Sportsbook Review: Kalshi

Last updated May 14, 2025 2:26 PM ET

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Overall

4.0

/5

Security

5.0

/5

Experience

5.0

/5

Betting Options

3.5

/5

Bonuses

2.0

/5

Payout Speed

4.0

/5

iOS Rating:

4.6

/5

(6.7K)

Google Play Rating:

4.2

/5

(777)

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Kalshi

Kalshi’s meteoric rise continues. The platform has soared in popularity in recent months with its introduction of sports prediction markets. Participants can speculate on the outcome of major sporting events, such as the winner of the next Super Bowl, Stanley Cup, or NBA Finals. 

The menu has been steadily expanding, with the recent introduction of single-game markets for the NBA, NHL, and MLB. Kalshi gives s the flexibility to enter and exit positions with ease, all at reasonable fees of up to 2% per contract. 

You can sign up and play at Kalshi on desktop and mobile across much of the US. So is Kalshi worth the hype - and more importantly - your time? Let the Odds Shark team help you decide. Read on for a complete review of what Kalshi brings to the table. 

What Is Kalshi?

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    Platform: Desktop and mobile (iOS and Android)

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    Specialty: Prediction Markets

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    Availability: U.S. (40+ states)

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    Welcome Bonus: Get $10 on your first trade

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    Key Markets: NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, Soccer, Golf

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    Payment Options: Bank transfer, Wire transfer, Debit cards, USDC crypto

 

Kalshi Strengths

 

  • Innovative model: Kalshi is a prediction market platform where s can simply choose “yes” or “no” on a variety of sports outcomes. Gain extra insight into the markets by checking out what’s trending, open contract positions by price point, and more.
  • Surging popularity: Kalshi debuted sports prediction markets in early 2025. The platform has since attracted substantial interest for tentpole events like the Super Bowl, March Madness, and the Masters, and recently expanded into single games.
  • -friendly interface: On both desktop and mobile, Kalshi is simple to use. You can jump across categories without issue, sort by trending and volatile contracts, lean on the intuitive search feature, and much more.
  • Reasonable fees: The trading fees on Kalshi are typically less than 2% per contract. As an example, the fee for a $100 trade is capped at $1.74. This is very reasonable, but there’s also a 2% fee on debit card deposits and $2 fee for debit card withdrawals.

Kalshi Weaknesses

 

  • Promo Offers: Sports bettors have grown accustomed to choosing from numerous promotional offers as the top online sportsbooks compete for their attention. For now, offerings are scant on the promo front at Kalshi. 
  • Regulatory Pushback: While Kalshi is available across much of the US, some states have started to push back and question its legality. The regulatory cloud and legal back-and forth will continue to play out. 
  • Available Markets: This weakness comes with a caveat as options have been expanding. That said, sports bettors who are accustomed to things like player props and alternate lines won’t find that here. 
  • Few Banking Options: A few of the major bases are covered, and there's even a crypto option. However, those who prefer methods such as Apple Pay, PayPal, or Venmo are out of luck, at least for now.  

Key Features of Kalshi

Kalshi has burst onto the scene with sports prediction markets, providing s with another exciting option for forecasting outcomes. The platform is still a relatively new player on the scene, but several key features of Kalshi are helping it stand out and capture attention.  

 
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Pop Culture
 
Politics
 
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New Take on Sports Forecasting 

Kalshi is a prediction market platform where participants can simply choose “yes” or “no” on a range of outcomes. Initially focused on big events like the Super Bowl and March Madness, offerings have expanded to include single games for major sports. Similar to comparing sports betting odds, s can pick and choose from contract prices for various outcomes.   

Surging Popularity and Liquidity

The rise of Kalshi has been a quick one. Since it introduced sports betting contracts, the base has been continually growing with each new addition. There’s a solid amount of liquidity on the most popular offerings, making it easy for participants to enter and exit positions. Looking forward, there’s nothing to suggest the momentum will slow down.  

-Friendly and Accessible

Kalshi is available on both desktop and mobile for s across the US. After g up, you can quickly and easily fund your with transfers, debit cards, or cryptocurrencies. For those new to prediction markets, there’s an outstanding help and FAQ section that can help you get up to speed in no time.

Understanding How Kalshi Works

When you visit Kalshi, there’s a clean menu layout that helps you navigate the available markets. Beyond sports, Kalshi also offers contracts for politics, cultural events, economic data, and much more. Once you click the sports tab, you can continue browsing through the list of options, such as football, baseball, basketball, and hockey. 

Using the NBA as an example, one of the markets available during our test run was on the winner of an playoff matchup. 

Markets are based on a $1 settlement for a winning outcome. As such, the listed prices can be interpreted as a percentage chance of an outcome happening, at least as far as trading on the platform is concerned. In this case, 54% believe New York comes out on top, while 47% are leaning toward Detroit. 

The total of the two numbers equals 101 - or $1.01 - due to the spread, which is based on demand. Once the event goes final, the winning side is paid out at $1 per contract, while the losing side gets zero. Kalshi takes a fee based on the market and position size of up to 2%. For a $100 trade, the fee is capped at $1.74.    

Odds Shark FinCertified Trust Factors: How We Rank Kalshi

When the experienced Odds Shark team reviews a platform, we dive deep to get to the bottom of what matters most to players. We take an extensive look at market coverage and available options, ease of use, payment options, security, and much more. 

When all is said and done, we grade based on Trust Factors that have been FinCertified. This means that the platform has been put through its paces and received the Odds Shark stamp of approval . Here’s how Kalshi stacks up: 

Trust Factor Rating (1-5) Details
Security 🔐 5 CFTC-regulated with trusted payment methods
Experience 🤝 5 Platform is -friendly for both mobile and desktop s.
Betting Options 🤑 3.5 Major sports are covered, lacking props and niche options
Bonuses 🎁 2 Minimal options for the time being
Payout Speed 💰 4 Quick and easy processing for verified s 

 

What s Are Saying About Kalshi

  • ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

     

    "App is really smooth. Better and cleaner than other brokers

     

    Events trading is really sick. I've added them to my portfolio as a way to get more precise exposure on a number of factors that go into a stock. I wouldn't be surprised if this trading instrument becomes massive." - rickmoez, 09/18/2022 App Store 

  • ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

     

    [Edited review per update]

     

    "Had a lot of issues with app performance which now seems to be fixed. There are still some bugs (ideas loading for a different market than the one you're on) but nothing preventing using the app as previously. Overall, some very interesting markets and a fun platform. One Questionable thing I've noticed is Kalshi changed a contract that was already opened with held positions (BitcoinMinMax). I'm giving the benefit of the doubt that this will not be a common occurrence, however it is something to be weary of if you intend on entering a position with a large sum." - HGreene, 11/27/2024 App Store 

  • ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

     

    Absolutely Fantastic! 

     

    "Kalshi is hands down one of the best apps I've ever used! It's not just another trading platform - it's an innovative, exciting, and engaging way to make decisions based on real-world events. The interface is sleek, -friendly, and makes navigating the markets a breeze, even for beginners like me." -RotemH, 10/12/2024 App Store 

 

Should You Sign Up For Kalshi?

Sports prediction markets are surging in popularity, and Kalshi is leading the charge. It’s a fantastic option for both new and experienced bettors who are looking for an innovative way to put their forecasting skills to the test.  

It’s easy to get started on the -friendly platform, but the addition of some more payment options would make it that much better. Are you ready to check out Kalshi and see what all of the buzz is about? Sign up here to check out all that it has to offer.

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