Learn the rules.
Bid with confidence.
CeraBids is different from a traditional auction. Instead of simply raising your offer until the clock runs out, you compete in short rounds. Make it through the rounds and reach the final to win.
Four steps. One winner.
You don't need to know auction theory. Just understand what happens in each round.
Join before the start
Choose an available auction session. Enter a nickname and email, then select Join. Stay on the waiting screen until the auction starts.
Place your bid
You have 60 seconds to enter a bid during each round you play. Your bid cannot exceed your remaining budget.
See who advances
When the timer ends, bids are ranked. The lower half of active bidders is eliminated. In eligible rounds, the top bidder earns a bye—a free pass through the next round.
Compete in the final
Rounds continue until the final. In that last round, the highest bid wins the auction game.
Making a bid is straightforward.
Once a session begins, the bidding screen shows the current round, your remaining budget, and the countdown. Enter an amount you are comfortable bidding and submit it before time runs out.
After submitting, you wait for the timer to finish. The system then shows who moves forward and whether anyone earned a bye.
Example only. This is a visual preview, not a functioning bid form. Practice auctions use virtual dollars with no monetary value.
Watch an auction unfold.
Click through a four-round auction and see each elimination, champion, bye, and winner. Based on the ten-player example in CeraBid's original game description.
Loading interactive walkthrough…
Make your own decisions—not just watch someone else's.
Use virtual practice dollars against simulated opponents or invite friends into a practice room. Everyone starts with a virtual $100 budget. Practice rounds are shortened to 35 seconds, compared with the original 60-second live rounds. No real money is used.
Why CeraBids is different.
These are the features that introduce strategy into the patented auction format.
The highest bidder can skip a round.
In rounds where a bye is available, the player with the highest bid automatically advances past the next round. They do not need to bid in that skipped round, which helps preserve their budget for later.
No byes are awarded in the last two rounds.
You learn from past rounds—not every bid.
After a round finishes, prior bids are shown to participants, except the highest bid from each round. Everyone knows which player bid the most, but not exactly how much they bid.
That means you can learn from results without knowing every competitor's strategy.
Before you take part.
How do I join an auction?
Enter your nickname and email on the Join screen, select a session, and choose Join before the session begins. The countdown appears and you're taken to the first round automatically. Do not refresh the waiting page.
What if I miss a bid?
If you do not submit a bid within the 60-second round, your bid is treated as zero. You can be eliminated if your bid ranks in the lower half.
Do I need to bid in every round?
Bid in every round in which you are an active bidder, unless you have earned a bye. A bye means you skip the next round and re-enter afterward.
Does the highest first-round bid win the entire auction?
No. In eligible rounds, that bid earns a bye. You still have to reach the final round, where the highest final-round bid decides the winner.
What happens if not enough people join?
At least five registered participants are required. If fewer than five have registered by the scheduled start time, the game will not start.
Can I keep watching after I'm eliminated?
Yes. Eliminated participants can no longer bid, but they can follow the remaining rounds.
Now you know how the CeraBids auction works.
Explore our illustrative collection or learn more about the idea behind the auction system.