> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.boundlessfi.xyz/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How winners are chosen and paid

> How bounty winners are chosen (single claim vs competition), how prize tiers work, and how payouts settle.

> **TL;DR:** Depending on the bounty's mode, either one contributor does the work (**single claim**) or several compete and the best wins (**competition**). Winners are paid from escrow in USDC, usually within about a minute.

## What you'll learn

* How single claim and competition decide winners
* How prize tiers work
* How and when you get paid

## Single claim vs competition

* **Single claim:** the organizer chooses one contributor to do the work. You're chosen up front, you deliver, and you're paid when your work is approved.
* **Competition:** several contributors work in parallel. After the submission deadline, the entries are compared together and the best work wins. Because everyone is judged on their finished submission, the competition stays fair.

<Frame caption="In a competition, several people work in parallel and the best submission wins after the deadline.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/boundless-bb5af936/SRy6_o7Nl_hCFvuz/images/diagrams/competition-timeline.svg?fit=max&auto=format&n=SRy6_o7Nl_hCFvuz&q=85&s=b56bd55e0b4761d22e987fe661c50c00" alt="Competition timeline: build, deadline, judge, settle" width="760" height="150" data-path="images/diagrams/competition-timeline.svg" />
</Frame>

## Prize tiers

A bounty can pay more than one place. Prizes are set in tiers, for example 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, each with its own amount. Some competitions also recognize strong runners-up who didn't place.

## How you get paid

1. The organizer chooses the winner or winners.
2. The prize, already held in [on-chain escrow](/concepts/escrow-and-human-review), is released to each winner's wallet in USDC.
3. Settlement usually completes within about a minute, and your [reputation](/concepts/reputation) updates.

<Note>
  You need to complete [identity verification](/start-here/verify-your-identity) before you can withdraw your earnings.
</Note>

## Next steps

* [Your wallet and withdrawals](/contributors/get-paid/wallet-and-withdrawals)
* [Build your reputation](/contributors/get-paid/build-your-reputation)
* [Bounty modes](/contributors/bounties/bounty-modes)