Polymarket U.S. is currently beta testing combination bets, also known as combos, in preparation for the upcoming 2026 football season.
The prediction market operator has named the combined contract wagers as Combinatorial Athletic Outcome Contracts, or CAOCs. Polymarket submitted a filing to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to self-certify combos — prediction market terminology for parlays — in May. This was also the month when the company started its phased rollout in the U.S.
Through the CFTC self-certification process, prediction market operators outline plans to offer new event contracts to the regulator, along with expected go-live dates. If the regulator raises no objections or concerns, companies can introduce fresh event contracts or combos with minimal regulatory interference.
However, it took Polymarket approximately 10 weeks to begin beta testing its CAOCs in the U.S. Combos on Polymarket U.S. have reportedly seen close to 16,200 trades and over $7.4 million in volume this month. Traders can currently combine up to 10 legs in a single wager on Polymarket.
Polymarket Combo Foray Is an Important Step
Polymarket’s entrance into combos or parlays holds strategic significance on various levels. Multi-leg bets make up a considerable portion of prediction volume in the U.S., yet a recent report from Eilers & Krejcik Gaming (EKG) analyst Brad Allen highlights that a single company dominates the U.S. market for prediction market sports parlays, which is not Polymarket.
Rival companies, such as DraftKings, Fanatics, FanDuel, and Underdog, are expanding their efforts in prediction market combo offerings in an attempt to disrupt the monopoly held by one company on sports event contract combos, as emphasized by Allen.
“Combo is not a niche feature but a central product layer—and potentially the defining one—in determining who captures mainstream sports PM demand,” observes Allen.
In a recent report, Stifel analyst Jeffrey Stantial notes that U.S. prediction volume surged to $49 billion last month, with sports and combos, representing essentially all sports, contributing to approximately 80% of total transactions.
Understanding Polymarket Parlay Plumbing
Combos on Polymarket operate differently compared to traditional sportsbooks and other prediction markets.
When constructing a multi-leg bet, a Polymarket trader must submit a request-for-quote (RFQ) that is responded to by a market maker within a specified timeframe. Traders need to utilize Polymarket’s Application Programming Interface (API) technology to take the opposing side of some or all legs in the combo.
Payouts on Polymarket mirror those found on sportsbooks for parlays. For instance, in a 10-leg combo, all 10 legs must resolve in the bettor’s favor for a win.