How to Claim Your Spot in a Pickleball Game

Ever get added to a game before you'd even downloaded the app? That's a guest spot — the organizer typed your name onto the roster so you'd count as a player. Claiming it turns that placeholder into your account: the games, matches, and stats attached to it move onto your profile, and your real name replaces the placeholder on the list. Here's how to claim your spot when pikel asks "Is this you?"

Step 1 — Get added as a guest

There's nothing to do for this step — it happens on the organizer's side. When they set up the game, they can add players who aren't in pikel yet as guests: they just type your name. You'll appear on the player list with your name and a Guest badge. That badge is the signal that the spot is a placeholder waiting for the real you.

Step 2 — Open the game and find your name

There are two ways to reach the game:

• Tap the invite link or code the organizer shares. That opens pikel's join screen, where a "Were you added as a guest?" card lists the names you can claim.
• Open the game inside pikel if you're already in the organizer's club — head to the game and its player list.

Either way, sign in or create your account first. Claiming links the spot to a real account, so the prompt only shows once you're signed in. On iOS, look for your name with the Guest badge — right next to it is an "Is this you?" chip. On Android, the "Were you added as a guest?" card sits at the top of the roster with the names you can claim.

One limit worth knowing: you can't claim a guest spot in a game you are already on the list for under your own account — including if you are on its waitlist. Leave the waitlist first, or ask the organizer to sort it out.

Step 3 — Tap "This is me"

Tap the "Is this you?" chip on iOS, or your name in the "Were you added as a guest?" card on Android, and confirm. If the game claims instantly — the default — pikel merges the guest spot into your account right away and celebrates with "You're in!" Your games and stats are now on your profile, and your real name takes the placeholder's place on the roster. That's the whole thing: one tap and the spot is yours.

Step 4 — If the game needs approval

Some organizers turn on approval for guest claims. On those games the button asks you to request the claim instead of confirming it — it reads "Request to claim" on iOS and "Request" on Android. Tap it and pikel files a request with the organizer — you'll see a calm "Request sent" confirmation. Once they confirm you, the spot merges into your account and you become a full participant. Nothing else to do; just wait for the nod.

Pro tip

Claiming isn't time-limited — you can claim your spot at any stage, even after the games have finished, and your history still merges in. And if it's a big event with a long guest list, the card grows a "Find your name" search box once there are more than eight names, so you can type the first few letters and jump straight to yourself instead of scrolling.