Line shopping between Kalshi and Novig
Before kickoff, Kalshi and Novig usually price a college football game within a cent of each other. Shopping still pays: fees differ (Novig pregame straight trades are free), and some games are a few cents apart.
Key takeaways
- Shortly before kickoff, most college football games are within a cent on the two exchanges, in our tracking of more than 100 games.
- A 2¢ better price on a 50¢ contract is a 4% better return when it wins.
- Compare the price after fees: Novig pregame straight trades are free, Kalshi charges a taker fee.
- Sports Index shows both exchanges' prices for every college football game side by side.
Sportsbook bettors know line shopping: check several books and bet wherever the number is best. On prediction markets the same habit works, because 
Kalshi and 
Novig have separate order books, separate traders and separate prices for the same game.
How often do Kalshi and Novig disagree?
Sports Index records both exchanges' prices for every college football game. Comparing each game's home-team price shortly before kickoff shows how often the two land on different numbers.
Kalshi and Novig usually agree within a centGap between the two exchanges' home-team price shortly before kickoff, 109 college football games, last 21 days
Sports Index
Kalshi and Novig prices · Data through October 23, 2026See the data
| Gap | Games | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1¢ | 90 | 83% |
| 1¢ to 2¢ | 15 | 14% |
| 2¢ to 3¢ | 1 | 1% |
| 3¢ to 5¢ | 2 | 2% |
| 5¢ or more | 1 | 1% |
Before kickoff, the two exchanges usually agree to within a cent. The handful of games further apart are where shopping pays off on price alone; on every other game, the difference is the fee.
What does one game look like on both exchanges?
Sports Index
Kalshi and Novig prices · Data through October 22, 2026See the data
| Time (ET) | Kalshi Memphis price |
|---|---|
| 1:33 PM | 78¢ |
| 5:33 PM | 78¢ |
| 7:54 PM | 74¢ |
| 8:17 PM | 54¢ |
| 8:52 PM | 50¢ |
| 9:28 PM | 36¢ |
| 10:18 PM | 55¢ |
| 11:00 PM | 72¢ |
| 11:25 PM | 78¢ |
Prices on the two exchanges move together, because traders on both react to the same news and the same scores. They aren't identical: the gap opens and closes through the game as money arrives on one exchange before the other.
How much is a better price worth?
More than it looks. On a 50¢ contract, every cent is 2% of your stake:
- Buy at 48¢ instead of 50¢ and a win pays 52¢ instead of 50¢: 4% more profit on the same bet.
- Over 100 bets of $50, a 1¢ average improvement at around 50¢ is roughly $100 a season before fees.
Because the cents come straight off your cost, line shopping improves your closing line value on every bet, which is the clearest predictor of long-run results.
Compare prices after fees
The raw price isn't the whole cost. On a pregame straight trade, Novig charges nothing; Kalshi's taker fee is reported at 0.07 × P × (1 − P), about 1.75¢ a contract at 50¢. So:
- Kalshi at 49¢ vs. Novig at 50¢: Kalshi costs about 50.75¢ all-in. Novig is cheaper.
- Kalshi at 47¢ vs. Novig at 50¢: Kalshi costs about 48.75¢ all-in. Kalshi is cheaper.
- With a Kalshi limit order that rests and fills, you pay its maker fee instead of the taker fee.
See fees compared for the full schedules.
Can you arbitrage Kalshi and Novig?
An arbitrage means buying both sides for less than $1 combined, guaranteeing a profit. Across two exchanges that requires one side cheap on Kalshi and the other cheap on Novig at the same moment, and enough size at those prices. After fees it is rare on liquid games and closes quickly when it appears. It also ties up money on two exchanges until settlement. Treat line shopping as a way to pay less on bets you already want, not as free money.
How do you line shop quickly?
- Have a funded account on both exchanges (bank transfers are free on both).
- Decide your side and your price first, so you aren't tempted by whichever is cheaper.
- Check both prices, add Kalshi's fee, and buy where it's lower.
- Or open Sports Index Markets, which lists every college football game with both exchanges' prices side by side.
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth having accounts on both Kalshi and Novig?
If you bet regularly, yes. The two usually agree within a cent before kickoff, but fees differ, some games are a few cents apart, and over a season those cents add up.
Can you arbitrage Kalshi and Novig?
Rarely after fees. A true arbitrage needs the two sides to cost less than $1 combined, which is uncommon and short-lived on liquid games.
Where can I compare Kalshi and Novig prices?
Sports Index Markets lists every college football game with both exchanges' prices and their history.
Sources
Facts that change, such as fees, rules and where each exchange operates, were checked on the date above. Check the exchange's own pages before you trade.
Sports Index Markets Every college football price in one place Novig and Kalshi side by side, with price history, strategies with graded records and the twice-weekly Betting Roundup. Open Markets →Keep reading
Novig vs. KalshiNovig vs. Kalshi compared for sports: fees, markets, parlays, age and state availability, selling early and settlement. Which exchange suits which bettor.
Closing line value (CLV)Closing line value compares your price with the last price before kickoff. Why CLV beats win rate as a test of a bet, and how to track it.
Prediction market fees: Kalshi vs. NovigKalshi vs. Novig fees: trading fees by price, maker vs. taker, parlays, deposits and withdrawals, with a fee chart and a worked $100 example.
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