diff --git a/functions/src/place-bet.ts b/functions/src/place-bet.ts
index 333928d8..3be51790 100644
--- a/functions/src/place-bet.ts
+++ b/functions/src/place-bet.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import * as admin from 'firebase-admin'
 
 import { Contract } from '../../common/contract'
 import { User } from '../../common/user'
-import { getNewBinaryBetInfo } from '../../common/new-bet'
+import { getNewBinaryBetInfo, getNewMultiBetInfo } from '../../common/new-bet'
 
 export const placeBet = functions.runWith({ minInstances: 1 }).https.onCall(
   async (
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ export const placeBet = functions.runWith({ minInstances: 1 }).https.onCall(
     if (amount <= 0 || isNaN(amount) || !isFinite(amount))
       return { status: 'error', message: 'Invalid amount' }
 
-    if (outcome !== 'YES' && outcome !== 'NO')
+    if (outcome !== 'YES' && outcome !== 'NO' && isNaN(+outcome))
       return { status: 'error', message: 'Invalid outcome' }
 
     // run as transaction to prevent race conditions
@@ -42,16 +42,39 @@ export const placeBet = functions.runWith({ minInstances: 1 }).https.onCall(
         return { status: 'error', message: 'Invalid contract' }
       const contract = contractSnap.data() as Contract
 
-      const { closeTime } = contract
+      const { closeTime, outcomes } = contract
       if (closeTime && Date.now() > closeTime)
         return { status: 'error', message: 'Trading is closed' }
 
+      const isFreeAnswer = outcomes === 'FREE_ANSWER'
+      if (isFreeAnswer) {
+        const answerSnap = await transaction.get(
+          contractDoc.collection('answers').doc(outcome)
+        )
+        if (!answerSnap.exists)
+          return { status: 'error', message: 'Invalid contract' }
+      }
+
       const newBetDoc = firestore
         .collection(`contracts/${contractId}/bets`)
         .doc()
 
       const { newBet, newPool, newTotalShares, newTotalBets, newBalance } =
-        getNewBinaryBetInfo(user, outcome, amount, contract, newBetDoc.id)
+        isFreeAnswer
+          ? getNewMultiBetInfo(
+              user,
+              outcome,
+              amount,
+              contract as any,
+              newBetDoc.id
+            )
+          : getNewBinaryBetInfo(
+              user,
+              outcome as 'YES' | 'NO',
+              amount,
+              contract,
+              newBetDoc.id
+            )
 
       transaction.create(newBetDoc, newBet)
       transaction.update(contractDoc, {
diff --git a/web/components/answers-panel.tsx b/web/components/answers-panel.tsx
index 21e3b799..a49523be 100644
--- a/web/components/answers-panel.tsx
+++ b/web/components/answers-panel.tsx
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ export function AnswersPanel(props: {
   )
 
   return (
-    <Col className="gap-4">
+    <Col className="gap-3">
       {sortedAnswers.map((answer) => (
         <AnswerItem key={answer.id} answer={answer} contract={contract} />
       ))}
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ function AnswerItem(props: { answer: Answer; contract: Contract<'MULTI'> }) {
   const [isBetting, setIsBetting] = useState(false)
 
   return (
-    <Col className="px-4 py-2 sm:flex-row bg-gray-50 rounded">
+    <Col className="p-4 sm:flex-row bg-gray-50 rounded">
       <Col className="gap-3 flex-1">
         <div>{text}</div>
 
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ function AnswerBetPanel(props: {
     console.log('placed bet. Result:', result)
 
     if (result?.status === 'success') {
+      setIsSubmitting(false)
       closePanel()
     } else {
       setError(result?.error || 'Error placing bet')
@@ -184,7 +185,7 @@ function AnswerBetPanel(props: {
   const currentReturnPercent = (currentReturn * 100).toFixed() + '%'
 
   return (
-    <Col className="items-start px-2 pb-2">
+    <Col className="items-start px-2 pb-2 pt-4 sm:pt-0">
       <Row className="self-stretch items-center justify-between">
         <div className="text-xl">Buy this answer</div>
 
@@ -266,14 +267,12 @@ function CreateAnswerInput(props: { contract: Contract<'MULTI'> }) {
   const submitAnswer = async () => {
     if (canSubmit) {
       setIsSubmitting(true)
-      console.log('submitting', { text, betAmount })
       const result = await createAnswer({
         contractId: contract.id,
         text,
         amount: betAmount,
       }).then((r) => r.data)
 
-      console.log('submit complte', result)
       setIsSubmitting(false)
 
       if (result.status === 'success') {
@@ -285,18 +284,34 @@ function CreateAnswerInput(props: { contract: Contract<'MULTI'> }) {
   }
 
   return (
-    <Col className="gap-4 mt-2 px-2">
-      <Col className="sm:flex-row gap-8">
-        <Col className="flex-1 gap-2">
-          <div className="text-gray-500 text-sm mb-1">Add your answer</div>
-          <Textarea
-            value={text}
-            onChange={(e) => setText(e.target.value)}
-            className="textarea textarea-bordered w-full"
-            placeholder="Type your answer..."
-            rows={1}
-            maxLength={10000}
-          />
+    <Col className="gap-4 p-4 bg-gray-50 rounded">
+      <Col className="flex-1 gap-2">
+        <div className="mb-1">Add your answer</div>
+        <Textarea
+          value={text}
+          onChange={(e) => setText(e.target.value)}
+          className="textarea textarea-bordered w-full"
+          placeholder="Type your answer..."
+          rows={1}
+          maxLength={10000}
+        />
+        <div />
+        <Col
+          className={clsx('sm:flex-row', text ? 'justify-between' : 'self-end')}
+        >
+          {text && (
+            <Col className="gap-2 mt-1">
+              <div className="text-gray-500 text-sm">Bet amount</div>
+              <AmountInput
+                amount={betAmount}
+                onChange={setBetAmount}
+                error={amountError}
+                setError={setAmountError}
+                minimumAmount={10}
+                disabled={isSubmitting}
+              />
+            </Col>
+          )}
           <button
             className={clsx(
               'btn btn-sm self-end mt-2',
@@ -308,17 +323,6 @@ function CreateAnswerInput(props: { contract: Contract<'MULTI'> }) {
             Submit answer & bet
           </button>
         </Col>
-        <Col className="gap-2">
-          <div className="text-gray-500 text-sm">Bet amount</div>
-          <AmountInput
-            amount={betAmount}
-            onChange={setBetAmount}
-            error={amountError}
-            setError={setAmountError}
-            minimumAmount={10}
-            disabled={isSubmitting}
-          />
-        </Col>
       </Col>
     </Col>
   )
diff --git a/web/pages/[username]/[contractSlug].tsx b/web/pages/[username]/[contractSlug].tsx
index 60661627..00c0f5ef 100644
--- a/web/pages/[username]/[contractSlug].tsx
+++ b/web/pages/[username]/[contractSlug].tsx
@@ -127,6 +127,7 @@ export default function ContractPage(props: {
                   contract={contract as any}
                   answers={props.answers}
                 />
+                <Spacer h={4} />
                 <div className="divider before:bg-gray-300 after:bg-gray-300" />
               </>
             )}