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.

    Sources & further reading

    Every figure and legal claim on this page traces back to a primary source. These are the ones we checked, open them and verify us.

    21+ only. Trade responsibly. Call 1-800-GAMBLER.