How to Determine the Winner in Football Squares

Play Football Squares for fun.

Playing Football Squares makes football games even more exciting as you try to match certain scores at the end of each quarter to win money. Football Squares is a game of chance where participants purchase squares on a large grid. At the end of each quarter, the person with the winning square, based on the last digit of each team's score, wins a percentage of the prize pool. Football Squares is especially popular to play during the Super Bowl.

Instructions

1. Create one of the following types of Football Squares on a poster board or a large piece of paper: 1) Create a "100 square grid" by drawing a grid with 11 columns and 11 rows. 2) Create a "50 square grid" by drawing 11 columns and 6 rows. Split the left-most column boxes into 2 boxes each, except for the top-left corner box. 3) Create a "25 square grid" by drawing 6 columns and 6 rows. Split the left-most column boxes and the top row boxes into 2 boxes each, except for the top-left corner box. The 25 and 50 square versions have multiple numbers that can win a quarter for a given square.

2. Color all the boxes in the top row and the left-most column gray. This is where the numbers will go.

3. Write the name of one football team at the top of the page. Write the name of the other team down the side of the page. It doesn't matter which name goes where.

4. Establish a price for each square and how much money the winner of each quarter will win. A common method is to reward the winner of each quarter 25 percent of the prize pool. Plan how the players will handle a possible overtime scenario. One way to handle it is to have the over-time score override the fourth quarter score. Display the rules in a convenient matter so that everyone will see them, such as writing it at the bottom of the grid.

5. Sell each square on the grid for a set amount to friends, co-workers or family. Mark each square as it's bought. Don't sell any gray colored squares. Make sure to explain the rules to anyone buying a square and sell all the squares before continuing. Consider switching to a smaller grid if you can't sell all the squares.

6. Draw the numbers 0 to 9 randomly in the boxes across the top row, except for the top-left box. A common way to do this is to draw the numbers 0 to 9 on pieces of paper and then draw them from a hat in front of the people who have purchased squares, so there is no question of cheating.

7. Draw the numbers 0 to 9 randomly in the same fashion for the boxes down the left-most column, except for the top-left box. Make copies of the grid for everyone if desired.

8. Watch the game and write down the score at the end of each quarter. For example, the score at the end of the first quarter might be 14 for the top team and 7 for the team listed on the side. Take the last digit of each score. Find the top column box with "4" written in it and follow it down to the row with "7" written on the left side. The owner of this square wins the first quarter. Use this method to find the winners for all four quarters.

9. Distribute the prize money to the winners.

Tips & Warnings

• Consult your local gambling laws for the legality of playing Football Squares with real money. Handing out prizes or playing for free are alternatives if your local laws prohibit playing for money.

References

• Print Your Brackets: Football Square Grid for any Game
• Doc's Sports Service: Essential Super Bowl Party Games