Setting up a Phantom wallet
Phantom is a digital wallet app — think of it like Apple Pay or Venmo, but for crypto. You only need it if you want to join a paid prize pool. The bracket challenge itself is free and doesn't require a wallet.
Download Phantom
Phantom works on your phone and as a browser extension on your computer.
- iPhone — search "Phantom" in the App Store, or visit phantom.app
- Android — search "Phantom" in the Google Play Store
- Desktop — go to phantom.app and install the browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, Brave, or Edge
Create your wallet
Open Phantom and tap "Create a new wallet". It will show you a recovery phrase— this is 12 random words.
You'll also set a password or enable Face ID / fingerprint — this is just to unlock the app on your device.
Add SOL to your wallet
SOL is the currency used on Solana. You need a small amount to join prize pools and pay transaction fees (usually less than $0.01 per transaction).
Option A: Buy directly in Phantom
- Open Phantom and tap the "Buy" button
- Choose SOL and enter the amount you want
- Pay with a debit card, Apple Pay, or bank transfer
- The SOL appears in your wallet within a few minutes
Option B: Transfer from an exchange
- If you already have SOL on Coinbase, Binance, Kraken, etc.
- In Phantom, tap "Receive" → "Solana (SOL)" and copy your wallet address
- Go to your exchange, withdraw SOL, and paste in your Phantom address
- Make sure you select the Solana network (not Ethereum or any other chain)
Connect to MandemDAO World Cup
Once your wallet is set up and funded:
- Come back to this site and click "Sign in"
- Choose "Sign in with Phantom"
- Phantom will pop up asking you to approve the connection — tap "Approve"
- You're in. Now you can join any paid group's prize pool.
How much SOL do I need?
That depends on the group you want to join — each group sets its own entry fee. A typical pool might be 0.1 SOL to 1 SOL. Transaction fees on Solana are tiny (fractions of a cent), so you won't need extra for gas like on other blockchains. If you're just trying it out, $10-20 worth of SOL is more than enough.
Is my money safe?
Prize pool funds are held in a smart contract on Solana — not by us, not by any individual. The contract only releases funds when the tournament ends and the leaderboard is finalized. If a pool doesn't get enough entrants, it's automatically cancelled and you can claim a full refund.