# Paddle number

> The number assigned to a registered bidder for a sale, shown on a paddle or card in the room and used to record who won each lot. Phone and online bidders receive a bidder number too.

- URL: https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/paddle-number
- Language: English
- Also known as: Bidder number, Paddle
- Last updated: 2026-10-07
- Français: https://www.selloff.auction/fr/glossaire/numero-d-encherisseur.md

## Definition

The number assigned to a registered bidder for a sale, shown on a paddle or card in the room and used to record who won each lot. Phone and online bidders receive a bidder number too.

The clerk records the paddle number with each hammer price, so the number must be linked to the right client before the sale. Houses often reserve number ranges by channel.

In Selloff, each bidder type (room, phone, web or others) has its own starting number, so the type can be read from the number itself. Numbers can be generated automatically, and a client who bid under several numbers can receive a single invoice.

## Related features

- [Bidder registration & tracking](https://www.selloff.auction/features/bidder-management.md): Register bidders before or during a sale, number them automatically, set purchase limits and request guarantees, with every bidder's activity on one page.

## Related terms

- [Clerk](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/clerk.md): The member of staff who records the sale as it happens: the hammer price and the buyer's paddle number for each lot, as well as unsold and withdrawn lots. The clerk's record is the basis for invoicing.
- [Hammer price](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/hammer-price.md): The price at which the auctioneer knocks a lot down to the winning bidder, before the buyer's premium, taxes and other charges are added. It is the basis for both the buyer's invoice and the consignor's settlement.
- [Buyer's invoice](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/buyers-invoice.md): The invoice issued to the successful bidder after the sale, listing the lots bought with their hammer prices, the buyer's premium, applicable taxes and any shipping or other charges.