FAQ & risks
Playing#
How does staking work?#
You pick a tier and get paired with someone staking the same amount. When the match starts, both stakes move into a per-match escrow contract. The winner gets 95% of the pot and 5% is burned. See Stakes.
Do I deposit anything?#
No. There is no deposit and no balance held for you. You approve the escrow contract once, and your tokens stay in your wallet until a match starts.
How fast is the payout?#
On the final whistle the server submits the signed result and the contract pays the winner directly. There is no withdrawal request or approval queue.
Can a match end in a draw?#
Not on the pitch: a level score at full time goes to golden goal. A match that cannot be completed is refunded to both players in full.
What happens if I disconnect?#
Under 10 seconds you keep your seat. Longer, or if you leave, you forfeit and the opponent takes the pot. See Disconnects & AFK.
Why can't I find a match?#
| Message | Cause |
|---|---|
| not enough tokens | Wallet balance is below the tier's stake |
| approve the game first | No allowance for the escrow contract yet |
| no energy | Daily energy is used up; it resets at 00:00 UTC or you can buy more |
| requeued | Stake tiers were re-priced while you waited; pick a tier again |
Does the character I pick matter?#
No. All characters have identical speed, power and head size.
Which devices work?#
Desktop browsers with keyboard, and phones in landscape with on-screen buttons.
Money and safety#
Is it non-custodial?#
Yes. Stakes are locked per match in a contract and paid out on-chain. There is no shared vault, so a compromised key can only affect the pots of matches currently locked, not a standing pool. See Escrow contract.
Who pays gas?#
You pay for the one-time approval. Locking and settling a match are paid by the operator wallet.
Does a token tax affect the escrow?#
$BALL has no tax, so the escrow receives the full stake. As a safeguard, the contract still measures the amount received at lock time and reverts if it is short.
Can the operator steal my stake?#
The operator can only lock matches and submit results that the separate oracle key has signed. It cannot pay an arbitrary address. If the operator and oracle both disappeared, anyone could return the stakes with reclaim() after 3 days.
Where does the 5% go?#
To 0x…dEaD, a burn address nobody controls. The website shows a live counter of tokens burned by real matches.
What is the token?#
$BALL is the game's stake token on Robinhood Chain: fixed supply, no inflation, 0% buy/sell tax, and 5% of every pot burned. Allocation and burn maths are on $BALL tokenomics; contract addresses are on Addresses. This documentation is not financial advice.
Is there a buy or sell tax?#
No. $BALL has 0% tax on both buys and sells. The only fee in the game is the 5% of each pot that is burned.
Are there tournaments?#
Tournaments with bigger prize pools, plus weekly and monthly leaderboard rewards, are coming. Details are on Tournaments & live view.
Risks#
- You can lose your whole stake. The loser forfeits 100% of their stake in every match. Never stake more than you can afford to lose.
- Token price risk. Stakes are in a volatile token. Tiers are re-priced every 30 minutes, so the USD value of a tier can drift between refreshes.
- Smart-contract risk. The escrow contract is code; bugs are possible, especially before an independent audit.
- Key and infrastructure risk. Settlement depends on the operator and oracle keys and on the game server being reachable.
- Network risk. A bad connection can cost you a match. Matchmaking prefers similar pings but cannot remove latency.
- Legal risk. Complying with the rules of your jurisdiction is your own responsibility.
Glossary#
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Stake | The amount each player puts in; always equal |
| Pot | Both stakes together |
| Tier | A fixed stake size, priced from a USD target |
| Escrow | The contract holding one match's pot |
| Operator / Oracle | The server's transaction wallet / the key that signs results |
| Golden goal | Sudden death after a level full time |
| Fire shot | A charged, auto-aimed strike |
| RTT | Round-trip time, your ping |
| Snapshot | The server's authoritative picture of the match |