❓ FAQ

Is PatchNotes Pick'em free?
Yes. No entry fee, no account, no deposit. Picks cost nothing.
Can I win cash?
No — never. We do not pay out money in any form (no cash, crypto, gift cards, or anything convertible to cash). Prizes are non-cash only: sponsor placement slots and free Indie Marketing Arsenal products.
How do picks work?
Choose a nickname (2–24 characters), click the team you think will win. You can change your pick until the match's published start time, then it locks.
How is the leaderboard scored?
1 point per correct pick on completed matches. Ties/unresolved matches score 0 for everyone.
Where do the matches come from?
Real tournaments with published schedules only. Season 1 is VALORANT Champions Shanghai 2026, sourced from the official VALORANT Esports schedule (Sep 24 – Oct 18, 2026). We never invent matches or results.
When are results posted?
Staff enter results from official tournament sources within 24 hours of each match finishing.
What does a sponsor get?
A $49/week featured placement: banner on the matches and leaderboard pages plus a Season recap shoutout. Placement is manual within 48 hours of payment; the Stripe dashboard is the source of truth.
Is this gambling?
No. Nothing is wagered and nothing of monetary value is paid out. It's a free predictions leaderboard.