diff --git a/html/js/network/socketHandlers.js b/html/js/network/socketHandlers.js
index 267270a..8d71e52 100644
--- a/html/js/network/socketHandlers.js
+++ b/html/js/network/socketHandlers.js
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ const SocketHandlers = {
         socket.on('payment_detected', this.onPaymentDetected);
         socket.on('show_payment_options', this.onShowPaymentOptions);
     socket.on('credits_update', this.onCreditsUpdate);
+        socket.on('user_count', this.onUserCount);
         
         // Block height handler
         socket.on('blockheight', this.onBlockHeight);
@@ -704,6 +705,29 @@ const SocketHandlers = {
         }
     },
 
+    onUserCount: function(data) {
+        if (!data || typeof data.count !== 'number') return;
+        SocketHandlers._updateUserCountDisplay(data.count);
+    },
+
+    _updateUserCountDisplay: function(count) {
+        let el = document.getElementById('userCountDisplay');
+        if (!el) {
+            // Create display element next to connection status
+            const statusDiv = document.querySelector('.status') || document.getElementById('connectionStatus')?.parentElement;
+            if (statusDiv) {
+                el = document.createElement('div');
+                el.id = 'userCountDisplay';
+                el.style.cssText = 'font-size:12px;color:#0af;margin-top:2px;';
+                statusDiv.appendChild(el);
+            }
+        }
+        if (el) {
+            const plural = count === 1 ? '' : 's';
+            el.innerHTML = `👥 <span style="color:#4ade80;">${count}</span> player${plural} online`;
+        }
+    },
+
     // ====== SPECTATOR HANDLERS ======
 
     _spectatorMode: false,
diff --git a/src/game/gameModeManager.js b/src/game/gameModeManager.js
index 002ce87..71526b7 100644
--- a/src/game/gameModeManager.js
+++ b/src/game/gameModeManager.js
@@ -73,8 +73,8 @@ class GameModeManager {
         this.singleGamePrice = parseAtomicEnvValue(process.env.SINGLE_GAME_PRICE, this.singleGamePrice);
         this.creditsPackagePrice = parseAtomicEnvValue(process.env.CREDITS_PACKAGE_PRICE, this.creditsPackagePrice);
         this.creditsPerGameCost = parseAtomicEnvValue(process.env.CREDITS_PER_GAME, 1) || 1;
-        this.creditsPayoutEnabled = /^true$/i.test(process.env.CREDITS_PAYOUT_ENABLED || 'false');
-        this.creditsPayoutBaseValue = this.singleGamePrice;
+        this.creditsPayoutEnabled = /^true$/i.test(process.env.CREDITS_PAYOUTS_ENABLED || process.env.CREDITS_PAYOUT_ENABLED || 'false');
+        this.creditsPayoutBaseValue = parseAtomicEnvValue(process.env.CREDITS_PAYOUT_BASE, this.singleGamePrice);
         process.env.CREDITS_PER_GAME = String(this.creditsPerGameCost);
 
         const directEscape = Number(process.env.DIRECT_PAYOUT_ESCAPE);
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ class GameModeManager {
         console.log(`🧮 Payout multipliers - direct: ${JSON.stringify(this.directPayoutMultipliers)}, credits: ${JSON.stringify(this.creditPayoutMultipliers)}`);
         console.log(`🔁 Mode availability - direct: ${this.directModeEnabled}, credits: ${this.creditsModeEnabled}, preferCreditsFirst: ${this.preferCreditsFirst}`);
         if (this.creditsPayoutEnabled) {
-            console.log('🎁 Credits payout mode ENABLED (will pay rewards in PAID_CREDITS).');
+            console.log(`🎁 Credits payout mode ENABLED - base value: ${this.creditsPayoutBaseValue} atomic (~${this.formatAtomic(this.creditsPayoutBaseValue)} ${this.cryptoType})`);
         }
         console.log(`⚙️ Payments enabled: ${this.paymentsEnabled}`);
     }
@@ -1011,6 +1011,9 @@ class GameModeManager {
      * Get game mode info for frontend
      */
     getGameModeInfo() {
+        // Debug: Log credits payout base value being sent
+        console.log(`📤 getGameModeInfo: creditsPayoutBaseValue = ${this.creditsPayoutBaseValue} (${this.formatAtomic(this.creditsPayoutBaseValue)} ${this.cryptoType})`);
+        
         // Determine if we should show a testnet warning
         // Only for XMR on stagenet/testnet - WOW only has mainnet
         const showTestnetWarning = this.cryptoType === 'XMR' && this.isTestNetwork;
diff --git a/src/network/broadcastManager.js b/src/network/broadcastManager.js
index 047e5f4..7be5e43 100644
--- a/src/network/broadcastManager.js
+++ b/src/network/broadcastManager.js
@@ -8,10 +8,23 @@ class BroadcastManager {
     constructor(io) {
         this.io = io;
         this._lastBroadcastBlock = null;
+        this._lastUserCount = -1;
     }
 
     // ====== GLOBAL BROADCASTS (All Clients) ======
 
+    /**
+     * Broadcast connected user count to all clients
+     */
+    broadcastUserCount() {
+        const count = this.io.engine ? this.io.engine.clientsCount : 0;
+        // Only broadcast if count changed to avoid spam
+        if (count !== this._lastUserCount) {
+            this._lastUserCount = count;
+            this.io.emit('user_count', { count });
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * Broadcast block height to all connected clients
      * @param {number} blockHeight - Current block height
diff --git a/src/network/connectionHandler.js b/src/network/connectionHandler.js
index 1720574..1aa8c18 100644
--- a/src/network/connectionHandler.js
+++ b/src/network/connectionHandler.js
@@ -64,6 +64,9 @@ class ConnectionHandler {
             // Send current state
             this._sendConnectionStatus(socket);
 
+            // Broadcast updated user count to all clients
+            this.broadcastManager.broadcastUserCount();
+
             return { sessionInfo, memUser };
 
         } catch (error) {
@@ -112,6 +115,9 @@ class ConnectionHandler {
         // Clean up user records
         user.removeUser(socket.client.id);
         
+        // Broadcast updated user count to all clients
+        this.broadcastManager.broadcastUserCount();
+        
         // Call additional cleanup if provided
         if (additionalCleanup && typeof additionalCleanup === 'function') {
             additionalCleanup(socket);