> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.rivalryze.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.rivalryze.com/contests/entry-fees-and-prizes.md).

# Entry Fees, Prize Pools & Donations

This page explains the money side of Contests — how gems flow in and out.

## Entry fee

The entry fee is what each player pays to join the Contest. It's paid in **gems** from your wallet, the moment you click Join.

Entry fees are set by the host. Common ranges:

* **Low (10–50 gems)** — casual, accessible to most players.
* **Medium (50–250 gems)** — competitive, more serious participants.
* **High (250+ gems)** — tournaments, high-stakes events.

{% hint style="info" %}
Hosts can set any entry fee, including zero. A free Contest still grows a prize pool if someone donates.
{% endhint %}

## Prize pool

The prize pool is the total gem reward distributed when the Contest ends. It grows from three sources:

1. **Entry fees** — every player who joins adds their fee.
2. **Host boost** — the host can seed the prize pool from their own wallet when creating the Contest.
3. **Donations** — anyone can donate gems to increase the prize pool.

### Example

A host creates a Contest with:

* Entry fee: 50 gems
* Host boost: 100 gems

Four players join (50 gems each = 200 gems). Two community members each donate 25 gems.

**Final prize pool: 100 + 200 + 50 = 350 gems** (the 100 boost, 200 in entry fees, 50 in donations).

How that 350 splits at the end depends on the Contest type.

## How the prize pool pays out

The payout depends on whether the Contest is a Battle or a Bounty, and which reward distribution the host picked.

### Battles (leaderboard)

Battles rank players by score. Common distributions:

| Distribution             | Split                                       |
| ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------- |
| **Winner Takes All**     | 100% → #1 ranked                            |
| **Top 3**                | 60% / 25% / 15%                             |
| **Top 5**                | 40% / 25% / 15% / 10% / 10%                 |
| **By Participant Count** | Auto-scales based on joiner count (default) |

A Battle has a single ranked outcome — the leaderboard locks at the end and payouts flow top-down.

### Bounties (objective-based)

Bounties pay based on whether you hit the objective. Common distributions:

| Distribution             | Behavior                                                                           |
| ------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Winner Takes All**     | First player to hit the objective takes 100%. Pure race — Bounty ends immediately. |
| **Equal Split**          | Every player who hits the objective during the window splits the pool equally.     |
| **By Participant Count** | Auto-scales based on joiner count.                                                 |

This is why Bounties can have **multiple winners** while Battles have a ranked single-or-Top-N outcome.

See [Battles](/contests/battles.md) and [Bounties](/contests/bounties.md) for more on each format.

## Donations

You can donate gems to any Contest's prize pool — even if you're not playing. This is a way to:

* Boost a friend's Contest to make it more attractive to joiners.
* Sponsor a community event.
* Cheer on a Contest by pumping up the prize.

### How to donate

1. Open the Contest's page.
2. Click **Donate**.
3. Enter the gem amount and an optional message.
4. Confirm.

The Contest's prize pool updates instantly, and the host gets notified. Your message is visible on the Contest page.

{% hint style="success" %}
Donations are public — your username shows on the Contest page next to your donation amount. Good for shoutouts.
{% endhint %}

### Are donations refundable?

If the Contest gets **cancelled** before starting, all donations are refunded along with entry fees.

If the Contest **runs to completion**, donations go to the winners — they're not refunded.

## Refunds

Entry fees and donations are refunded automatically when:

* The Contest is **cancelled** by the host before it starts.
* The Contest **expires without starting** because it never met its minimum participant count.
* You **leave a Contest** before it starts (entry fee only — donations are non-refundable to the donor).

Refunds appear in your wallet within seconds.

## Auto-claim vs. manual claim

Hosts can configure rewards to **auto-claim** — meaning winners get their prize automatically deposited as soon as the Contest ends. This is the default for gem prizes.

For side rewards (gift cards, cosmetics, game codes — Pro feature), the host can require **manual claim**, where the winner has to confirm the reward to receive it. You'll get a notification with a claim button.

## Transaction history

Every Contest entry fee, donation, win, and refund appears in your **Wallet → Transactions** page. You can filter by:

* Contests you joined
* Contests you hosted
* Donations you made or received
* Wins and payouts

This is your full audit trail. If a balance ever looks off, start here.

## Tips for setting a fair entry fee (for hosts)

* **Match the time commitment.** A two-hour race shouldn't cost the same as a 30-day Battle.
* **Consider the audience.** Friends-only Contests can have higher fees because everyone trusts each other. Public Contests should start lower to attract joiners.
* **For Bounties, calibrate to the objective difficulty.** A platinum that takes 200 hours shouldn't have a low entry fee — the prize pool needs to feel worth the grind.
* **Add a host boost if you want guarantees.** Seeding the prize pool makes the Contest look more attractive even before joiners pile in.

## Related

* [Battles](/contests/battles.md) — leaderboard payout rules
* [Bounties](/contests/bounties.md) — objective payout rules
* [Hosting Your Own Contest](/contests/hosting-a-contest.md)
* [Auto-Start Rules](/contests/auto-start-rules.md)