How DuelDuck Resolves Duels: 10-Day Dispute Window

How Does DuelDuck Decide Who Wins a Duel?

Every DuelDuck duel resolves in one of two ways, chosen by the creator at the time of publication: creator resolution (the creator manually declares YES or NO after the event) or platform admin resolution (DuelDuck admin applies the stated criteria without creator involvement).

Creator-resolved duels carry a 10-day dispute window after resolution. Participants who believe the outcome is wrong can raise a dispute. DuelDuck admin reviews and can override the creator's decision.

Creators who resolve incorrectly face -10 to full reset reputation point penalties and restrictions on future self-resolve access. Platform-resolved duels bypass this risk entirely. New creators should default to platform resolution. Set your preference at duelduck.com/create-duel.

The Two Resolution Paths: A Direct Comparison

Creator Resolution: How It Works Step by Step

When a creator chooses to self-resolve, they take responsibility for the accuracy and timeliness of the outcome declaration.

• Step 1: The event occurs. The real-world event referenced in the duel question happens — the match ends, the announcement is made, the price threshold is hit.

• Step 2: Creator monitors and confirms. The creator checks the resolution source stated in the duel question (official announcement, exchange price feed, published result) and confirms the outcome against the YES/NO criteria.

• Step 3: Creator declares YES or NO. The creator opens the duel and submits the resolution. This triggers the payout calculation.

• Step 4: 10-day dispute window opens. Participants have 10 days to raise a dispute if they believe the resolution is incorrect. During this window, payouts are pending.

• Step 5: Dispute window closes. If no dispute is raised, or if a dispute is reviewed and dismissed, payouts settle. USDC transfers to winning participants' wallets in 400 milliseconds on Solana.

• Step 6: Creator fee arrives. The creator's net fee (up to 5% of the losing pool) is credited to their DuelDuck account simultaneously with participant payouts.

Platform Admin Resolution: How It Works

When a creator selects platform resolution, DuelDuck admin takes over the outcome declaration entirely. The creator's role ends at publication.

• Event occurs. The real-world event happens.

• Admin monitors and applies criteria. DuelDuck admin checks the outcome against the duel's stated resolution criteria and resolution source. This does not require any action from the creator.

• Admin declares outcome. YES or NO is applied. No dispute window applies — admin resolution is final.

• Payouts settle immediately. USDC transfers to winning participants in 400 milliseconds. Creator fee arrives simultaneously.

The trade-off: the creator loses interpretive control. If the duel's resolution criteria have any ambiguity — for example, 'Will Arsenal dominate the match?' has no objective measure — admin must make a judgment call. Well-written, specific criteria (named data source, specific threshold, official announcement) minimise this risk regardless of who resolves.

The Reputation System: Why Correct Resolution Is Creator-Critical

DuelDuck's reputation system is the primary quality control mechanism for creator-resolved duels. Reputation is visible on a creator's profile at duelduck.com/profile and is factored into platform trust calculations.

The asymmetry is intentional: reputation is hard to build and easy to lose. A creator with 50 correctly resolved duels and a clean reputation attracts participants who would not enter a duel from an unknown account. That reputation is a real economic asset — it determines pool fill speed, which determines creator fee income and leaderboard Commission Score.

How to Write Duel Questions That Make Resolution Unambiguous

Most resolution disputes arise from poorly written questions. A question that seems clear to the creator may be ambiguous to participants. The resolution criteria should be so specific that both sides agree on the resolution before the event occurs.

Include the resolution source in the question text itself, not just in the deadline field. Participants decide whether to enter based on the question. A question that names the source ('CoinGecko daily close', 'official UEFA match report', 'Apple's own press release') makes resolution criteria transparent before entry.

When to Use Creator Resolution vs Platform Resolution

What Happens to Creator Fees When a Dispute Is Upheld

If a participant raises a dispute and DuelDuck admin upholds it (confirming the creator resolved incorrectly), the following occurs:

• The resolution is overridden by admin to the correct outcome.

• Payouts are recalculated based on the correct outcome.

• The creator receives -10 to -20 reputation points.

• Depending on the severity and pattern, self-resolve access may be restricted.

Creator fees already distributed may be subject to clawback in cases of deliberate incorrect resolution, according to DuelDuck's platform policies. The specific clawback mechanics are documented at duelduck.com/terms-and-conditions.

A Participant's Guide: How to Protect Yourself Before Entering a Duel

Before entering any creator-resolved duel on DuelDuck, check three things:

• Check the resolution type. The duel card shows whether the creator or platform resolves. If creator-resolved, check the creator's profile reputation score and history of resolved duels.

• Check the resolution criteria. Read the full question. Does it name a specific, verifiable data source? If the question is vague or subjective, the creator has more interpretive latitude — and more potential for disputed resolution.

• Check the creator's track record. New accounts with no resolution history carry more risk than creators with 20+ correctly resolved duels. Browse creator profiles at duelduck.com/duels to see who created the duel.

By joining a creator-resolved duel, participants accept the risk that the resolution may be incorrect or biased. This is a disclosed limitation of the P2P model. Platform-resolved duels remove this risk entirely.

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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Resolution mechanics are subject to change. This platform is intended for 18+ users. See duelduck.com/terms-and-conditions and duelduck.com/responsible-gaming-policy.