> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.tramplin.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.tramplin.io/readme.md).

# How the Protocol Works

## What is Tramplin?

Tramplin is a Solana validator that transforms traditional staking into a rewarding experience. Instead of distributing small, proportional rewards to every delegator, Tramplin pools validator rewards and redistributes them through **verifiable random selection** - giving every participant a real chance at meaningful returns, without risking their principal.

This model is called **Fair Distribution Redistribution (FDR)**.

## The Core Idea

In traditional Proof-of-Stake, delegators receive rewards proportional to their stake. For small holders, this translates to negligible returns that fail to incentivize participation.

Tramplin flips this model:

* **You delegate SOL** to the Tramplin validator - just like any other Solana validator
* **Your principal stays safe** - you retain full custody and can unstake at any time
* **Validator rewards are pooled** and redistributed through onchain random selection
* **Every delegator has a fair chance** of receiving a significant reward - regardless of stake size

## Reward Distribution

When the Tramplin validator earns inflation rewards from the Solana network, those rewards are split and distributed across three draw types, each with a different selection mechanic and pool allocation:

| Draw Type        | Pool Share | Frequency                               | Winners          | Selection Formula          |
| ---------------- | ---------- | --------------------------------------- | ---------------- | -------------------------- |
| **Regular Draw** | 30%        | \~144 rounds per epoch (\~every 20 min) | 1 per round      | Equal chance (1/N stakers) |
| **Epoch Draw**   | 50%        | Once per epoch                          | 7 unique winners | Linear (effective stake)   |
| **Big Draw**     | 20%        | Once every 15 epochs                    | 1                | Square root (√stake × 10)  |

### Regular Draw - Equal Odds for Everyone

The most frequent draw. Multiple rounds run every epoch, each selecting one winner.

* **Pool share:** 30%
* **Rounds per epoch:** \~144 (approximately every 20 minutes)
* **Winners per round:** 1
* **Selection formula:** `P(win) = 1 / N(stakers)`

Every staker has an identical chance of winning, regardless of stake size. A staker with 5 SOL has the exact same odds as someone staking 50,000. One staker, one ticket.

### Epoch Draw - Multiple Winners, Every Epoch

The largest share of the reward pool. Runs once per epoch and selects 7 unique winners.

* **Pool share:** 50%
* **Frequency:** Every epoch
* **Winners per epoch:** 7 (each winner selected only once per draw)
* **Selection formula:** Linear, based on effective stake (1 effective SOL = 1 chance)

Prize distribution is top-heavy:

| Rank      | Share of Prize Pool |
| --------- | ------------------- |
| 1st place | 61.5%               |
| 2nd place | 18.5%               |
| 3rd place | 6.2%                |
| 4th place | 6.2%                |
| 5th place | 3.1%                |
| 6th place | 3.1%                |
| 7th place | 1.5%                |

Your selection weight is based on your effective stake - your raw SOL plus the boost from Tramplin Points earned through referrals. Active community members who bring in new stakers grow their odds without needing to add more SOL.

### Big Draw - The Jackpot

The largest individual prize. The pool reserves 20% each epoch and accumulates it into a single massive prize for one winner.

* **Pool share:** 20%
* **Cycle:** Every 15 epochs
* **Winners:** 1
* **Selection formula:** `weight = √(stake) × 10`

The square root formula compresses whale advantage dramatically. Under a linear model, a staker with 5,000 SOL would have 5,000× the odds of someone with 1 SOL. Under the square root model, that advantage drops to \~70×.

Going from 1 to 4 SOL doubles your weight (√1 = 1, √4 = 2). But going from 100 to 400 SOL also only doubles your weight (√100 = 10, √400 = 20). Larger stakers still have higher weight, but the gap shrinks as stakes get bigger.

### How Rewards Flow

```
Validator Rewards
       │
       ▼
   ┌────────────┐
   │  Treasury  │
   └─────┬──────┘
         │
    ┌────┼────────┐
    ▼    ▼        ▼
┌───────┐┌───────┐┌──────┐
│Regular││ Epoch ││ Big  │
│ Draw  ││ Draw  ││ Draw │
│ 30%   ││ 50%   ││ 20%  │
└───┬───┘└───┬───┘└───┬──┘
    │        │        │
    ▼        ▼        ▼
  Single  7 Unique  Single
Recipient  Winners Recipient
 (~every   (every   (every
  20 min)  epoch)  15 epochs)
```

The **Moneyflow Service** automatically detects incoming rewards and distributes them across pools. Regular Draw rewards are split across \~144 round slots per epoch (one every \~20 minutes), 50% is routed to the Epoch Draw which selects 7 winners each epoch, and 20% accumulates into the Big Draw jackpot over a 15-epoch cycle.

## Participation

### How to Participate

1. **Delegate SOL** to the Tramplin validator using any Solana wallet
2. **Minimum stake** is required (configured as `lamports_per_share` in the protocol)
3. Once your stake is **active** (after the activation epoch), you are automatically included in all draw types

### Shares and Effective Stake

Your chance of being selected varies by draw type:

* **Regular Draw:** Every staker has equal odds (1/N), regardless of stake size
* **Epoch Draw:** Your odds are proportional to your effective stake
* **Big Draw:** Your odds are proportional to `√(stake) × 10`

Effective stake is calculated as:

```
effective_stake = stake × min(1 + √(points / stake / K), MAX_BOOST)
```

Where `MAX_BOOST = 5x` and `K = 150`. This means loyal, long-term delegators and active referrers progressively increase their selection probability in the Epoch Draw.

Effective stake is measured in **shares**:

```
shares = effective_stake / lamports_per_share
```

### What Happens When You Are Selected

When you are selected as a recipient:

1. The protocol publishes the results onchain
2. You can **claim your reward** by submitting a transaction with your Merkle proof
3. The reward (in SOL) is transferred directly to your wallet
4. There is a **claim deadline** - if you don't claim in time, unclaimed rewards are returned to the protocol

## What This Means by Staker Size

* **Small stakers (1–50 SOL):** Equal odds in every Regular Draw round. Whale advantage compressed to \~70× in Big Draw (down from thousands). Epoch Draw picks 7 winners from the largest pool share, and effective stake grows over time through Tramplin Points.
* **Mid-size stakers (50–500 SOL):** In the sweet spot - √stake weight gives a solid edge in Big Draw, equal footing in Regular Draw, and proportional odds in Epoch Draw that grow as effective stake increases through staking and referrals.
* **Large stakers (500+ SOL):** Advantage is compressed in Big Draw and equal in Regular Draw. A fairer system drives broader participation, which grows the total pool and total prize budget.

## Key Properties

| Property           | Description                                                                                                                                                            |
| ------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Capital Safety** | Your staked SOL is never at risk. You delegate through standard Solana staking.                                                                                        |
| **Fairness**       | Regular Draw gives every staker equal odds. Big Draw compresses whale advantage via √stake. Epoch Draw rewards loyalty and community activity through effective stake. |
| **Transparency**   | All distribution data, snapshots, and results are published onchain and publicly verifiable.                                                                           |
| **Permissionless** | Anyone can delegate and participate. No KYC, no whitelist.                                                                                                             |
| **Non-custodial**  | You retain full control of your staked SOL at all times.                                                                                                               |


---

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