Prediction Mechanics
24/7 crypto action. Stocks when markets open. Never stop predicting.
Core Concept
TheSixNines is built around a simple question asked every 10 minutes:
"Will the price be ABOVE or BELOW the last settlement?"
Settlement System
Assets settle 6 times per hour at precise timestamps ending in 9:
- :09, :19, :29, :39, :49, :59
- Example: 2:09 PM, 2:19 PM, 2:29 PM, 2:39 PM, 2:49 PM, 2:59 PM
Reference Price: Each settlement uses the previous settlement price as the reference point.
Example: At 4:09 PM, the reference is the 3:59 PM settlement price.
Win Condition
- User predicts ABOVE → Settlement price > reference price = WIN
- User predicts BELOW → Settlement price < reference price = WIN
- Settlement price exactly = reference price → Push (refund)
Two Product Lines
1. Prediction Slots (Individual)
Concept: Users purchase monthly "slots" which define their wager capacity
The 10x Rule: Simple Tier Structure
Your slot price × 10 = your max wager
| Slot Tier | Monthly Cost | Min Wager | Max Wager | Who It's For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $5 | $5 | $50 | Casual players |
| Standard | $10 | $10 | $100 | Regular players |
| Premium | $25 | $25 | $250 | Serious players |
| Elite | $50 | $50 | $500 | High rollers |
How Slots Work
- Monthly subscription: Slot is active for the entire month
- Capacity: 1 prediction per slot per settlement (6 per hour, 144 per day)
- Wager range: Each tier has defined min/max wager limits
- Unlimited slots: Buy as many as you want (each unlocks another simultaneous prediction)
Example: Standard Slot ($10/month)
User subscribes to 3 Standard slots ($30/month total):
- At 4:09 settlement, can make up to 3 simultaneous predictions
- Slot 1: Wager $50 on BTC ABOVE
- Slot 2: Wager $100 on ETH BELOW (max for Standard tier)
- Slot 3: Wager $25 on SPY ABOVE
- Same 3 slots available every 10 minutes (4:19, 4:29, etc.)
Natural Progression: Start with Starter ($5/mo), upgrade to Standard ($10/mo) as you get more confident, move to Premium ($25/mo) when you're serious, Elite ($50/mo) for high-stakes action.
Payout
2.19:1 during safe zone
$5 entry → Win $10.69
$100 entry → Win $219.00... wait, that doesn't end in .69!
Actual: $100 entry → Win $219.69
Payout formula adjusted to always end in .69
2. Parlay Creator (Multi-Leg)
Concept: Single entry covering multiple consecutive settlements
How Parlays Work
- Does NOT consume slots (separate product)
- Minimum: 3 legs
- Maximum: 6 legs (6 settlements in an hour)
- All must win: Even 1 wrong = lose entire entry
Payout Structure
| Legs | Odds | Example ($10 entry) |
|---|---|---|
| 3-leg | 5.069:1 | Win $60.69 |
| 4-leg | 10.069:1 | Win $110.69 |
| 5-leg | 20.069:1 | Win $210.69 |
| 6-leg | 41.069:1 | Win $420.69 🔥 |
Example 6-Leg Parlay
User predicts:
- 2:09 PM - SPY ABOVE
- 2:19 PM - SPY BELOW
- 2:29 PM - SPY ABOVE
- 2:39 PM - SPY ABOVE
- 2:49 PM - SPY BELOW
- 2:59 PM - SPY ABOVE
If all 6 correct → Win $420.69 (legendary!)
Time-Based Prediction System
The 10-Minute Window
For each settlement, predictions open 10 minutes prior (at the previous :X9 timestamp).
Example Timeline for 4:09 PM Settlement
3:59:00 - Predictions Open
Safe zone begins (5 minutes)
Best odds: 2.19:1
FREE prediction modifications
4:04:00 - Safe Zone Ends
Odds still 2.19:1
Modifications now cost $0.420 per change
User keeps original odds after paying fee
4:08:45 - Hard Cutoff
NO more predictions accepted
NO modifications allowed
All predictions locked
4:09:00 - Settlement
Price recorded from data source
Winners paid instantly
Blockchain receipts issued
4:09:01 - Next Window Opens
New prediction window for 4:19 PM settlement
Reference price: 4:09 PM settlement
Prediction Modification Rules
In Safe Zone (First 5 Minutes)
- Change entry amount: FREE
- Change direction (ABOVE ↔ BELOW): FREE
- Cancel prediction: FREE
- Unlimited changes: FREE
- Odds remain locked at 2.19:1
After Safe Zone (5:01 to Cutoff)
- Each modification: $0.420 flat fee
- User keeps original 2.19:1 odds
- Can still change amount or direction
- Multiple changes = multiple $0.420 fees
Strategic Insight
Users are incentivized to commit early (free mods in safe zone) but have flexibility with small penalty later. This creates urgency without being punitive.
Brand Signature: .69 Endings
Every winning payout ends in .69 — creating instant brand recognition and viral potential.
Payout Examples
| Entry Amount | Product | Payout |
|---|---|---|
| $5 | Individual | $10.69 |
| $25 | Individual | $54.69 |
| $50 | Individual | $109.69 |
| $100 | Individual | $219.69 |
| $10 | 3-Leg Parlay | $60.69 |
| $10 | 6-Leg Parlay | $420.69 🏆 |
The $420.69 Phenomenon
Winning exactly $420.69 grants special status:
- Automatic entry to "420 Hall of Fame"
- Achievement badge on profile
- Auto-posted to X/Twitter
- Announced in Discord
- Shareable achievement card
- NFT commemorative (future)
Marketing Value: Users chase the meme number, create viral content
"I just won $420.69 on @TheSixNines! 🚀"
Markets & Assets
Crypto Markets (24/7/365) — PRIMARY FOCUS
Phase 1 Launch
- BTC (Bitcoin)
Phase 2 Expansion
- ETH (Ethereum)
- SOL (Solana)
- MATIC (Polygon)
Total Settlements: 1,008 per week (24 hours × 6/hour × 7 days)
Weekend Power: 288 settlements per weekend — stocks can't compete
Marketing: "The market never sleeps. Neither do we. 🌙"
Stock Markets (Mon-Fri, 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM EST) — SECONDARY
Phase 1 Launch
- SPY (S&P 500 ETF)
Phase 2 Expansion
- QQQ (Nasdaq ETF)
- TSLA (Tesla)
- NVDA (Nvidia)
- AAPL (Apple)
- MSFT (Microsoft)
Total Settlements: 195 per week (6.5 hours × 6/hour × 5 days)
Stocks complement crypto, providing daytime action when users are most active
Asset Vetting Criteria
- High liquidity (prevents manipulation)
- Sufficient volatility (makes predictions interesting)
- Blue-chip status (trusted, well-known)
- Reliable price feeds (multiple data sources)
- Low-volatility stocks (boring for 10-min predictions)
- Penny stocks (manipulation risk)
- Small-cap/unknown (low user interest)
Volatility-Based Stock Selection & Payouts
Not all stocks are created equal. To keep paper trading interesting and real money fair, we use a 48-hour volatility algorithm to determine stock eligibility and payout multipliers.
The 48-Hour Rule
Minimum to qualify: Stock must have swung ±2% or more in the last 48 hours
Higher volatility = Higher payouts
Payout Tiers by Volatility
| 48-Hour Swing | Payout Multiplier | Example ($100 bet) | Stock Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-5% | 1.85x | Win $185.69 | KO, PG, JNJ (boring blues) |
| 5-10% | 1.94x | Win $194.69 | SPY, QQQ, AAPL (standard) |
| 10-20% | 2.10x | Win $210.69 | TSLA, NVDA, AMD (volatile) |
| 20%+ swing | 2.30x | Win $230.69 | MSTR, GME, penny stocks (extreme) |
Why This Algorithm Matters
- Catches weird spikes: When random companies have news-driven volatility, they become available with higher payouts
- Rewards risk-taking: Want to bet on a chaotic penny stock? You get paid more if you're right
- Keeps it fair: Low-volatility stocks still available, but with lower payouts (reflects lower risk)
- Dynamic market: Stock eligibility and payouts recalculated every 6 hours based on rolling 48-hour data
- Paper trading stays fun: Even beginners get access to high-volatility action without real money risk
Strategic Example
Coca-Cola (KO) typically swings 1-2% per week. Boring, right? But if KO suddenly spikes 6% in 48 hours due to earnings surprise:
- KO becomes eligible (meets 2% threshold)
- Payout jumps to 1.94x (5-10% tier)
- Users get alerted: "KO now available - unusual volatility detected"
- Creates urgency and opportunity
Settlement Data & Transparency
Price Data Sources
Stocks:
- Primary: Polygon.io
- Backup: Alpha Vantage, IEX Cloud
- Settlement uses official exchange data with timestamp proof
Crypto:
- Primary: Coinbase API
- Backup: Binance API, CoinGecko
- Average across multiple exchanges for settlement
Blockchain Receipt
Every prediction receives an immutable on-chain receipt:
TheSixNines Prediction Receipt
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Prediction ID: #TSN-00142069
TX Hash: 0x7a3b2f...d8e1
Stock: SPY
Settlement: 4:09 PM EST
Direction: ABOVE $580.00
Amount: $50.00
Odds: 2.19:1
Potential Win: $109.69
Blockchain Verified ✓
View on Polygonscan →
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━Dispute Resolution
Users can challenge settlements within 24 hours:
- User submits dispute with evidence
- Platform provides blockchain proof + third-party data source
- Manual review if data sources conflict (rare)
- Refund if platform error (extremely rare with multiple sources)
Trust Mechanism: All settlement prices stored on blockchain = provably fair, cannot be manipulated retroactively
Data Retention Strategy
Efficient Storage Model
Store price data ONLY at :X9 timestamps:
- :09, :19, :29, :39, :49, :59 each hour
- Infinite historical lookback
- No need for tick-by-tick data
Storage Savings
| Approach | Data Points/Day | Annual Storage |
|---|---|---|
| Tick-by-tick (1 stock) | ~23,400 (every second) | ~8.5M data points |
| :X9 only (1 stock) | 39 (6/hr × 6.5 hrs) | ~14,235 data points |
| Reduction | 99.8% less storage | |
Why This Works: Predictions only settle at :X9, so intermediate prices are irrelevant for outcomes
User Experience Flow
Typical User Journey (Individual Prediction)
Step 1: Select Asset
User chooses SPY from available markets
Sees live price, next settlement time, countdown
Step 2: Choose Direction
Last settlement: $580.00
Current price: $580.42 (trending up)
User predicts: ABOVE
Step 3: Set Amount
User has 3 available slots
Chooses $50 entry using Slot 1
Potential win: $109.69
Step 4: Confirm
Shows: Time remaining, odds, potential payout
User confirms prediction
Deducted from balance immediately
Step 5: Monitor
Live chart shows price movement
News feed shows relevant updates
Can modify prediction (free or $0.420 fee)
Countdown to settlement
Step 6: Settlement
Final price: $581.42
Result: ABOVE ✓ (user was correct)
Payout: $109.69 credited instantly
Receipt sent via blockchain + email
Step 7: Celebrate
Notification: "You won $109.69!"
Option to share on social
Slot 1 now available for next settlement
Advanced Features
Copy Trading
Follow top performers and automatically copy their predictions:
- User selects a trader to follow (e.g., @whale_trader)
- Sets copy percentage (10% of their entry size)
- When @whale_trader predicts $1,000 on ABOVE, user auto-predicts $100
- Follower pays 5% of winnings to leader
Auto-Repeat Predictions
Create rules-based strategies:
- "Predict SPY ABOVE with $50 every 2:09 PM settlement"
- "If last 2 settlements were DOWN, predict ABOVE"
- "Always predict with $25 on BTC weekends"
Cash-Out Feature
Exit position early for reduced payout:
- User predicts ABOVE with $10 at 2.19:1 odds
- With 3 minutes left, price moving favorably
- Platform offers cash-out: $8.69 guaranteed profit
- User chooses: Lock in profit or ride it out?
Why This Mechanics Model Works
Simplicity
Binary choice: ABOVE or BELOW
No strike prices, Greeks, or complex math
Anyone can understand in 30 seconds
Speed
10-minute cycles vs. weeks/months for options
Instant gratification
Multiple prediction opportunities per hour
Fairness
Transparent odds always displayed
Blockchain receipts prevent disputes
Multiple data sources for settlement
Engagement
Constant action (6 settlements/hour)
Free modifications in safe zone
News alerts for active predictions
Flexibility
Enter any amount within limits
Individual or parlay options
Multiple slots for diversification
Viral Potential
All payouts end in .69
$420.69 Hall of Fame
Shareable wins on social media