> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.rafflex.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.rafflex.io/customise-your-site/set-up-your-homepage/how-the-slider-chooses-competitions.md).

# How the Sliders Block Chooses Competitions

How the Sliders block decides which competitions appear, why one can quietly disappear, and how to control the running order.

**The short answer:** the **Sliders** block does not show every competition you have created. It shows only the competitions you have switched **Add To Slider** on for, and only while each one is live and publicly listed. There is no "pick which competitions" list inside the block itself.

This page explains how a competition gets into the slider, why one can quietly drop out, the slider image gotcha, how to set the running order, and how to add your own banner image.

***

### How a competition gets into the slider

A competition only appears in the slider once you switch its **Add To Slider** toggle on.

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

#### Open the competition

In the **admin panel**, go to **Competitions** and click the competition you want to feature.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Turn on Add To Slider

In the section of toggles below the main competition details, find **Add To Slider** and switch it on. Its helper text reads "Will add the product to the slider section. Must have a slider image."
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Upload a Slider Image

In the images panel on the right, upload a **Slider Image**. This should be a wide banner shaped image. See the gotcha below for why this matters.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Save

Save the competition. As long as it is live and publicly listed, it now appears in the slider automatically. Allow a minute or two, then refresh your homepage.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

The slider always shows the same set of competitions: every one with **Add To Slider** switched on. You do not choose them block by block, so if you have more than one **Sliders** block (for example on your homepage and on another page), they all show the same competitions.

***

### Why a competition might not appear

Even with **Add To Slider** on, a competition is only shown while it is live and discoverable by the public. The slider checks five things automatically, and if any one of them is not met the competition drops out without any warning.

1. **It must be Active.** The competition's own **Active** toggle (helper text "Will show product on homepage.") has to be on.
2. **It must have started.** A competition with a future **Start Date (Scheduler)** is scheduled and stays out of the slider until that time. It then joins the slider by itself. See [Schedule a Competition](/create-your-first-raffle/create-a-competition/schedule-a-competition.md).
3. **It must not have ended.** Once its end date and time pass, it leaves the slider.
4. **It must not be sold out.** Once every ticket is sold, it drops out because there is nothing left to buy.
5. **It must not be hidden.** A competition with **Hidden / VIP Competition** switched on is kept out of every public listing, including the slider, even though it still works through its direct link.

{% hint style="info" %}
This is the most common reason operators ask "why has my competition vanished from the slider". Work through the five points above and one of them will usually explain it. The usual culprit is a forgotten **Active** toggle. For a step by step checklist, see [Why a Competition Is Not on My Homepage](/customise-your-site/set-up-your-homepage/why-a-competition-is-not-on-my-homepage.md).
{% endhint %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/ikquN3GTGeJqpqnJdhcv" %}
[Hidden VIP Competitions](/create-your-first-raffle/hidden-vip-competitions.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

***

### The slider image gotcha

The **Add To Slider** helper text says "Must have a slider image", but a competition with the toggle on will still appear without one. The slider simply uses the competition's main **Featured Image** instead.

The catch is shape. A slider image is a wide banner, whereas the featured image is usually square, so a competition without a proper slider image tends to look stretched, cropped or out of place rather than disappearing.

{% hint style="warning" %}
If a competition looks stretched or oddly cropped in the slider, upload a proper wide **Slider Image** to that competition. For the recommended dimensions, see the [Image Size Guide](/helpful-info/image-size-guide.md).
{% endhint %}

***

### Setting the running order

Each **Sliders** block has a **Collection Order** dropdown with three options:

| Option            | What happens                                                                                                                                                                |
| ----------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Default Order** | No sorting is applied. Competitions appear in the order the system finds them, which is usually the order you created them in. This is the starting choice for a new block. |
| **Sort Order**    | Competitions follow the manual order you set in your Competitions list. Use this when you want full control.                                                                |
| **Random Order**  | The order is shuffled, so different visitors see a different competition first. Useful for giving several competitions equal exposure.                                      |

To change it:

1. In the **admin panel**, go to **Content**, then **Pages**, and click **Edit** next to **Home**.
2. Find your **Sliders** block and choose an option from **Collection Order**.
3. Click **Save**.

#### Setting a manual Sort Order

If you choose **Sort Order**, set the order like this:

1. In the **admin panel**, go to **Competitions**.
2. Click **Enable reordering** above the list.
3. Drag the competitions into the order you want. The ones at the top come first.
4. Click **Finish**.

{% hint style="info" %}
The same manual order is used by the **Product grid** block when its **Competition Sorting** is set to **Manual Sort Order**, so one drag and drop session can arrange both.
{% endhint %}

***

### Choosing a slider style

The **Slider Style** dropdown changes how the slider looks and moves. There are ten built-in styles (Big Slider, Expo Slider, Three Slider, Coverflow Slider, Material Slider, Eagle Slider, Super Flow Slider, Shaders Slider, Spring Slider and 3d Slider) plus **Custom Twig (Advanced)**. A short description of each appears under the dropdown when you select it. For a summary of every style, see [Page Builder Blocks](/customise-your-site/page-builder-blocks.md).

The **Spring Slider** has one extra option, **Slides Mode**:

* **Single Slide** shows one competition at a time.
* **Multiple Slides (Cascading Effect)** shows several at once in a cascading line.

***

### Adding your own banner image

Most slider styles show competitions and nothing else. The **Big Slider** style (and **Custom Twig (Advanced)**) also let you add your own content:

* **Featured Image**: upload your own banner (JPG or PNG, up to 800KB). On the Big Slider it becomes the first slide, shown before your competitions. It is a picture only, so it has no button and does not link anywhere.
* **Content**: four short text fields called **Title**, **Value**, **Subtitle** and **Subvalue**. On the Big Slider they appear in the dark bar along the bottom of the slider as two pairs, for example "Guaranteed Draws" and "No Extensions".

Each competition slide on the Big Slider shows the competition's name and an **Enter Now** button that takes customers straight to it.

{% hint style="info" %}
The Big Slider also shows a Facebook rating badge in its bottom bar, linking to your Facebook page. The score comes from the **Facebook Review Score** field (open **Settings**, then the **Marketing** page, and look under **Reviews & Trust**). New sites start with a score of 5.0, so check it matches your real Facebook rating.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="warning" %}
The Featured Image is saved against the page rather than the block. If you put two Big Sliders on the same page, they share the same Featured Image.
{% endhint %}

If you want a completely bespoke slider, the **Custom Twig (Advanced)** style gives you full control over the design. It receives the same **Add To Slider** competitions, always in your manual sort order, so the **Collection Order** option does not appear for it.

{% content-ref url="/pages/zH0LsyknyimLpDwIZUa2" %}
[Custom Twig Slider](/advanced/twig-templating/custom-twig-slider.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

***

### Quick checklist

If your slider is not behaving as expected, run through this:

* **A competition is missing:** confirm **Add To Slider** is on, then check it is Active, has started, has not ended, is not sold out, and is not hidden.
* **A competition looks stretched or cropped:** upload a dedicated wide **Slider Image** to it.
* **The slider is empty:** no competition currently meets all of the above. Switch **Add To Slider** on for at least one live competition.
* **You want a specific running order:** set **Collection Order** to **Sort Order** and arrange your competitions with **Enable reordering**. Choose **Random Order** to share exposure evenly.
* **A change has not shown yet:** wait a minute or two and refresh the page.

{% hint style="success" %}
Once a competition is Active, within its run dates, has tickets available, is not hidden, and has **Add To Slider** on, it appears in the slider on its own. There is no separate "publish to slider" step.
{% endhint %}