Platform comparison
| Platform | YES odds | NO odds | Fee | KYC | Settlement | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Polymarket (via Polymarket Alternative UK) Pick polygram.ink (preferred broker) |
100% | 0% | 0% (USDC on-chain) | No-KYC up to $1,500 | USDC, auto via UMA oracle | View on Polymarket → |
Polymarket (direct) polymarket.com |
100% | 0% | 0% | Geo-blocked in US/UK/EU | USDC, on-chain | View on Polymarket → |
Kalshi kalshi.com |
— | — | Up to 7% per trade | US-only, KYC required | USD | View on Polymarket → |
Betfair Exchange betfair.com |
— | — | 2-5% commission | Full KYC from first trade | GBP / EUR | View on Polymarket → |
Manifold Markets manifold.markets |
— | — | Play-money (mana) | None — play-money | Mana (no cash-out) | View on Polymarket → |
Outcome probabilities
Current market-implied probability for each outcome, from the live order book.
| Outcome | Probability |
|---|---|
| July 24 | 100% |
| August 4 | 100% |
| August 19 | 11% |
| August 25 | 10% |
| August 12 | 8% |
| August 13 | 8% |
| August 14 | 8% |
| August 16 | 8% |
| August 26 | 8% |
| August 31 | 8% |
| August 18 | 7% |
| August 20 | 7% |
| August 23 | 7% |
| August 27 | 7% |
| August 28 | 7% |
| August 29 | 7% |
| August 30 | 7% |
| August 15 | 6% |
| August 17 | 6% |
| August 22 | 6% |
| August 9 | 5% |
| August 10 | 5% |
| August 24 | 5% |
| August 11 | 4% |
| August 21 | 4% |
| August 5 | 1% |
| August 8 | 1% |
| July 25 | 0% |
| July 26 | 0% |
| July 27 | 0% |
| July 28 | 0% |
| July 29 | 0% |
| July 30 | 0% |
| July 31 | 0% |
| August 1 | 0% |
| August 2 | 0% |
| August 3 | 0% |
| August 6 | 0% |
| August 7 | 0% |
Market context
Polymarket is pricing this contract at **100% YES**, so the market is treating a Houthi strike on, or seizure of, a commercial ship before 31 August 2026 as effectively certain. On Polymarket, the trade is settled in **USDC** on **Polygon**, via conditional tokens, so the quoted price is the market’s own probability, not an exchange spread; at 100%, there is almost no room left for a contrary view unless the contract’s wording excludes the incident in question.
That reading fits the Houthi record in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb. Since late 2023, the group has used drones, missiles and small-boat boarding tactics against commercial shipping, including taking control of vessels in some cases, and Reuters noted in July that the Houthis had completed preparations to attack ships near the southern Red Sea chokepoint.[3][15][16] Comparable incidents have also reached the oil trade directly: the Houthis claimed attacks on Saudi-linked tankers in July, while shipping traffic through Bab el-Mandeb reportedly slowed afterwards.[6][9][10]
For traders, the key catalysts are Houthi statements, any fresh blockade announcement, and ship-routing changes around Saudi ports, Yanbu and the Bab el-Mandeb corridor.[2][4][5] Reuters reported on 5 August that the Houthis claimed another attack on a Saudi tanker, which is the kind of development that can keep this market anchored near the top of the range even if some strikes are intercepted or remain unverified.[19] Vessel tracking, maritime security advisories, and any confirmation of boarding or direct impact matter more here than generic regional tension, because the contract excludes intercepted missile and drone launches that do not hit the ship.
Methodology
This page reviews Houthis successfully target shipping on 2026? across five venues. The live probability is the Polymarket mid-price, sourced directly from the on-chain Polygon order book; the comparison columns benchmark each venue on fee structure, KYC, settlement currency and payment rails. Every CTA routes to Polymarket Alternative UK, which mirrors the Polymarket order book at 0% fees.
Resolution & payout
At resolution the UMA oracle takes over: a proposer posts the outcome with a bond, any token holder can dispute within two hours. Without dispute the result is accepted and the smart contract distributes USDC instantly.
On Kalshi (CFTC-regulated) resolution runs through their in-house clearing engine in USD. Betfair Exchange settles after match end in the account's local currency. Manifold pays no cash — only its in-platform "mana" currency.
UK Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this market available outside the US?
- Polymarket itself is geo-blocked in the US/UK/EU. Always check the legal status of prediction markets in your jurisdiction before trading.
- How does resolution work?
- Through the UMA Optimistic Oracle on Polygon: a proposer submits the outcome, a two-hour challenge window opens, and USDC payouts settle automatically once the result is final.
- Is Polymarket legal in the UK?
- Polymarket is accessible to UK traders but is not UKGC-licensed. It operates under US CFTC jurisdiction. UK residents face no domestic legal prohibition on using it, but UKGC consumer protections do not apply. For UKGC-regulated alternatives, Betfair Exchange and Smarkets offer similar prediction-style markets.
- Do I pay tax on prediction market profits in the UK?
- UKGC-licensed platform profits (Betfair, Smarkets) are typically tax-free gambling winnings for UK individuals. Polymarket profits involve USDC crypto transactions, which HMRC treats as Capital Gains Tax events. Keep full transaction records and report via Self Assessment if gains exceed £3,000 per tax year.
- How do I deposit on Polymarket from the UK?
- UK traders typically fund Polymarket via Coinbase UK, Kraken or Revolut — buying USDC with GBP and transferring to a Polygon-compatible wallet (MetaMask, Coinbase Wallet). Polymarket's onboarding walks you through the bridging process. Typical GBP-to-USDC conversion costs 0.5–1%.
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