Everything you need to know about the FRC prediction market — from placing your first bet to climbing the leaderboard.
Alt-F4 Bucks (AF4) is a prediction market for FRC (FIRST Robotics Competition) matches. Think of it like a stock market, but instead of companies, you're betting on match outcomes, event winners, and team rankings — all with virtual currency. No real money is involved.
Every new member starts with 10,000 AF4. Use your balance to place bets on upcoming matches and events. If your prediction is correct, you win a share of the prize pool. Climb the leaderboard and prove you know FRC better than anyone.
1. Sign up — Create an account with your email. You'll get 10,000 AF4 to start.
2. Set your display name — Pick a name and optionally set your team number.
3. Browse markets — Head to the Home or Markets page to see active events.
4. Place your first bet — Pick a match, choose Red or Blue, enter your amount, and confirm.
5. Track your portfolio — Watch your bets resolve in real time from the Portfolio tab.
The core of Alt-F4 Bucks. For every FRC match, you can bet on whether the Red Alliance or Blue Alliance will win.
How odds work:
- Odds are determined by how much money is on each side (parimutuel system).
- If $300 is bet on Red and $700 on Blue, Red is at 30% and Blue at 70%.
- The less popular pick pays more — betting on the underdog is riskier but more rewarding.
How payouts work:
- When the match ends, the entire pool (all money bet on both sides) is split among the winners proportionally.
- Example: You bet $100 on Red (30% odds). Red wins. The total pool is $1,000. Red bettors share $1,000 proportional to their bets. Your share: $100/$300 * $1,000 = $333 payout.
Key details:
- Bets lock when the match starts (or when an admin closes the market).
- Results are pulled automatically from The Blue Alliance API.
- If a match is cancelled, all bets are refunded.
Predict which alliance will win the entire event playoffs (not just one match).
- These markets appear once playoff alliances are announced.
- Each option represents an alliance (e.g., "Alliance 1: Teams 254, 1678, 973").
- Payouts follow the same parimutuel system — winners split the total pool.
- These markets resolve when the event finals are complete.
Find these on the Home page in the "Event Markets" section, or on the Trending page under the "Event Winners" tab.
Predict team standings! These markets ask: which team will finish at a specific rank?
Types of ranking markets:
- Rank #1 — Who finishes first in qualifications?
- Rank #N — Who finishes at a specific position?
- Top 8 — Which teams make it into the top 8?
Early prediction bonus:
- Ranking markets reward early bettors! Place your bet early in qualifications to get up to a 2x multiplier on your stake.
- The multiplier decreases from 2.0x to 1.0x as qualification matches progress.
- Betting locks at 90% of quals completed.
How it resolves:
- Rankings are pulled from The Blue Alliance at event completion.
- Your weighted stake (amount * multiplier) determines your share of the pool.
Predict the exact score of a match — both red and blue alliance scores.
- Enter your predicted red score and blue score before the match starts.
- After the match, payouts are based on accuracy — closer predictions win more.
- Accuracy is calculated as: error = |predicted_red - actual_red| + |predicted_blue - actual_blue|
- Lower error = higher payout. Perfect predictions get the biggest share.
These appear on individual event pages for upcoming matches.
Team managers can create custom prediction markets on any topic:
- "Will our robot score in autonomous?"
- "Which team wins the spirit award?"
- Any question with 2-8 possible answers.
Custom markets are resolved manually by managers. They follow the same parimutuel payout system as other markets.
Featured custom markets appear on the home page carousel.
Here's what each tab in the navigation does:
Your dashboard showing featured markets, event markets (winners + rankings), all upcoming match markets, breaking news from recently completed matches, and a sidebar with upcoming events.
All markets ranked by activity — what people are betting on most. Filter by match markets, event winners, rankings, or custom markets. Sort by most active, highest volume, or newest.
The full match browser. Search for specific teams or events. Filter by qualification, semifinal, or final matches. Place bets directly from match cards. See detailed odds and team lists.
Browse all active FRC events. Click into an event to see all its matches, prediction markets (score predictions, rankings, event winner), and place bets. Events auto-sync with The Blue Alliance.
Global rankings by portfolio value. See where you stack up against other bettors. Rankings update in real time as bets resolve. Filter and search by team number or display name.
Your personal dashboard showing your balance, active positions (open bets), profit & loss breakdown, bet history, and prediction market bets. Track every bet you've placed and its outcome.
Spend your AF4 on real team rewards! Browse available items, check stock, and make purchases. Your purchase history is tracked in your portfolio.
Scenario: Qual Match 12 — Red vs Blue
Red Pool
$400
3 bettors
Blue Pool
$600
5 bettors
Total Pool
$1,000
Red wins! All $1,000 is split among Red bettors:
You bet $200 on Red (50% of Red pool)
Payout: $500
Profit: +$300 (150% return)
No. Alt-F4 Bucks (AF4) is a virtual currency with no real-world value. Everyone starts with 10,000 AF4.
All match schedules, scores, and results come from The Blue Alliance (TBA) API. Data syncs automatically every 2 minutes during active events.
Match bets lock when the match is scheduled to start. Ranking bets lock at 90% of qualification matches completed. Managers can also manually close markets.
If a match is voided, all bets are refunded to their original amounts.
Odds are parimutuel — determined by how much money is on each side. The percentage shown (e.g., Red 40%) reflects the proportion of the pool on that side. There's no house edge.
Yes! You can bet on both sides of a match or multiple options in a prediction market. Each bet is independent.
For ranking markets, betting early in qualifications gives you up to a 2x multiplier on your stake. This rewards confident early predictions. The multiplier decreases as more quals are played.
Win bets, get awards from team managers, or make accurate score predictions. Managers can award AF4 for participation, contributions, or special achievements.
Visit the Store tab to spend AF4 on team items and rewards. Managers add items to the store throughout the season.
You have 10,000 AF4 waiting. Browse markets and place your first bet.
