Packs contain an assortment of possible Moments, with an exact breakdown of what is available inside packs while supplies last. Pack drops are the method by which packs are released to, and purchased by the NBA Top Shot community. Some pack drops include differing components, such as the following:
- Reservation packs allow collectors to reserve their packs ahead of a pack release. You can read more about reservation packs here.
- Pack draws allow collectors to have a dedicated window of time to attempt to reserve a pack. When that timer ends, all participants' attempted reservations are randomized, and if there are more attempted reservations than packs available, not everyone will get a pack. For more details about pack draws check out our article here.
- Rebound packs are secondary packs that are available for sale to collectors who were not assigned a low enough queue number to purchase the primary pack in a drop. Rebound packs are not active for every pack drop, we recommend checking the various pack drop pages for details.
The pack page will include all the information needed to join the drop such as price, number of packs available, Top Shot Score requirements, Queue Allowlist, etc. For more details about packs check out our article here.
NBA Top Shot 101: Pack Drops
The Waiting Room
Prior to an actual drop time, collectors will be able to Join the Drop and enter a waiting room. The waiting room is a buffer that allows all interested and eligible collectors to join. The time that the waiting room is open can vary between drops. This waiting room helps ensure that everyone interested has a fair and equal chance to purchase a pack. Whether you join an hour ahead or five minutes, your position in the queue (ie. Queue ID) will be randomized.
The Queue
The queue refers to the system in which pack drops are conducted. All collectors who joined the drop ahead of the actual drop time will be taken to the queue. After a short wait, the system will randomly assign each collector in the waiting room a number in the queue. This system will determine the order in which collectors are provided with the opportunity to purchase a pack.
The number of packs is not updated in real-time and may not show a precise count of the remaining packs.
Collectors who join a drop after queue positions have been randomly distributed will be placed at the end of the queue. There aren’t any special tricks to getting a lower queue number, as it's randomized for everyone in the community. Collectors unable to wait on the queue screen can provide an email address to be notified when it is their turn. It is recommended to wait until the confirmation email has been received before leaving the queue screen.
Once the queue has reached a collector's position in line and they have started the purchase, they have 20 minutes to successfully purchase a pack.
The Multi-Queue Drop System
An experimental multi-queue drop system has recently been in use for some drops. This was developed to create a path to higher success rates for the largest and most loyal collectors of Moments while not excluding newer Top Shot collectors from the thrill of the pack drop and the opportunity to score a highly coveted limited edition pack. On a respective pack's page, you are able to view the different queues, their requirements, and your eligibility for each queue.
To read our blog post on this system, click here.
Please Note
- Refrain from joining the queue on another tab, browser, device, or account, as this may interfere with your existing queue position.
- We recommend verifying your identity ahead of pack drops, as you may be asked to verify your identity during purchase if your account recently hit a threshold of financial activity from purchases and sales.
- There may be instances in which we’re forced to pause or delay the queue.
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