These two don't really compete; they divide the field. Polymarket is where the world prices elections, wars and central banks, with a regulated US product since December 2025 and free trading on geopolitics. Novig is a sports-only US exchange that charges nothing on pre-game trades, requires users to be 21, and operates in 47 states. If you trade sports, Novig; if you trade anything else, Polymarket; if both, both.
Side by side
| Polymarket | Novig | |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Global crypto site (not for US) + Polymarket US on a CFTC exchange (QCX LLC) | Own CFTC exchange (Ludlow Exchange LLC) |
| Markets | Politics, geopolitics, economics, crypto, sports, culture | Sports only |
| Sports fee | 5% × P × (1−P) taker; makers free | Free pre-game; 3% × P × (1−P) live; makers free |
| Politics fee | 4% × P × (1−P); geopolitics 0% | n/a |
| Age | 18 | 21 |
| US availability | Most states; NV blocked; sports restricted in several | 47 states (not AZ, MI, NV) |
| Platform | polymarket.us web + app (US); web + app (global) | Web + app |
| Parlays | Combos, up to 10 legs, beta since Aug 2026 | Yes, fee in price |
| Funding (US) | Apple/Google Pay, card, bank, wire; min $20 | Aeropay bank, USDC/USDT, cards (3%) |
| Welcome offer | $20–$50 bonus for $20 deposit | $25–$50 credits for $10 |
| Track record | Since 2020 globally; US app since Dec 2025 | Exchange since Aug 2026; company since 2021 |
Sports: Novig
Free pre-game market orders, a sports-first interface, resting orders with maker credits in-play, and the Mets partnership. Polymarket's sports fee (1.25¢ at 50¢) is low but not zero, its US sports markets are restricted in more states, and its combos are three months old. Depth on major US games is usable on both; Novig's is built for it.
Everything else: Polymarket
Novig has nothing here. Polymarket has the deepest election and world-event markets anywhere, free trading on geopolitics, macro and crypto markets, and media partnerships (WSJ, Dow Jones) that keep the crowd large.
Age and states
If you're 18–20, Novig is closed to you; Polymarket isn't. If you're in Arizona or Michigan, Novig isn't an option; Polymarket's non-sports markets are. If you're in Nevada, neither.
Verdict
Sports singles in the US: Novig. Politics, macro, world events: Polymarket. Both are cheaper than Kalshi in their specialities, and the honest setup for a serious trader is one account at each.
Fees from Polymarket's published parameters and Novig's schedule as reported by Gambling.com (October 2026).