CaliforniaPrediction Markets

    Editorial methodology

    How we test prediction-market platforms

    Every rating on this site is anchored in a real-money test pass run by a named California-based editor. This page is the public record of how we do it, what we measure, and how often we re-verify.

    Test trades placed

    93+

    Last re-verified

    2026-09-07

    Test-trade capital

    Our own

    The five-step test pass

    1. Signup & KYC. A California-based editor creates a fresh account on the platform's primary surface (web or iPhone app), using a real California ID. We record the steps, time-to-approval, and any blockers a CA reader would hit.
    2. Deposit. We fund the account with our own money, typically $50-$100, through every funding rail the platform supports (card, ACH, USDC, etc.) and record fees, holds, and time-to-trade.
    3. Place fills. We place at least three real-money trades across the platform's flagship categories (sports, macro, politics, entertainment) and record fill speed, slippage, and any rejections.
    4. Hold & settle. We hold at least one position to settlement and verify payout accuracy against the platform's stated rules and the underlying real-world event.
    5. Withdraw. We withdraw the balance back to the original funding source (or to a wallet, for on-chain platforms) and record total round-trip time and any frictions.

    What we measure (and weight)

    • Legality & regulation (25%): CFTC oversight, state availability, KYC standard, age-gating, and California-specific availability.
    • Fees & fills (25%): All-in trading fees, deposit/withdrawal fees, fill quality on the markets we tested.
    • Market breadth & liquidity (20%): Number of live markets, depth on the top contracts, and the categories that matter to CA readers (sports, climate, politics).
    • Funding & withdrawals (15%): Supported rails, round-trip time, holds, and per-rail fees.
    • Product quality & support (15%): App stability, web UX, support response time on a real test ticket.

    How often we re-verify

    Every platform we cover is re-verified on a rolling basis: at minimum once per quarter, and immediately whenever a platform changes its fee schedule, KYC flow, state availability, or bonus terms. Each re-verification updates the "Last verified" line you see on every platform page, the dated review schema, and the test-trade counter above.

    Conflict-of-interest policy

    We earn commissions when readers sign up to platforms through links on this site: see our full affiliate disclosure. Commercial relationships do not influence ratings, rankings, or what we publish about a platform. Specifically:

    • Rankings are computed from the scorecard above before any commercial conversation.
    • Editors do not see CPA / revenue figures when writing or updating reviews.
    • We cover platforms we do not have an affiliate relationship with, and we name them.
    • We publicly downgrade or remove platforms when our test pass fails, and we say why.

    See our editorial standards for the full corrections, sourcing, and AI-use policy.

    Spot something off?

    We publish every correction we make. Email catie@californiapredictionmarkets.com and we'll respond within two business days.

    स्रोत और आगे पढ़ें

    इस पृष्ठ का प्रत्येक आंकड़ा और कानूनी दावा किसी प्राथमिक स्रोत पर आधारित है। हमने इन्हें जाँचा है, इन्हें खोलकर स्वयं सत्यापित करें।

    केवल 21+। जिम्मेदारी से trade करें. कॉल करें 1-800-GAMBLER.