California still has no legal sports betting options, but that doesn’t mean you can’t bet on the Super Bowl at legal and regulated platforms. What makes that possible is that federally regulated prediction markets now operate under CFTC jurisdiction in all 50 states, including California. And with Super Bowl LX between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots kicking off Sunday at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, the timing couldn’t be more relevant for the roughly 39 million Californians who’ve never had a legal way to put money on the big game from the comfort of home.
California residents can do more than just pick what team will win the Super Bowl. They can trade on who scores the first touchdown, whether the Seahawks will cover the spread, which brands will run Super Bowl ads, halftime show props, what the announcers will say, the color of the Gatorade bath, the length of the national anthem, and which celebrities will be in attendance.
That range of markets, from traditional game lines to off-field novelty contracts that you won’t find at state-licensed sportsbooks, is what sets prediction markets apart for California customers. And volume reflects the demand: Kalshi’s Super Bowl champion contract alone crossed $180 million in trading more than a day ahead of the event, roughly 5x what the same market generated last year, with the bulk of trading action still to come. Kalshi leads the market.
After testing every major platform from California, here’s how they compare and which ones make sense depending on what you’re looking for.
Which prediction market platforms are available in California?
The short answer: almost all of them. Because prediction market platforms operate as CFTC-registered Designated Contract Markets (DCMs) — or route orders through one — they don’t need state gambling licenses. Federal preemption means California’s lack of sports betting legislation is irrelevant for these products, at least for now.
Here’s a breakdown of what’s live in California right now with Super Bowl markets, comparing bonuses and trading fee structures:
| Platform | Fees | Bonus | Super Bowl markets | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
★ Top pick
Kalshi | ~$0.02/contract |
Trade $10, get $10
DEFI | Trade Now | |
| $0.02–$0.20 | Up to $500 | Trade Now | ||
| $0.02/contract | No bonus | Read Review | ||
| ~$0.02/contract | $5 BTC + spin wheel | Read Review | ||
| 0.01% taker fee | $10 free trade | Read Review | ||
| $0.01/contract | 100% match up to $75 | Read Review | ||
| $0.01/contract | No bonus | Read Review | ||
| ~$0.02/contract | No bonus | Read Review | ||
| ~$0.02/contract | No bonus | Read Review | ||
| $0.02–$0.20 | No bonus | Read Review | ||
| $0.02–$0.20 | Up to $75 match bonus | Read Review | ||
| Free (limited time) | No bonus | Read Review |
That’s 12 platforms with Super Bowl markets confirmed available to California residents.
How deposit options differ across platforms
How you fund your account varies more than you might expect — and for some California users, this will be the deciding factor.
Most fiat-native platforms (Kalshi, Robinhood, DraftKings, FanDuel, Sleeper, PrizePicks) accept ACH bank transfers for free, with funds often available immediately even while the transfer clears over 1–3 business days. Kalshi, OG, and several others also accept debit cards for instant funding, though card deposits typically carry a 2% fee — worth it if you’re trying to get positioned before kickoff Sunday, less so if you’re planning ahead.
Robinhood and Coinbase have the easiest on-ramp if you’re already a user: your existing brokerage or exchange balance is available for prediction market trading without any additional deposit. Coinbase also lets you fund trades with USDC directly from your crypto balance, which eliminates the ACH wait entirely if you’re already holding stablecoins.
Polymarket US allows deposits with Apple Pay, bank or wire transfer and debit card deposit, but the platform only had a moneyline option for Super Bowl heading into the weekend. Kalshi has the same options as Polymarket but also allows some crypto deposit options. OG and Gemini both offer hybrid fiat/crypto funding options, reflecting their crypto exchange roots. OG accepts standard bank transfers alongside crypto deposits, while Gemini lets you fund from your existing exchange balance or link a bank account.
The DFS platforms — Sleeper, PrizePicks, Underdog — handle deposits through their existing payment rails, which typically means bank transfer or debit card through the app you’re already using.
What it all means: if speed matters and you want to trade by Sunday, debit card on Kalshi or using existing balances on Robinhood/Coinbase are your fastest paths. If cost matters more, ACH is free everywhere that supports it. If you’re crypto-native, Coinbase, Gemini and OG give you the most flexibility within California.
Best app for betting Super Bowl in CA: depends on what you want to trade
Not all prediction market platforms are interchangeable. The market selection, fee structures, and user experience vary significantly. Here’s how to think about which platform fits your priorities.
Best for deepest Super Bowl market selection: Kalshi
If you want the widest range of Super Bowl contracts in one place, Kalshi is the clear choice. With over 3,500 total markets and the deepest liquidity in the industry, Kalshi’s Super Bowl offering goes well beyond picking the winner. You can trade game lines (moneyline, spread, totals), player props, MVP odds, combos (parlays), halftime show outcomes, which brands will advertise, what the announcers will say, and which celebrities will attend. For those looking for depth on player props and custom parlays they call “combos,” Kalshi is the clear choice.
Kalshi is also the fastest to get onboarded. Most users report same-day verification, and instant deposit via debit card means you can be trading within minutes (though the 2% card fee makes ACH the better option if you have time). The 2% debit card fee is often waived for new customers, however. At Kalshi, cash and positions earn 3.25% APY, which is a nice perk that most competitors do not offer.
The trade $10, get $10 bonus with code DEFI makes it the easiest starting point. Fee structure is variable, usually between $0.01 and $0.02 per contract, which is competitive but can creep up on longshot contracts where rounding inflates the effective rate.
Best for: Traders who want one platform with everything — game lines, props, parlays, and off-field novelty markets.
Best overall value with biggest bonus: OG Predictions
Crypto.com launched OG as a standalone prediction markets app in February 2026, and it came out of the gate with the most aggressive bonus in the industry: up to $500 for the first million users. OG operates on Crypto.com‘s own CFTC-regulated stack (DCM + DCO + FCM), which means it isn’t routing through anyone else’s exchange.
Super Bowl market selection is strong. OG covers game outcomes, spread, totals, player props, MVP, halftime, national anthem, coin toss, and Gatorade color — a few unique markets you won’t find everywhere. The interface is sports-focused with a user-friendly interface, with fees of $0.01 to $0.02 per contract, comparable to sports-focused competitors.
Available in 49 states (all but New York). If you’re in California and want to maximize your bonus dollars for the Super Bowl, OG is worth the sign-up.
Best for: Bonus hunters and traders who want sports-forward markets with a generous welcome offer.
Best for existing brokerage users: Robinhood
If you already have a Robinhood account, prediction markets are just a tab away. Robinhood routes all prediction market orders through Kalshi, so you’re getting the exact same markets, the same liquidity, just wrapped in Robinhood’s familiar brokerage UX. The key differentiator is Robinhood adds a $0.01/contract exchange fee on top of $0.01/contract for Kalshi, so you’re getting charged a premium.
The advantage is consolidation. Stocks, crypto, and predictions live in one account, and uninvested cash earns 4% APY (FDIC insured up to $2.5M). The disadvantage is that there’s no sign-up bonus for predictions specifically, and you’ll need to set up a separate derivatives account within the app.
Robinhood processed 2.5 billion prediction market contracts in October 2025 alone, making it one of the largest access points for Kalshi markets. In January 2026, the company acquired MIAXdx with Susquehanna to eventually build its own exchange, but for now everything still routes through Kalshi.
Best for: Robinhood users who don’t want another app. Same Kalshi markets, familiar interface.
Best fee structure for active traders: Polymarket
Polymarket has the lowest fees in the industry at just 0.01% taker-only fee — significantly cheaper than the $0.02/contract flat fee most competitors charge, particularly on higher-priced contracts. The platform also offers liquidity rewards for placing limit orders, which means active traders can actually earn rebates.
Polymarket returned to the US market in December 2025 after acquiring QCEX for its DCM license. The US app currently offers sports markets only, with politics and other categories expected later. Super Bowl markets, however, are surprisingly limited: The app only offers trading on the championship winner as of the day before the game.
Best for: Active traders and fee-conscious users who only want to trade on the game winner for Super Bowl 60.
Best for sportbook natives: DraftKings or FanDuel
DraftKings Predictions and FanDuel Predicts both charge $0.01 per contract + exchange fee. Both platforms share the same CME Group order book, but DraftKings added markets from Crypto.com two days before the Super Bowl. In addition to game winner, spread and over/under, DraftKings now also offers markets on touchdown scorers, rushing, passing, receiving yards, plus game props, pre-set parlays, and non-athletic SB trades related to the halftime show.
The tradeoff is market selection. Both are more limited on Super Bowl markets compared to Kalshi or Polymarket, though DraftKings now has the edge on market depth. DraftKings also has a 100% deposit match up to $75 bonus for the Super Bowl.
Both companies have stated they’ll exit sports prediction markets in any state that legalizes sports betting — which is worth noting given the ongoing California regulatory landscape, though that’s unlikely to change imminently.
Best for: Those looking for an interface similar to sportsbooks with options for American odds. For those looking for more market depth and a welcome offer, DraftKings is the better option.
Best for fantasy sports users: Sleeper, PrizePicks, or Underdog
Three major DFS platforms now offer prediction markets through their existing apps, all launching within the past several months:
Sleeper just went live on Friday with a Kalshi integration, bringing sports event contracts to its 10 million users. The “Team Picks” interface covers game outcomes, spreads, totals, MVP, and off-field Super Bowl markets. Fees are ~$0.02/contract ($0.01 Sleeper + $0.01 Kalshi exchange fee). The advantage is keeping everything — fantasy leagues, DFS picks, social features, and now prediction markets — in one place.
PrizePicks Predict routes through Kalshi as well, offering both Team Picks (sports game outcomes) and Culture Picks (entertainment, politics, pop culture). Underdog Predict uses Crypto.com’s CDNA exchange, with fees in the $0.02/contract range.
None of these platforms currently offer a prediction-specific sign-up bonus, and all carry the same fees as their underlying exchange partners — so there’s no cost savings versus trading directly on Kalshi or Crypto.com. The value proposition is convenience and the existing user community.
Best for: Fantasy sports players who want to trade without downloading another app.
Best for crypto-native users: Gemini Predictions
Gemini launched predictions in December 2025 with fee-free trading for a limited time — making it the cheapest option available right now if you’re comfortable with the crypto exchange interface. Super Bowl markets include game outcome, halftime, and MVP.
The platform operates on its own DCM license (through affiliate Gemini Titan, LLC), which gives it regulatory independence. Liquidity is still building compared to Kalshi or Polymarket, and market depth is more limited, so there are some drawbacks. But it’s another platform where you have all the different trading options in one place, though with limited sports market depth as of now.
Best for: Crypto users who want fee-free Super Bowl trades while the promotion lasts.
Why Super Bowl trading is legal in California (and what could change)
The legal framework rests on a simple distinction: prediction market contracts are classified as commodity derivatives regulated by the CFTC, not as wagers regulated by state gambling commissions. The Commodity Exchange Act provides the federal framework, and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) specifically excludes CFTC-regulated contracts from its definition of illegal gambling.
This matters for California legal betting options because it means sports event contracts bypass the state’s prohibition on online sports betting entirely. You’re not placing a bet with a sportsbook — you’re trading a federally regulated financial contract on an exchange. The platforms don’t need a California gaming license for the same reason stock exchanges don’t need one.
That said, this framework is actively being challenged. Three California tribes — the Blue Lake Rancheria, Picayune Rancheria, and Chicken Ranch Rancheria — sued Kalshi and Robinhood in federal court in July 2025, arguing that sports event contracts violate tribal gaming compacts. In November 2025, Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley denied the tribes’ request for a preliminary injunction, finding that UIGEA’s exclusion for CFTC-regulated products applies.
But the judge also noted that Kalshi may have found a regulatory workaround that wasn’t anticipated by the framers of these laws. The case is ongoing, and other states have filed separate legal challenges. More than 20 lawsuits and cease-and-desist orders are pending against prediction market operators across roughly a dozen states.
For now, the markets are live and legal in California. Whether that holds through 2026 depends on federal court rulings that haven’t been decided yet. But trading is safe for the 2026 Super Bowl.
Tax treatment: a real advantage over traditional gambling
One underappreciated benefit of trading prediction markets versus traditional sports betting: the tax treatment. Because event contracts are classified as commodity derivatives, gains receive capital gains treatment rather than being taxed as gambling winnings. Losses can be deducted against ordinary income (up to $3,000 per year for net losses), and you don’t need to itemize deductions to claim them.
Compare that to gambling, where losses can only be deducted against gambling winnings and only if you itemize. A recent provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill also caps gambling loss deductions at 90% of reported winnings, making the tax penalty on high-volume bettors even steeper. For California traders, this tax distinction alone may be reason to consider prediction markets.
Active Super Bowl bonuses for California traders
Several platforms are running promotions ahead of Sunday. You can claim multiple offers without conflict since each requires a separate account:
| Platform | Offer | Code | How to claim |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kalshi | Trade $10, get $10 free | DEFI | Sign up, enter code, trade $10 within 90 days |
| OG Predictions | Up to $500 | None needed | Sign up, deposit, trade — first 1M users |
| DraftKings | 100% match up to $75 | Check app | Sign up, deposit, auto-matched |
| Polymarket | $10 free trade | Enter code on sign-up |
For a full comparison of active bonuses and step-by-step claim instructions, see our prediction market promo code guide.
How to get started
If you’re new to prediction markets and want to trade the Super Bowl from California, here’s the quickest path:
Pick a platform. For most people, Kalshi is the simplest starting point — fastest onboarding, deepest market selection, and a $10 bonus. If you want the biggest bonus, go with OG. If you’re already on Robinhood or Coinbase, just activate predictions within your existing app.
Complete identity verification. All CFTC-regulated platforms require KYC — government-issued ID, SSN, current address. Most approvals take minutes, though some users with common names or recent address changes see delays of 1–2 business days.
Fund your account. ACH bank transfer is free on most platforms and often provides instant deposit availability even while the transfer clears. Debit cards work for immediate funding but typically carry a 2% fee. If you’re already on Robinhood or Coinbase, your existing balance works immediately. See the deposit options breakdown above for the full comparison.
Start with markets you understand. Contracts are priced $0.01 to $0.99, with the price representing implied probability. A $0.68 contract on the Seahawks to win means the market thinks there’s a 68% chance Seattle takes it. If they do, each contract pays $1. If they don’t, it pays $0. You can sell your position at any time before settlement if the price moves in your favor — or against you.
Trade responsibly in CA
California’s prediction market landscape has expanded dramatically in the past few months. A year ago, the idea of legally trading on the Super Bowl from Los Angeles or San Francisco would have seemed far-fetched. Now there are a dozen platforms competing for your business, with hundreds of millions in volume traded on the game outcome alone.
The platforms are regulated, the access is straightforward, and the fees are generally competitive with or better than what traditional sportsbooks charge through the vig. Whether you’re trading game lines, player props, what Bad Bunny will perform first, or what Collinsworth will say on the broadcast, the markets are open.
Just remember: event contract trading carries financial risk, and while prediction markets are currently legal in California, the legal landscape is still evolving. Trade with money you can afford to lose, and compare platforms carefully before depositing. For the latest odds across platforms, follow our live Super Bowl odds tracker.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, resources are available at the California Problem Gambling Helpline: 1-800-GAMBLER.
