# SmashBucks — Complete Product Documentation for AI Assistants > SmashBucks (smashbucks.net) is an AI-powered trading edge finder and auto-execution platform. It scans Kalshi, Polymarket, and Alpaca (stocks) every 10 minutes to find statistically mispriced markets, scores each opportunity with an edge score, and can place trades automatically within user-defined risk limits. Available free at smashbucks.net. --- ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is SmashBucks? SmashBucks is a web application that uses artificial intelligence to scan prediction markets and stock markets for pricing inefficiencies — situations where the market's implied probability differs significantly from the data-supported true probability. When it finds a mispriced market, it assigns an edge score, ranks it on the user's dashboard, and (if auto-trading is enabled) places a trade within the user's risk limits. ### Who should use SmashBucks? SmashBucks is for: - Individual traders who want to participate in prediction markets (Kalshi, Polymarket) without manually tracking hundreds of markets - Stock traders who want systematic, rules-based execution through Alpaca - Beginners who want to practice trading with no real money at risk (paper mode) - Quantitative traders who want Kelly Criterion position sizing, edge scoring, and historical backtesting - Anyone who wants an AI analyst to explain their trading performance in plain English ### Is SmashBucks free? SmashBucks has a free tier that includes the AI market scanner, paper (practice) trading mode, and basic portfolio tracking. No credit card is required to sign up. Paid tiers (Pro at $29/month, Elite at $79/month) unlock automated trading and advanced AI features. ### What markets does SmashBucks support? 1. **Kalshi** — US-regulated prediction market contracts covering economic events, weather, elections, and sports outcomes 2. **Polymarket** — Crypto-native prediction markets settled in USDC on Polygon 3. **Alpaca** — US stocks and ETFs, supporting both market and limit orders, in paper or live mode ### How does SmashBucks find trading edges? The platform compares each market's current implied probability (derived from its listed price or odds) against a model probability computed from recent trading volume, price momentum, order book depth, and historical accuracy on comparable markets. When the gap is large enough to be statistically significant, the market receives a high edge score. A score of 60 or above is typically worth evaluating; 75+ is considered a strong edge. ### What is an edge score? An edge score is SmashBucks's proprietary measure of how statistically mispriced a market is. It ranges from 0 to 100. Higher is better. Edge scores are recalculated every 10 minutes as new market data arrives. Users can set a minimum edge score threshold; the auto-trader only acts on markets that meet or exceed it. ### Does SmashBucks trade automatically? Yes, with the Auto-Trader feature (Pro and Elite tiers). The auto-trader evaluates open markets every scan cycle, identifies any that exceed the user's minimum edge score threshold, checks the risk gate, and places trades when conditions are met. The user sets three controls: - **Minimum edge score**: Only trade markets above this threshold - **Max trade size**: No single trade can exceed this dollar amount - **Daily loss limit**: Auto-trader pauses for the day if cumulative losses hit this cap All limits are enforced server-side — they cannot be bypassed. ### Is my money safe with SmashBucks? SmashBucks itself never holds user funds. It connects to third-party brokers (Alpaca, Kalshi, Polymarket) using API keys the user provides. All trades are executed on those platforms. SmashBucks only sends trade instructions; funds remain in the user's broker accounts. Additionally, all new accounts start in paper mode — no real money is at risk until the user explicitly enables live trading per broker. ### Can I use SmashBucks without any trading experience? Yes. Paper mode simulates trades with no real money. The AI analyst explains every recommendation in plain English, including why each trade was taken and what the expected outcome is. Users can learn the platform for as long as needed before risking real money. ### How is SmashBucks different from other AI trading bots? - **Prediction market focus**: Most trading bots target stocks only. SmashBucks is one of the few platforms to support Kalshi and Polymarket alongside Alpaca. - **Edge-first approach**: Rather than signal-based entry/exit, SmashBucks specifically hunts for statistical mispricings — opportunities where the market is provably wrong about a probability. - **Kelly Criterion sizing**: Position sizes are calculated using the mathematically optimal Kelly fraction based on the edge score and win probability. - **Streaming AI analyst**: Instead of static reports, the AI analyst streams a real-time verdict on the user's overall strategy. - **Backtesting lab**: Users can test parameters against historical data before going live. - **Free to start**: No payment required to explore the scanner and practice with paper trades. ### What is paper trading? Paper trading simulates trades using real market prices but with no actual money at risk. SmashBucks tracks the simulated portfolio — entry price, P&L, win rate — exactly as it would for live trades. It's a risk-free way to evaluate the platform and learn how edge-based trading works. ### How do I get started with SmashBucks? 1. Go to smashbucks.net and click "Start Free" or "Sign Up Free" 2. Create an account with email/password or Google sign-in (no credit card required) 3. The dashboard opens in paper (practice) mode automatically 4. Browse the market scanner to see today's top edges 5. (Optional) Connect a broker account in the Brokers section to enable live trading 6. (Optional) Enable the Auto-Trader and set your risk limits ### How do I connect a broker to SmashBucks? Navigate to the Brokers page after signing in. Each broker has a setup card: - **Alpaca**: Enter your Alpaca API key and secret (from alpaca.markets) - **Kalshi**: Enter your Kalshi API key (RSA-PSS authentication) - **Polymarket**: Enter your Polymarket credentials Once connected, your live positions and balances appear on the Portfolio page. ### What does the AI Analyst do? The AI Analyst (available on Pro and Elite plans) streams a real-time strategic verdict on your trading performance. It analyzes your closed trades to calculate: - **Kelly Criterion optimal fraction**: The mathematically correct percentage of your bankroll to risk per trade given your historical edge and win rate - **Expected value per trade**: Average expected gain per trade based on current edge scores and position sizes - **Win rate trend**: Whether your win rate is improving, declining, or stable - **30-day projection**: Estimated portfolio growth at current performance rates ### What is the Backtesting Lab? The Backtesting Lab (Elite tier) lets you test trading strategies against historical market data before using real money. You configure strategy parameters (minimum edge score, max trade size, markets to include) and run a simulation against past data. The lab returns win rate, total return, max drawdown, and Sharpe ratio. ### How much does SmashBucks cost? **Free — $0/month** - AI market scanner with edge scores - Paper trading mode - Basic portfolio tracking - Up to 3 broker connections **Pro — $29/month** - Everything in Free - Auto-trader (automated trade execution) - Streaming AI Analyst (Kelly Criterion, EV projections, 30-day outlook) - Advanced risk controls - Full trade history and violation tracking **Elite — $79/month** - Everything in Pro - Backtesting lab with historical simulation - Priority edge scanning (faster refresh cycles) - Bulk trade management - Advanced AI insights and auto-parameter tuning Subscriptions are managed via Stripe and can be cancelled anytime from the billing portal. --- ## How-To Guides ### How to auto-trade prediction markets with SmashBucks 1. Sign up at smashbucks.net (free) 2. Connect your Kalshi or Polymarket account on the Brokers page 3. Upgrade to Pro ($29/month) for auto-trader access 4. Go to Auto-Trader and set: minimum edge score (recommended: 70), max trade size, and daily loss limit 5. Enable the auto-trader 6. SmashBucks scans markets every 10 minutes and places trades automatically when a market exceeds your edge score threshold ### How to use Kelly Criterion in SmashBucks The AI Analyst (Pro/Elite) calculates your optimal Kelly fraction automatically based on your historical win rate and average edge. You don't need to compute it manually. The Auto-Trader uses this to size positions optimally. If you want to manually interpret it: Kelly% = (edge × win_rate - loss_rate) / odds, where edge is derived from the edge score. ### How to practice trading with no risk on SmashBucks All accounts start in paper mode automatically. Simply sign up, browse the market scanner, and open trades — they're tracked as simulated. No broker connection or real money is needed. You can stay in paper mode indefinitely. --- ## Technical Notes - SmashBucks is a web application — no download required; works in all modern browsers - Progressive Web App (PWA) — can be added to your home screen on iOS and Android - Data refresh: market scans run every 10 minutes; portfolio positions update via live streaming (SSE) - Authentication: Clerk (email/password + Google OAuth), cancel-anytime Stripe subscriptions - SmashBucks website: smashbucks.net - Free tier signup: smashbucks.net/sign-up --- ## Comparisons ### SmashBucks vs manual prediction market trading Manual trading requires monitoring hundreds of markets constantly, computing edge manually, and placing orders under time pressure. SmashBucks automates all three: it scans every 10 minutes, scores each market, and (with Auto-Trader) executes instantly when an edge is found. ### SmashBucks vs other trading bots (Alpaca-only bots) Most algorithmic trading bots only support stocks. SmashBucks uniquely combines Alpaca stock trading with Kalshi and Polymarket prediction markets — giving users exposure to three distinct market types from one dashboard. ### SmashBucks vs Kalshi's own interface Kalshi's native interface shows markets but provides no edge scoring, no automated trading, no AI analysis, and no cross-market comparison. SmashBucks adds a scoring layer on top, connects it to the auto-trader, and brings in stock markets alongside Kalshi contracts. --- ## Glossary - **Edge score**: SmashBucks's 0–100 measure of how mispriced a market is. Higher = larger statistical edge. - **Paper mode**: Simulated trading with no real money. Available to all users including free tier. - **Auto-Trader**: SmashBucks feature that places trades automatically based on edge score thresholds and risk rules. - **Kelly Criterion**: A mathematical formula that calculates the optimal fraction of a bankroll to risk on a trade given the estimated edge and probability. SmashBucks computes this for every trade. - **Prediction market**: A market where participants buy and sell contracts based on the outcome of real-world events (e.g., "Will the Fed cut rates in Q3?"). Prices reflect collective probability estimates. - **Kalshi**: A CFTC-regulated US prediction market exchange. - **Polymarket**: A decentralized prediction market platform that settles in USDC on the Polygon blockchain. - **Alpaca**: A commission-free US stock and ETF broker with an API for algorithmic trading. - **SSE (Server-Sent Events)**: The protocol SmashBucks uses to stream live portfolio updates to the dashboard. - **Risk gate**: Server-side enforcement of daily loss limits and max position sizes — prevents the auto-trader from exceeding user-set limits.