Guide
Prediction market vs sportsbook
Both let you put money on an outcome, but they work in opposite ways. A sportsbook sets the odds and takes the other side. A prediction market lets you trade against other people at a price that moves. Here is what that changes for you.
Who sets the price
A sportsbook writes the odds and builds a margin into them, so the price is tilted in the house's favour before you place a thing. A prediction market has no house on the line. The price is wherever a buyer and a seller agree, and you can be either one.
That is the core difference. You are trading against other people at a number the market sets, not against a book that profits from the spread.
You can trade out before it ends
A fixed-odds bet is locked once you place it. You wait for the result and find out then. On a market, the price keeps moving with the odds, so you can often sell a position back at the current price and take the gain or cut the loss early, rather than riding every one to $1 or $0.
Centralized vs decentralized
Prediction markets come in two shapes. A decentralized one runs on a blockchain: you self-custody your funds and every trade is on-chain, which is transparent but usually slower, pricier to transact, and harder to use.
A centralized exchange holds the funds and matches orders on its own order book. Wairi is centralized: sign up in a minute, trade on a fast book, settle in seconds, and fund an account with our capital if you want size. The trade-off is trust in the platform rather than a chain, which is why settlement here runs on named public sources.
What to look for in a prediction market
Comparing your options comes down to a handful of things:
- Fees. Look for no order-placement fees and a small cut only on profit.
- Settlement. The source that decides each market should be named before you trade.
- Speed. Fast resolution matters most on short markets like crypto rounds.
- Liquidity. Tighter prices and real depth mean you can get in and out cleanly.
- Funding. A funded account lets you trade platform capital instead of your own.
Wairi charges 2% on profit and nothing to place an order, names a public source on every market, and resolves crypto rounds in seconds.
Is it available where I am?
Availability depends on where you are and local law, and some places restrict prediction-market trading. Check your local regulations and the platform terms before you sign up. Wairi's terms lay out where the service and the funded program are offered.
See how it works
Start with the basics of a prediction exchange, or open the markets board and take a side.