How to Understand the Rules of a Super Bowl Pool

A Super Bowl football pool is a annual tradition in many offices. It is a fun activity and an opportunity for coworkers to bond over football. For the non football fan, they may be confused on how a Super Bowl pool works.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. The most common type of football or Super Bowl pool is buying squares. In this pool each participant buys a square in a grid. The cost of a square can be any amount the organizers choose, typically a dollar a square.

2. The pool is displayed on a 10 x 10 grid with numbers along both the top and left side of the page with 100 squares total available. The top row of numbers represents one super bowl team and the side row represents the other team. The numbers are not actually placed on the top and side, however, until all the squares have been purchased and filled in with the contestants' names. Once filled, numbers are drawn out of a hat and placed randomly left to right along the top of the grid and top to bottom down the side of the grid.

3. The object of this grid type office pool is to have the combination of number that match the last numbers in the score of the game. There is a payout at the end of each quarter and at the end of the game. The digit used is always the second number. For example, if a team has 17 points at the end of the quarter, the 7 is used to determine the winner. The payments can be equal for each quarter but typically there is a larger payout at the end of the game.

Tips & Warnings

• The numbers you get when you buy a square but some numbers have a better chance than others. Since touchdowns are worth seven points the multiples of the number seven is a good number. Zero is also good. However every number has a chance so enjoy the game. Buying a square in a football pool will add a some excitement to the game.
• Most states in the U.S. have clarified their laws regarding football pools. Most states allow it as long as 100 percent of the funds in the pool are paid back out to the contestants. We strongly suggest that you check with both your local laws and workplace rules before participating in any office pools.