for Washington users, so an app being open in your state does not guarantee every election contract is listed. Check your state before you register.

Where each platform is available

State lists were last checked between October 16 and November 3, 2026 and change often. Always confirm in the app, which geolocates you when you register and trade.

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How to compare political betting odds across platforms

The same political outcome can trade at different prices on different exchanges, and the gap is where you can find a better entry. On October 27, the Democratic Senate-control contract ranged from 63¢ on Polymarket US to 67¢ on international Polymarket, with Kalshi at 65¢. Our midterms hub shows these quotes side by side.

Before acting on a gap, check four things:

• Same outcome: a Senate-control contract and a balance-of-power contract are not the same bet
• Real price: compare the ask you would pay, not the last trade
• Costs: fees and the bid-ask spread can erase a 1–2¢ difference
• Rules: settlement sources and dates can differ between exchanges

Our arbitrage scanner flags gaps wide enough to matter, and our prediction market fees calculator shows what a trade costs. Remember that international Polymarket is not open to US residents.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the best political betting site?

Kalshi is our top pick for political betting because it lists the widest range of US election contracts and has the deepest liquidity. Polymarket is the best alternative for price comparison and international elections, and OG.com suits newer traders.

Is political betting legal in the US?

Yes, on CFTC-regulated exchanges such as Kalshi, Polymarket US and Gemini, which treat election contracts as federal event contracts rather than sportsbook wagers. Access depends on your state and the specific contract, so check availability before you sign up.

How do I bet on the presidential election?

Open an account on a regulated exchange, verify your identity, fund it and buy Yes contracts on a candidate, party or nominee. The next presidential election is on November 7, 2028, and you can sell before then. Our how to bet on the presidential election section above has the detail.

Can I bet on the 2026 midterms right now?

Yes. Kalshi, Polymarket US, OG.com, Plus500, Gemini and Onyx all list Senate and House control, and most list individual races. The election is on November 3, and many race markets settle after results are certified.

Which political betting site has the lowest fees?

It depends on the contract and order type. Kalshi charges about $1.75 on 100 contracts priced at 50¢, Plus500 charges a $0.01 commission plus a $0.01 exchange fee per contract per side, and Polymarket's maker orders are free. Use our fee calculator to compare a specific trade.

Is Polymarket available in the US?

Yes, through Polymarket US, a separate CFTC-regulated product. The international Polymarket.com is not open to US residents, and Polymarket US sports trading is unavailable in Michigan and Nevada.

What is the difference between a prediction market and a sportsbook for political betting?

On a prediction market you trade contracts with other users and prices reflect supply and demand. A sportsbook sets its own odds and takes the other side of your bet. You can also sell a prediction market position before the event resolves.

How much money do I need to start?

Most of these platforms ask for a $10 deposit. Contracts cost between 1¢ and 99¢ each, so a few dollars buys a position.

Do I have to pay taxes on prediction market profits?

Profits from event contracts are generally taxable in the US, and the treatment depends on your situation, so speak to a tax professional. See our guide to prediction market taxes in 2026.