diff --git a/app/models/participant-expected-value.ts b/app/models/participant-expected-value.ts
index c642fd0..132fcce 100644
--- a/app/models/participant-expected-value.ts
+++ b/app/models/participant-expected-value.ts
@@ -394,10 +394,10 @@ export async function batchSaveSourceOdds(
         await tx
           .update(seasonParticipantExpectedValues)
           // Persist the odds and label the source as odds-driven for display.
-          // We no longer null a stored Elo here: whether these odds override it
-          // is decided at run time by the configurable source priority
-          // (SimulatorInputPolicy.sourceEloPriority), and prepareSimulatorInputsForRun
-          // overwrites the derived Elo before the simulator reads it.
+          // We no longer null a stored Elo here: how much these odds move it is
+          // decided at run time by the season's blend weight
+          // (SimulatorInputPolicy.oddsWeight), and prepareSimulatorInputsForRun
+          // overwrites the resolved Elo before the simulator reads it.
           .set({ sourceOdds, source: "futures_odds", updatedAt: now })
           .where(eq(seasonParticipantExpectedValues.id, existing[0].id));
       } else {
diff --git a/app/models/simulator.ts b/app/models/simulator.ts
index d4e1c3f..3455a72 100644
--- a/app/models/simulator.ts
+++ b/app/models/simulator.ts
@@ -367,10 +367,10 @@ export async function batchSaveFuturesOddsForSimulator(
   const db = database();
   const now = new Date();
 
-  // Persist the odds non-destructively. Whether these odds override a stored
-  // Elo/rating is now governed by the season's configurable source priority
-  // (see resolveSourceElos / SimulatorInputPolicy.sourceEloPriority), so we no
-  // longer null out manually entered Elo here — that policy decides at run time.
+  // Persist the odds non-destructively. How much these odds move a stored
+  // Elo/rating is now governed by the season's blend weight (see resolveSourceElos
+  // / SimulatorInputPolicy.oddsWeight), so we no longer null out manually entered
+  // Elo here — that policy decides at run time.
   await db
     .insert(schema.seasonParticipantSimulatorInputs)
     .values(
diff --git a/app/services/simulations/__tests__/input-policy.test.ts b/app/services/simulations/__tests__/input-policy.test.ts
index ed49a7a..2927145 100644
--- a/app/services/simulations/__tests__/input-policy.test.ts
+++ b/app/services/simulations/__tests__/input-policy.test.ts
@@ -188,6 +188,23 @@ describe("simulator input policy", () => {
     expect(resolved.get("missing-tail")).toMatchObject({ rating: -10, method: "worstKnownMinus" });
   });
 
+  it("does not clamp a directly entered Elo above the policy ceiling", () => {
+    // Snooker/darts enter manual Elos well above the default 1900 ceiling and
+    // have no odds source — the direct value must pass through unclamped.
+    const eloOnlyProfile = {} as Pick<SimulatorManifestProfile, "derivableInputs">;
+    const resolved = resolveSourceElos(
+      [
+        { participantId: "ronnie", sourceElo: 2450, rating: null, sourceOdds: null, projectedWins: null, projectedTablePoints: null },
+        { participantId: "judd", sourceElo: 2300, rating: null, sourceOdds: null, projectedWins: null, projectedTablePoints: null },
+      ],
+      eloOnlyProfile,
+      {}
+    );
+
+    expect(resolved.get("ronnie")).toMatchObject({ sourceElo: 2450, method: "direct" });
+    expect(resolved.get("judd")).toMatchObject({ sourceElo: 2300, method: "direct" });
+  });
+
   it("blends base Elo and futures odds into a single Elo by oddsWeight", () => {
     const inputs = [
       { participantId: "favorite", sourceElo: 1800, rating: null, sourceOdds: 300, projectedWins: null, projectedTablePoints: null },
diff --git a/app/services/simulations/input-policy.ts b/app/services/simulations/input-policy.ts
index a05dfdf..c6800ee 100644
--- a/app/services/simulations/input-policy.ts
+++ b/app/services/simulations/input-policy.ts
@@ -240,35 +240,41 @@ export function resolveSourceElos(
   }
 
   // 3. Blend base + odds into the single Elo that feeds the simulator.
+  //    Only odds-derived / blended / fallback values are clamped+rounded onto the
+  //    [eloMin, eloMax] band (they are mapped onto it by design). A base Elo is
+  //    passed through untouched: a directly entered Elo is trusted as-is (some
+  //    sports use ratings above the default ceiling, e.g. snooker ~2450) and a
+  //    projection-derived Elo was already clamped by projectionToElo.
   const w = policy.oddsWeight;
+  const clampDerived = (elo: number): number => clamp(Math.round(elo), policy.eloMin, policy.eloMax);
   for (const input of inputs) {
     const base = baseElo.get(input.participantId);
     const odds = oddsElo.get(input.participantId);
-    let elo: number;
+    let sourceElo: number;
     let method: ResolvedSourceElo["method"];
     if (base !== undefined && odds !== undefined) {
       if (w <= 0) {
-        elo = base.elo;
+        sourceElo = base.elo;
         method = base.method;
       } else if (w >= 1) {
-        elo = odds;
+        sourceElo = clampDerived(odds);
         method = "sourceOdds";
       } else {
-        elo = (1 - w) * base.elo + w * odds;
+        sourceElo = clampDerived((1 - w) * base.elo + w * odds);
         method = "blend";
       }
     } else if (base !== undefined) {
-      elo = base.elo;
+      sourceElo = base.elo;
       method = base.method;
     } else if (odds !== undefined) {
-      elo = odds;
+      sourceElo = clampDerived(odds);
       method = "sourceOdds";
     } else {
       continue;
     }
     resolved.set(input.participantId, {
       participantId: input.participantId,
-      sourceElo: clamp(Math.round(elo), policy.eloMin, policy.eloMax),
+      sourceElo,
       method,
     });
   }
@@ -343,7 +349,10 @@ export function resolveRatings(
     }
   }
 
+  // As with Elo: only odds-derived / blended values are clamped onto the rating
+  // band; a directly entered rating is trusted as-is (matching prior behavior).
   const w = policy.oddsWeight;
+  const clampDerived = (rating: number): number => clamp(rating, policy.ratingMin, policy.ratingMax);
   for (const input of inputs) {
     const base = baseRating.get(input.participantId);
     const odds = oddsRating.get(input.participantId);
@@ -354,24 +363,24 @@ export function resolveRatings(
         rating = base;
         method = "direct";
       } else if (w >= 1) {
-        rating = odds;
+        rating = clampDerived(odds);
         method = "sourceOdds";
       } else {
-        rating = (1 - w) * base + w * odds;
+        rating = clampDerived((1 - w) * base + w * odds);
         method = "blend";
       }
     } else if (base !== undefined) {
       rating = base;
       method = "direct";
     } else if (odds !== undefined) {
-      rating = odds;
+      rating = clampDerived(odds);
       method = "sourceOdds";
     } else {
       continue;
     }
     resolved.set(input.participantId, {
       participantId: input.participantId,
-      rating: clamp(rating, policy.ratingMin, policy.ratingMax),
+      rating,
       method,
     });
   }