Getting Started

1. Run It in Paper Mode

No wallet, no risk. Nothing real can be sent.

1. 1

   Install Rust (One Time Only)

   Go to rustup.rs and follow the one-line install.

   • Mac: also run xcode-select --install in Terminal.
   • Windows: when the installer asks to install the Visual Studio C++ tools, say yes.
2. 2

   Start the Bot

   • Mac: double-click Start.command. If macOS blocks it, right-click it, choose Open, then Open again.
   • Windows: double-click Start.bat.
   • Linux or a server: run ./Start.sh.

   The first start takes a few minutes while it builds. After that it starts in seconds.

3. 3

   You're In

   You'll see every Polymarket crypto Up/Down market updating live. The badge at the top says PAPER. Press ? for help and q to quit.

2. Connect Your Polymarket Account

Only when you want to trade real money. You need three things.

1. A

   How Do You Log In to Polymarket?

   You log in with	Your type number
   Email or Google	1
   MetaMask, Rabby, Coinbase Wallet or another browser wallet	2
   A Polymarket deposit wallet	3
   No polymarket.com account: your own wallet holds the pUSD and trades directly (advanced)	0

   Most people are 1 or 2.

2. B

   Copy Your Private Key

   • Email or Google: on polymarket.com go to Settings and click Export Private Key.
   • Browser wallet: open your wallet, pick the account you use on Polymarket, then Account details and Show private key.

   It starts with 0x and is 66 characters long.

   Never share it and never paste it anywhere except the .env file below. Anyone with this key controls the wallet. PR&R never sees it: the bot runs only on your machine.
3. C

   Copy Your Polymarket Wallet Address

   On polymarket.com click your profile picture. The 0x… address under your name is your Polymarket wallet address. It is also on the Deposit screen. For type 3, use the deposit wallet's address. Type 0 skips this step.

   Log in with MetaMask? This is not your MetaMask address. Use the one Polymarket shows.
4. D

   Paste Them Into the .env File

   The bot made a file called .env in its folder the first time it started. Open it in any text editor and fill in these three lines near the top:

   PRIVATE_KEY=0xyour-private-key POLYMARKET_SIGNATURE_TYPE=1 POLYMARKET_FUNDER=0xyour-polymarket-wallet-address

   Use your type number from step A. For type 0, leave POLYMARKET_FUNDER empty. Then save.

   Can't see .env? Files starting with a dot are hidden. Mac: in Finder press Cmd + Shift + . (period). Windows: in File Explorer turn on View, then Hidden items.
5. E

   Check It

   In the bot's folder run:

   cargo run --release -- setup

   It never places an order. It checks your key, your region, your balance and your Polymarket permissions, and ends with a VERDICT line. If something is wrong, it says what and how to fix it.

3. Go Live

Two one-time settings, then everything happens with keys inside the bot. You never edit a file to switch between paper and live.

1. 1

   One Time: Allow Live Trading

   In .env, change LIVE_TRADING=false to LIVE_TRADING=true. You never touch this again. It just tells this install that live trading is allowed.

2. 2

   One Time: Check the Limits

   In config.toml under [risk], max_order_usd (default $5) and max_session_usd (default $50) cap what the bot can spend. You can also change them while it runs with s.

3. 3

   Every Time: Use the Keys

   p	Switch between paper and live (it asks you to confirm). In live the bot is still disarmed: orders are prepared but not sent.
   a	Type ARM to arm. The bot runs its safety checks and, if they pass, real orders go out. Press a again to disarm.
   k	Kill switch. Cancels the bot's orders and blocks new ones until you press k again.

   The bot always starts in paper mode and disarmed, so a restart never trades by surprise.

The bot only trades what your strategy tells it to. Your strategy goes in bot/src/strategy/my_strategy.rs, and docs/STRATEGY_GUIDE.md shows how.

Common Problems

Still stuck? Ask in our Discord.