> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.auora.gg/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How It Works

> The universal mechanics behind every Auora game mode.

All game modes share the same underlying mechanics. The specific prediction format differs (price direction, bracket picks, game slates), but the flow is always the same.

## The loop

1. **Enter** — Pay a fixed entry fee. Your funds go into a smart contract pool.
2. **Commit** — Submit your prediction as a sealed hash. Nobody can see it.
3. **Lock** — The prediction window closes. No edits, no new entries.
4. **Settle** — A signed oracle result determines the outcome. The contract verifies the signature before accepting it.
5. **Reveal** — Players prove their original predictions match their commitments.
6. **Payout** — Winners split the pool. Funds go directly to wallets.

## What is the same everywhere

* **Fixed entry fee.** Everyone pays the same amount. No whale sizing.
* **Commit-reveal.** Predictions are hashed and sealed. Nobody can copy, front-run, or peek.
* **Oracle settlement.** Results come from Pyth Network (asset prices) or UMA / ResolverAdapter (sports outcomes). The operator carries signed bytes — never fabricates results.
* **Pool-funded payouts.** No house. Winners split what players put in, minus rake.
* **Non-custodial.** Funds live in audited smart contracts on Polygon. We cannot move them.
* **Pull-pattern claims.** Winners withdraw when ready. No queue, no minimum.

Read the detailed mechanics:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Commit-Reveal" icon="lock" href="/how-it-works/commit-reveal">
    Why nobody can see your pick until the window closes.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Settlement" icon="badge-check" href="/how-it-works/settlement">
    How oracle proofs are verified on-chain.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Payouts & Rake" icon="coins" href="/how-it-works/payouts-and-rake">
    How winnings are distributed and what we charge.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Rounds & Cycles" icon="rotate" href="/how-it-works/rounds-and-cycles">
    How continuous up/down market rounds work.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>