What are Kalshi and Polymarket?
Kalshi and Polymarket are prediction markets. Instead of betting against the house like you would with Pinnacle or Bet365, bets are matched against other users. The platforms charge a small fee per trade.
On Sportmarket, both appear like any other bookmaker on your account:
Odds are shown in decimal format alongside your other bookmakers
You place bets through the same betslip you already use
Fees are built into the odds. What you see is what you get.
Winnings are credited to your Sportmarket balance as normal
No separate account is needed. If you have a Sportmarket Betting account, you have access to both.
How to disable Kalshi or Polymarket
Both platforms are active on your account by default. If you prefer not to use either or both, you can disable them in a few steps.
To disable Kalshi or Polymarket:
Log in to your Sportmarket Betting account
Hover over your profile icon in the top right
Click Settings > Bookies
Find Kalshi or Polymarket in the list and untick the box next to it
The platform will no longer appear in your odds comparison or betslip
Note: Neither Kalshi nor Polymarket can be disabled automatically. You need to do this manually via Settings > Bookies.
Live betting — no time delay
If you bet live on Kalshi or Polymarket, the bet is taken instantly with no time delay. The bet stands regardless of whether something just happened that changed the probabilities materially.
Traditional sportsbooks suspend markets when something significant happens during a game: a goal, a penalty, a VAR check. Prediction markets do not work that way.
For other sports, check the odds comparison while the match is in progress. If either platform has live odds on that event, they will appear alongside your other bookmakers.
How settlement works — and where it differs
For most bets, settlement works as you would expect. Once the event ends and the result is confirmed, winning bets are paid out to your balance automatically.
The key difference is what happens when an event is cancelled or abandoned.
On a traditional sportsbook, a cancelled match usually means your full stake is returned. On Kalshi and Polymarket, this does not happen automatically. Each platform settles according to its own market rules.
On Kalshi, a cancelled event settles at the last traded price at the moment the market closed. Depending on how the odds had moved, you may receive back more or less than your original stake.
On Polymarket, settlement follows the specific rules written into that contract. There is no universal refund. Check the market rules before placing.
Example:
You back Partizan to win at odds of 3.33 and stake €300. The match is cancelled. By that point, Partizan's odds had shortened in your favour. You receive back more than your €300 stake. If the odds had drifted against you, you would receive back less.
Neither platform automatically returns your full stake when a match is cancelled. For exact rules on any specific market, check the platform directly — Kalshi or Polymarket.
A note on odds comparability
Because Kalshi and Polymarket operate under different rules to traditional sportsbooks and to each other, odds are not always directly comparable across the betslip.
If you feel uncomfortable with this, you can disable either or both at any time through Settings > Bookies.
Frequently asked questions
Are live bets accepted instantly on these platforms? Yes. Live bets are taken instantly with no time delay. The bet stands regardless of whether something just happened that changed the probabilities materially.
Will I always get my stake back if a match is cancelled? No. Kalshi settles at the last traded price. Polymarket settles according to the specific market rules. You may get back more or less than your original stake. Check the market rules before placing.
What is the difference between Kalshi and Polymarket? Both are prediction markets but they handle unusual situations differently. Kalshi settles cancelled events at the last traded price. Polymarket settles according to its own market rules. They also have different dispute resolution processes. For full details, visit each platform directly.
Do I need to sign up to Kalshi or Polymarket separately? No. Both are available automatically on your Sportmarket Betting account.
What happens if a player does not play in a prop market? It depends on the specific market rules. A player not participating does not automatically trigger a refund on either platform. Check the market rules before placing.
How do I remove Kalshi or Polymarket from my betslip? Go to Settings > Bookies and untick the platform you want to remove. Open bets settle normally. Disabling only stops new bets from being placed.
A market has not settled yet. What should I do? Settlement usually happens within a few hours of the event ending. Polymarket can take longer in some cases. If a market is still unsettled after 12 hours, contact our support team with the platform name, event name, date, and your stake details.
My settlement amount looks different to what I expected. Why? Check whether the event was cancelled or disrupted. On Kalshi, settlement is based on the last traded price. On Polymarket, it follows the specific market rules. Receiving a different amount to your original stake is expected in these cases. If it still looks wrong, contact support.
I have a dispute about a market outcome. Who do I contact? For questions about your Sportmarket account and bets placed, contact Sportmarket support. For disputes about specific market outcomes or settlement decisions, contact Kalshi or Polymarket directly. Those decisions are made by each platform and Sportmarket cannot influence them.
Need help with a specific bet?
Contact our support team with the platform name, event name, date, and your stake details and we will look into it quickly.