Event FAQ
What is Decentraland?
Decentraland is a virtual reality 3D ecosystem hosted on the Ethereum network where users can freely explore, engage with others, and if they choose, may purchase plots of LAND to build upon. The LAND is represented by a non-fungible token that exists on a virtual map.
Find out more by visiting the ZED RUN HQ in Decentraland!
How to Attend
The virtual Lexus Melbourne Cup Day party will take place at the ZED HQ in Vegas City, Decentraland (DCL).
To enter the virtual 3D party at DCL, you’ll want to create a MetaMask wallet, link it to DCL, and create an account. Creating an account ensures you will gain access to all the benefits of attending the event at ZED HQ. Making an account enables you to create a unique avatar, claim your POAP (proof of attendance protocol) NFT, and purchase additional in-game items such as wearables.
To create an account, click ‘Get Started’ on the main page. DCL will take you to an avatar creation set-up where you can create the virtual ‘you’!
How Do I Set Up a MetaMask Wallet?
Setting up a MetaMask Wallet is super simple! Simply go to MetaMask's FAQs and follow their simple instructions. You can find their FAQs right here:
https://metamask.io/faqs.html
Or even easier, just head to https://metamask.io/ and click 'Download Now'!
Where is ZED HQ So I Can Attend?
ZED HQ is always open in Decentraland! While it won't be decorated in our beautiful Lexus Melbourne Cup theme design until the event, you can check out ZED HQ right here:
Go Visit ZED HQ!
How Does the NFT Auction Work?
A rare collection of ten nostalgic NFTs featuring some of the Melbourne Cup Carnival’s most legendary races will include exclusive real-world experiences. These NFTs will be available for a limited time through an auction on Derby Day, 30th October. The auction will open 30th October and conclude 4th November.
As an added bonus, all 10 NFTs will include a pair of tickets to the 2022 Melbourne Cup and one Victoria Racing Club VIP experience. Prizes are not transferable, but the NFT may be sold on the secondary market as a standalone NFT with no real world utility.
Beginner’s Guide to The Lexus Melbourne Cup
Australia’s most prestigious and highly anticipated horse racing event enters the virtual metaverse world when the Victoria Racing Club’s Lexus Melbourne Cup comes to the digital horse racing world of ZED RUN!
With the Melbourne Cup Carnival ready to kick-off in the lead up to the Lexus Melbourne cup race on November 2nd, we thought it made sense to answer some of the most basic questions surrounding the festivities, so even a first-time spectator can wrap their head around what Australia has dubbed 'The Race That Stops A Nation™'.
Below you’ll find a little FAQ that should get anyone that isn’t familiar up to speed on what a tremendous event the Lexus Melbourne Cup is!
What is America’s closest sporting event equivalent to The Lexus Melbourne Cup?
While the logical inclination would be to assume the Lexus Melbourne Cup is Australia’s version of the Kentucky Derby, a much closer comparison, at least when it comes to American sporting events, would be the Super Bowl. For those outside of the United States, consider this Australia’s own personal condensed version of the World Cup.
This race is big. That big.
Where does the Lexus Melbourne Cup take place?
The 161st Lexus Melbourne Cup will take place at Melbourne, Australia’s legendary Flemington Racecourse, which opened its doors in 1840. The track has enough space to house over 120,000 spectators. For comparison’s sake, that’s 14,000 more fans than can fit in the University of Southern California’s famous Rose Bowl.
Why is the Melbourne Cup called 'The Race That Stops A Nation™'?
For years, Americans have wondered aloud how the Super Bowl – a game synonymous with parties and played on Sunday night – isn’t rather played on a national holiday, or at the very least, followed by a holiday on Monday so everyone can recover.
For much of Australia, that’s exactly what happens for the Melbourne Cup. The event takes place on a Tuesday, and much of the nation stops to enjoy the festivities.
Can any horse race in the Lexus Melbourne Cup?
Definitely, not. The horses that race in the Melbourne Cup are the Ronaldo and LeBron James of racehorses. In addition to being the best of the best, horses that run in the Melbourne Cup are three-years-old and older.
Long story short, these aren’t horses off the street that won at a casino racetrack somewhere last week. These are, in many cases, multi-million-dollar horses.
What is the 'Birdcage'?
Think of the birdcage at the Lexus Melbourne Cup as the VIP section even your favorite celebrity can’t even get into. Only select guests and Victoria Racing Club members can get into this exclusive area.
The fashion that arrives to be seated at the birdcage is akin to what American’s are used to seeing Kentucky Derby, but on steroids. If the actual horse race is the main course, people watching the birdcage area is the red carpet-esque appetizer.
What kind of money is awarded to the winning horses?
Last year, over $8 million dollars was awarded to horses that ran in the Melbourne Cup, with the winner alone taking home $4 million. That’s more than many NBA players will make for playing 100 games this season.