---
title: "For sponsors — how to bid on a creator's slot"
description: "What a sponsor needs to bid on slotsbid: an account, a refundable $25 deposit, and ad creative filed up front. Sealed offers are available for sponsors who will not bid in public."
canonical: "https://slotsbid.com/for-sponsors"
---

# Bidding, deposits, and what you actually pay.

## What bidding requires

To place a bid you need, in this order:

1. **A sponsor account.** Sign in with an emailed link — there is no password.
2. **A deposit.** $25, refundable, per auction. Refunded in full if you lose or the slot goes unsold; credited against your payment if you win.
3. **Your creative on file.** The actual ad, attached with your first bid. The creator approves it before any money moves — an unapproved bid cannot win, however high it is.
4. **A whole-dollar amount that beats the current high.**

## Open bids versus sealed offers

- **Sealed offer.** Your amount is private; the page shows only that N offers were received. Available at every stage. Use this if a public bid would signal your budget.
- **Open bid.** Once the creator opens public bidding, the ladder is visible and you bid against named competitors. Your company label appears — the ladder is the point.

## What you pay

Your winning bid, and nothing on top of it. slotsbid's 10% comes out of the creator's side, not yours. Checkout runs through a merchant of record, so you get a compliant invoice with tax handled.

## Winning

You have 48 hours to pay after being selected, with your deposit credited against the total. Miss the window and the slot rolls to the next approved bidder — there is no grace period beyond it.

## Losing

Your deposit is refunded in full, automatically. There is no fee for bidding and losing.

## Tracking your bids

Every deposit, bid, creative, and outcome is listed on your sponsor desk. You can see which auctions you lead, which creatives are still awaiting approval, and what you owe if you win.