Frequently Asked Questions

BreakAuctions is a micro-auction platform where you can score premium products — electronics, watches, sneakers, gift cards, and more — for a fraction of the retail price. Each auction has a fixed number of spots at a set price. You buy one or more spots, and when all spots sell out (or the timer expires), a spot number is drawn at random. If you hold the drawn spot, you claim the prize and we ship it to you for free.

Yes. BreakAuctions is a legally operated micro-auction platform. Every draw uses Random.org, a certified true random number generator powered by atmospheric noise — the same technology used for scientific research and high-stakes draws. All draw results are publicly logged with the Random.org request ID so anyone can independently verify the outcome. We also publish every claim on our Winners page for full transparency.

Yes. You need a free BreakAuctions account to purchase spots. Signing up takes under 30 seconds — you can register with your email and a password, or use Google sign-in for one-click access. Your account lets you track your entries, view your spot numbers, and claim prizes if your spot is drawn.

Absolutely. Creating a BreakAuctions account is 100% free and always will be. You only pay when you choose to enter an auction by purchasing spots. There are no subscription fees, no hidden charges, and no membership tiers.

BreakAuctions is currently available to users in most countries where online auctions and prize draws are legal. You must be at least 18 years old to participate. Some jurisdictions may have local restrictions — please check your local laws before entering. We ship prizes internationally.

Browse the active auctions on our homepage, click on one you like, choose how many spots you want (1 to 100 per transaction), and proceed to checkout. Once your payment is confirmed, your spot numbers are instantly and permanently assigned to your account. You can see them on the auction page and in your account dashboard.

Yes! You can purchase up to 100 spots per transaction, and there's no limit on the number of transactions. Buying more spots increases your odds proportionally — for example, if an auction has 200 total spots and you own 10, you have a 5% shot at being drawn. Each spot has an equal chance of being called.

Spot numbers are assigned sequentially in the order payments are confirmed. When you purchase 3 spots, you get the next 3 available numbers (e.g., spots #45, #46, #47). This process is atomic — meaning the database locks the auction during assignment to prevent duplicate or overlapping spot numbers. Your spots are guaranteed unique.

No. Spot numbers are assigned automatically to ensure fairness and prevent manipulation. Every spot has an exactly equal probability of being drawn, regardless of its number. The sequential assignment system is transparent — you can see all entries and their spot numbers in real time on each auction page.

If an auction has a countdown timer and it expires before all spots sell, the auction is cancelled and all entrants receive a full refund automatically (card payments) or are flagged for manual refund (crypto payments). If there's no timer, the auction stays open until every spot is sold.

Yes. Every auction page shows a live feed of the most recent entries, including the username and number of spots purchased. This transparency lets you verify that real people are entering and that spot counts match up. After the draw, the full entry list is available for verification.

We accept credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) processed securely through Stripe, and cryptocurrency payments through NOWPayments. For crypto, we support Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), USDT, USDC, Litecoin (LTC), Solana (SOL), BNB, Dogecoin (DOGE), and 100+ other cryptocurrencies.

Yes. Card payments are processed by Stripe, a PCI Level 1 certified payment processor — the highest level of security in the payments industry. We never see or store your card details. Crypto payments go through NOWPayments with HMAC-SHA512 signature verification on every transaction. Our site is protected with HSTS, encrypted connections, and security headers that block clickjacking and XSS attacks.

At checkout, select "Pay with Crypto" and choose your preferred cryptocurrency. You'll receive a unique payment address and the exact amount to send. The payment must be completed within 30 minutes. Once the blockchain confirms your transaction, your spots are assigned automatically. We show a live status tracker so you can follow the payment confirmation in real time.

If the blockchain doesn't confirm your crypto payment within the expiry window (typically 30 minutes), the order is automatically marked as expired and no spots are assigned. You won't be charged. If you sent the wrong amount or to the wrong address, contact our support team and we'll investigate the transaction on-chain.

All prices on BreakAuctions are in Canadian dollars (CAD). We're a proudly Canadian company based in Canada. If you're shopping from the U.S. or another country, your bank or card provider will convert the charge to your local currency at the current exchange rate. Crypto payments are converted from CAD automatically at checkout.

No. The spot price you see is the total price you pay. There are no service fees, processing fees, or platform surcharges added at checkout. For crypto payments, standard blockchain network fees (gas fees) apply as with any crypto transaction, but those are set by the network, not by us.

Yes. After your payment is confirmed, you'll receive a confirmation email with your order details, spot numbers, auction name, and amount paid. You can also view all your orders and entries in your account dashboard at any time.

The drawn spot is chosen using Random.org, a certified true random number generator. Unlike software-based pseudo-random generators, Random.org uses atmospheric noise — natural radio signals from the atmosphere — to produce genuinely unpredictable numbers. This is the same technology trusted by scientific research institutions and regulators worldwide.

No. The called number is generated by Random.org, an independent third-party service that we do not control. Every draw is logged with the Random.org request ID and the complete API response. This data is stored in our public draw logs, and anyone can cross-reference the request ID with Random.org's records to verify the result was not tampered with.

A draw is triggered when one of two conditions is met: (1) all spots in the auction are sold, or (2) the auction's countdown timer expires (if one is set). Once triggered, the draw runs automatically, the Random.org number is generated, and the called spot is determined — usually within minutes. The spot holder is notified immediately by email.

It's not a typo — "provably fair" is a real term from the online gaming and crypto world. It means the system is designed so that anyone can independently verify the outcome wasn't manipulated. A regular draw says "trust us, we picked a random number." A provably fair draw says "here's the random number, here's where it came from, here's the math — check it yourself." At BreakAuctions, every draw comes with a Random.org request ID — a receipt from an independent, certified random number service. You can take that ID and verify directly with Random.org that the number we used is genuine. We can't change it, fake it, or run it twice. The proof is built into the system.

In the rare event that Random.org is unreachable, we fall back to Node.js's cryptographic random number generator (crypto.randomBytes) using rejection sampling to ensure unbiased results. This fallback is also cryptographically secure. The draw result will indicate whether the primary (Random.org) or fallback method was used, and both are logged for full transparency.

All past draws are visible on our Winners page, which shows the auction, the spot holder, called spot number, and draw date. Admins can also view the full draw audit trail including the Random.org request ID. If you want to verify a specific draw, contact us and we'll provide the Random.org reference data.

Our auctions feature premium products including the latest electronics (MacBooks, iPhones, gaming consoles), luxury watches, limited-edition sneakers, designer fashion, gift cards, and exclusive experiences. Every product is brand new, authentic, and fully described on the auction page with its retail value.

When your spot is drawn, you'll receive an email notification with a link to your prize claim page. Click the link (or go to your Account page) and submit your shipping information: full name, address, phone number, and any delivery notes. Our team processes claims within 24 hours of submission.

Physical prizes are shipped within 5 business days of your claim submission. Digital prizes (gift cards, software licenses, etc.) are delivered within 24 hours, usually much faster. We provide tracking numbers for all physical shipments so you can follow your prize every step of the way.

Yes! We ship to the U.S. and have many American customers. Shipping to the U.S. typically takes 5-10 business days. Please note that all prices on BreakAuctions are listed in Canadian dollars (CAD). Import duties or customs fees, if applicable, are the responsibility of the prize claimant.

Yes, we ship worldwide. International shipping times vary by destination but typically take 7-14 business days. Import duties or customs fees, if applicable, are the responsibility of the prize claimant. We declare the full retail value of all prizes on customs forms as required by law.

All prizes are insured during shipping. If your prize arrives damaged, contact us immediately with photos of the damage and packaging. We'll file an insurance claim and either replace the item or refund the entry value at our discretion. We pack all items securely to minimize this risk.

Yes. Prize claimants have 30 days from the draw date to submit their claim. After 30 days, unclaimed prizes may be forfeited. We send multiple email reminders before the deadline. If you have extenuating circumstances, contact our support team and we'll work with you.

Once your payment is confirmed and spots are assigned, entries are generally non-refundable. This is because your spot numbers are locked into the draw pool and removing them would affect the fairness of the auction for other participants. However, if an auction is cancelled by BreakAuctions (e.g., the timer expires before all spots sell), you'll receive a full automatic refund.

If BreakAuctions cancels an auction, all paid orders are refunded automatically. Card payments are refunded directly to your original payment method via Stripe — typically within 5-10 business days. Crypto payments are flagged for manual refund and processed by our team within 48 hours.

Card refunds (Stripe) typically appear on your statement within 5-10 business days, depending on your bank. Some banks may take up to 14 days. Cryptocurrency refunds are processed manually and sent to the original wallet address within 48 business hours, subject to blockchain confirmation times.

This is rare but can happen if there's a delay in payment confirmation. First, check your Account page — spots may appear within a few minutes as the payment processes. If spots still aren't showing after 15 minutes, contact our support team with your order ID (found in your confirmation email or account dashboard). We'll investigate and resolve it promptly.

Click "Forgot password?" on the Sign In page and enter your email address. You'll receive a password reset link within a few minutes. Click the link, enter your new password (minimum 8 characters), and you're set. The reset link expires after 24 hours for security.

Usernames are set during registration and are currently not changeable through the UI. If you need to update your username, contact our support team and we'll assist you. Usernames must be unique across the platform.

We take data protection seriously. Your account data is stored in Supabase with row-level security policies that ensure you can only access your own data. Passwords are hashed and salted — we never store plaintext passwords. Payment data is handled by Stripe and NOWPayments (we never see your card numbers). All connections use HTTPS with HSTS preloading. See our Privacy Policy for complete details.

We collect your email, username, and (if your spot is drawn) your shipping address. We also store your auction entries, order history, and payment references (but not card numbers). We use this data solely to operate the platform, process your entries, and ship your prizes. We do not sell your data to third parties. Full details are in our Privacy Policy.

Yes. Contact our support team to request account deletion. We'll remove your personal data from our systems within 30 days, in compliance with applicable data protection regulations. Note that anonymous records of completed draws and entries may be retained for audit and fairness verification purposes.

Your odds are simple and transparent: number of spots you own divided by total spots in the auction. If you buy 5 spots in a 200-spot auction, your odds are 5/200 = 2.5%. If you buy 50 spots, your odds jump to 25%. Every spot has an equal chance — there are no weighted entries, VIP advantages, or house edges.

The draw is purely random, so no strategy can guarantee a specific outcome. However, some tips: (1) Enter auctions with fewer total spots for better odds per dollar spent, (2) Buy multiple spots to increase your probability proportionally, (3) Watch for auctions that are close to selling out — they'll draw soon, meaning less waiting time, (4) Set a budget and stick to it — treat it as entertainment, not investment.

Significantly. A typical state lottery has odds of 1 in 292 million (Powerball) or 1 in 302 million (Mega Millions). A BreakAuctions micro-auction with 300 spots gives you a 1 in 300 chance per spot — roughly a million times better odds. Plus, every auction produces a claimant (as long as spots sell), unlike lotteries where jackpots can roll over indefinitely.

Yes! Every completed auction produces exactly one claimant, and all claims are displayed on our Winners page with the spot holder's username, the prize, and the called spot number. We also send draw-complete notifications to all participants so everyone knows the outcome.