The Robinhood age requirement is a key factor for anyone interested in trading event contracts. If you’re new to Robinhood, it’s an app that lets you make predictions by buying contracts based on ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ outcomes.
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To do this, only US residents aged 18 or older can open a Robinhood account, and identity verification is required before accessing the app’s prediction markets. In this guide, we’ll cover the age requirements, why it matters, and explain how prediction trading works. We’ll also share expert tips to help you get started.
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Only 18+ traders can open an account to make sports predictions on Robinhood.
You need to confirm your age by verifying your identity before making predictions.
Sport predictions are done by purchasing event contracts.
Maryland residents can’t participate in event contracts, even if they meet the legal age requirements.
An Overview of Robinhood Sports Prediction Trading
Robinhood first made its name in stock and crypto trading, but now, it offers
sports prediction markets
through event contracts.
The Robinhood event contracts let you trade based on sports outcomes. You’ll buy ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ contracts tied to sports events. ‘Yes’ means you’re backing an event to happen, while ‘No’ means you’re against it. If someone buys ‘Yes’, another trader has to sell ‘No’. This peer-to-peer format sets Robinhood apart from traditional sports betting.
Each contract is priced between $0.01 and $0.99, reflecting the market’s estimated probability of that outcome. So, if a contract is trading at $0.60, the market believes there’s a 60% likelihood of that event happening. If your prediction is right, your contract pays $1; if it’s wrong, you get nothing.
For instance, let’s say you buy 10 ‘Yes’ contracts predicting that Team A will win Team B at $0.70 each. You’d spend $7 in total. If they win, your payout is $10, giving you $3 in winnings (fees excluded).
Note that these contracts aren’t traditional bets, as they are regulated under the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Every price you see reflects actual trading activity, not odds set by a sportsbook.
What Is the Robinhood Age Requirement for Prediction Trading?
So, how old do you have to be to use Robinhood? Well, like with most
prediction market apps, you need to be at least 18 years old to open a Robinhood account.
You’ll be asked to verify your identity with a government-issued ID and your Social Security Number (SSN). These steps ensure compliance with financial laws, including Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) standards.
We noticed that the event contracts are available to traders in all US states, provided you’re 18+. However, Maryland residents are excluded from buying event contracts even if they meet the legal Robinhood age.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the age requirements:
Minimum age
18
Verification
Government-issued ID and SSN
Custodial accounts
Not supported
Eligible states
All states except Maryland
Why the Robinhood Age Requirement Matters
Since event contracts fall under CFTC oversight, they’re treated like financial derivatives, not traditional wagers. That’s why all traders have to meet the Robinhood account age requirement and complete full ID verification before trading.
The age requirement ensures Robinhood stays compliant with US financial regulations for trading. You’re engaging in real-money markets, so you need to be legally recognized as an adult to take part.
To open an individual brokerage account or participate in event contract trading, meeting the minimum age requirement of 18 is legally mandatory. While parents can open custodial accounts for minors, only adults 18 and older can legally manage accounts or make predictions, which keeps Robinhood safe, compliant, and transparent.
How to Sign Up If You Meet the Robinhood Age Requirement
We’ve discussed how old to use Robinhood; the next step is signing up. Before we go over the steps, note that event contracts are available only in the
Robinhood app.
Follow these steps below to get started:
Use the banners on this page to visit the Robinhood site and download the app.
Sign up and apply for a Robinhood derivatives account.
Verify your account by providing the requested documents.
Top up your wallet to start trading.
Go to the ‘Investing’ tab, select Prediction markets, and click ‘Sports’.
Choose an event contract ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ and input the amount you wish to buy.
Once your contract is active, you can wait for the event to end and collect your potential returns or even cash out early. We also found minimal
Robinhood fees
per contract. You’ll be charged $0.01 commission per contract, which is automatically deducted. So, keep this in mind before you start trading.
Explore Robinhood sports prediction options
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Conclusion – You Need to Be 18 or Older to Use Robinhood
If you’re still curious about how old you have to be to trade on Robinhood, the answer is 18+. There’s no way to bypass this age limit. You’ll have to undergo identity verification checks to confirm you’re of legal age before you start making predictions.
Once you’re of legal age, you can start making sports predictions by buying event contracts based on Yes or No outcomes. Fortunately, these contracts start from as low as $0.01, so you don’t need to worry about high entries for your predictions. Plus, Robinhood has one of the lowest fees we’ve seen. You are only charged $0.01 per contract. If you’re 18 or older and ready to start, check out
our full Robinhood review, click the on-page banners to sign up and enjoy your trading!
Robinhood Age Requirement FAQs
The minimum age requirement to use Robinhood for sports prediction is 18.
Yes. You’ll have to submit a government-issued ID and your Social Security number to verify your age and identity.
Yes, Robinhood offers UTMA custodial accounts that an adult can manage for a minor. However, these custodial accounts are strictly limited to stocks and ETFs; they do not support options, crypto, futures, or event contracts.
Explore Robinhood sports prediction options
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