At Robinhood, sports betting is not possible because Robinhood is not an online sportsbook and doesn’t have a sports betting license. However, Robinhood does offer prediction markets, letting you speculate on sports outcomes through event contracts priced by traders.
These contracts revolve around simple Yes or No outcomes and shift in price between $0.01 and $0.99 depending on how likely traders believe the result is. If your position matches the final outcome, each contract pays $1; otherwise, they expire worthless. This guide explains how these prediction markets work and how they differ from traditional sports betting.
No. To be perfectly clear, you can’t bet on sports at Robinhood. It isn’t a sportsbook like DraftKings, FanDuel, or Caesars, and it doesn’t have the licenses required to offer traditional sports wagering.
What Robinhood does provide is the ability to trade prediction contracts tied to real-world events. Events include sports, but also culture, climate, financials, technology, science, and even politics such as Robinhood election prediction.
Robinhood’s prediction markets work differently from traditional sports betting. Here’s a quick overview of the key facts:
| Contract format | Yes/No markets tied to real-world outcomes |
| Pricing range | Between $0.01 and $0.99, reflecting market-implied probability |
| Payout structure | Each contract settles at $1 if correct, $0 if incorrect |
| Regulator Commodity | Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) |
| Eligibility requirements | Must have a Robinhood brokerage account and a Robinhood Derivatives account |
| Event categories | Includes sports, politics, culture, climate, financials, technology, science, and more |
Robinhood’s sports contracts are financial derivatives, not sports bets. They let you speculate on the outcome of a specific sports event by choosing either “Yes” or “No” to a question.
Unlike traditional sportsbook odds that are set by oddsmakers, pricing on Robinhood sports contracts is fully market-driven. Each contract trades between $0.01 and $0.99, and that price reflects the market’s collective opinion about the likelihood of the outcome.
A higher price signals stronger confidence in a “Yes” result, while a lower price suggests the outcome is seen as unlikely. You’re free to buy or sell contracts at any point before the event settles, giving you the ability to capture profits as the market moves.
If you prefer to hold, each contract will award $1 if your chosen outcome is correct, or $0 if it isn’t.
Since launching prediction markets in late 2024, Robinhood has seen more than 2 billion contracts traded. A large share of this activity comes from sports-related markets, which are currently available across various:
Most contracts focus on standard match-winner outcomes. Depending on the sport and your state, you may also see additional types such as totals, over/unders, and futures.
While trading on sports outcomes is often compared to betting, Robinhood’s event contracts aren’t classified as sports bets and fall under a different regulatory framework.
Unlike online sportsbooks, which must obtain state-level gaming licenses, Robinhood’s prediction markets are regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
This is the same federal agency that oversees US futures and derivatives markets, allowing Robinhood to legally offer prediction markets in the US. Just keep in mind that some categories of contracts – including sports – are not available everywhere. Availability varies by state.
Trading sports event contracts on Robinhood is not open to everyone. You need the right type of account, and you must live in an eligible state. To start, you must have an active Robinhood investing account, since the money used for event contracts comes directly from there.
You’ll also need to apply for (and be approved for) a Robinhood Derivatives account. State eligibility matters as well. Residents of Maryland can’t trade any event contracts on Robinhood, so sports contracts are completely off-limits there. And as of December 1, 2025, residents of Nevada can no longer open new sports event contracts through their Robinhood Derivatives accounts.
Trading sports contracts on Robinhood might seem complex at first, but once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty straightforward. Here’s a step-by-step guide that will walk you through the entire process from start to finish:
Visit Robinhood using the links on this page: Using the promotional link will take you to the official site, where you may qualify for a sign-up offer worth up to $200 in free reward stock.
Create your account: Open a standard Robinhood brokerage account first. Then apply for a Robinhood Derivatives account, which is required to trade any sports prediction market contracts.
Go to the Prediction Markets hub: From the Investing screen, select Prediction Markets to access the hub where all available contracts are listed.
Browse sports contracts: In the hub, swipe left or right to explore categories such as professional and college football, basketball, and more.
Pick a sports event: Scroll through the list and tap on a matchup or event that interests you. This opens a detail page with a simple Yes/No market, such as “Will the Dallas Cowboys win?”
Choose Yes or No: Buying Yes contracts means you’re answering “yes” to the event question; buying No contracts means you’re answering “no.”
Enter your quantity: Each contract is priced between $0.01 and $0.99. Enter how many you’d like to buy.
Review and submit your order: Before submitting your order, make sure you understand the applicable Robinhood fees that may affect your transaction. If everything looks correct, submit your order. You’ll receive on-screen confirmation once it’s complete.
Decide whether to sell early or hold: After purchasing contracts, you can either sell early to lock in gains or limit losses as prices move, or hold until settlement, where each correct contract pays $1, and each incorrect contract pays $0.
Robinhood’s prediction markets offer a unique way to participate in your favorite sports by trading event contracts. While some refer to it as sports betting on Robinhood, you’re actually trading financial derivatives rather than placing traditional wagers.
If you’re approved for a derivatives account and live in an eligible state, you can speculate on major sports matchups using simple Yes/No contracts. Prices range from $0.01 to $0.99 and move with real-time market sentiment.
You choose whether to buy, sell, or hold based on how you expect the game to unfold. Each contract settles at a fixed value: $1 if your prediction is correct and $0 if it isn’t.
If you’re ready to start trading sports event contracts on Robinhood, follow the link on this page to sign up and claim up to $200 in free reward stock as a welcome bonus.
No. Robinhood does not operate as a sportsbook and does not have the licenses required to offer sports betting. Instead, it offers prediction markets that let you trade event contracts tied to sports outcomes. These contracts are classed as financial derivatives, not sports bets. You speculate on a Yes/No question, and each contract settles at either $1 or $0, depending on the final outcome.
Sports contracts on Robinhood are event-based derivatives priced by the market, not by oddsmakers. Each contract trades between $0.01 and $0.99, with the price reflecting the probability traders assign to the event. If your prediction is correct, the contract pays a fixed $1. If not, it expires worthless. You can buy or sell at any time before settlement, allowing you to secure profit or cut losses.
Yes, sports event contracts offered by Robinhood are legal. They don’t fall under sports betting laws. Instead, they are regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the same agency that oversees US futures and derivatives markets. This allows Robinhood to offer prediction markets in the US, though availability varies by state.
You need a standard Robinhood brokerage account and approval for a Robinhood Derivatives account. Your state of residence also matters, since some states restrict or prohibit event contracts. For example, if you live in Maryland, you can’t trade any event contracts on Robinhood, and sports contracts aren’t available in Nevada.
Begin by creating a Robinhood investing account, then apply for a derivatives account. Once approved, head to the Prediction Markets hub in the Robinhood app to view all available sports events. From there, you can choose a matchup, select Yes or No, and enter the quantity you want to trade. After buying contracts, you can sell early or hold until settlement.
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