Polymarket for Beginners
Everything you need to know to start trading on the world's largest prediction market. No crypto experience required.
What is Polymarket?
Polymarket is a prediction market where you can trade on the outcome of real-world events. Think of it like a stock market for predictions. If you correctly predict an outcome (like who wins an election or if a company hits a target), you profit.
5 Steps to Get Started
Create a Wallet
Sign up with your email or connect an existing crypto wallet. Polymarket uses Privy for easy wallet creation - no crypto experience needed.
Deposit USDC
Fund your account with USDC (a stablecoin worth $1). You can deposit from an exchange like Coinbase or buy directly through Polymarket.
Browse Markets
Explore prediction markets on politics, sports, crypto, and more. Each market shows the current probability based on trading activity.
Make Your First Trade
Buy "Yes" or "No" shares based on your prediction. Prices range from $0.01 to $0.99 - the price represents the market probability.
Or Copy a Whale
Not sure what to trade? Use Polyfollow to automatically copy trades from proven profitable traders.
Key Concepts to Understand
Share Pricing
Shares are priced between $0.01 and $0.99. A $0.65 "Yes" share means the market thinks there's a 65% chance the event happens. If correct, you get $1 per share.
Profit Calculation
If you buy a "Yes" share at $0.30 and the event happens, you get $1 back = $0.70 profit per share (233% return). If it doesn't happen, you lose your $0.30.
Market Resolution
Markets resolve when the event outcome is determined. Resolution is based on official sources, and payouts happen automatically to your wallet.
Liquidity
Liquidity means how easy it is to buy/sell. High-liquidity markets have tight spreads (small difference between buy/sell prices). Stick to popular markets as a beginner.
Beginner-Friendly: Copytrading
Not confident picking your own trades? Copy proven whales with Polyfollow. Their trades automatically mirror to your portfolio. Learn by watching the experts.
Beginner FAQs
Is Polymarket legal?
Polymarket is legal in most countries. It operates as a decentralized prediction market on the Polygon blockchain. However, US residents face restrictions - Polymarket officially restricts US users, though many still access it through VPNs. For full US legal access, consider Kalshi instead.
How much money do I need to start?
You can start with as little as $10, but we recommend $50-100 to have meaningful position sizes. With copytrading through Polyfollow, you can start smaller since you're leveraging expert strategies.
Is Polymarket gambling?
Polymarket is a prediction market, not gambling. Unlike casino games with fixed house edges, prediction markets aggregate information to discover true probabilities. With skill and information, you can consistently profit - which isn't possible in pure gambling.
How do I withdraw my winnings?
Withdrawals are free and instant. You can withdraw USDC to any wallet address, then transfer to an exchange like Coinbase to convert to USD and withdraw to your bank.
What is copytrading?
Copytrading automatically mirrors trades from successful traders. With Polyfollow, when a whale buys shares, the same trade executes in your portfolio proportionally. It's ideal for beginners who want to learn by watching experts.