Pool Rules

General Rules

In an effort to make collecting money and submitting picks easier, we are going to use an account system. All picks will be made by using this website. You will only be able to make your picks if your account has an adequate balance to cover the fees. If you win, your winnings will be credited to your account. You may request to withdraw your winnings or any amount at any given time, or you may leave the money in your account to cover future fees. You will be allowed to make picks for 0 weeks, before an adequate balance is expected. If dues or fees are assessed at any time, your balance will need to be adequate to make picks the following week.

Christmas Club Pool

The Christmas Club is a football pool where there is a pot of money that is split among the participants right before Christmas based on participation. The share will be calculated based on how many weeks you played. The fraction representing your participation will be multiplied by the total pot to equal your share. That pot is initially funded by a $10.00 contribution by every member. This will be assessed to all Christmas Club Pool participants in week 3.

To play, you must pick exactly four teams to win against the points spread and deposit a play amount into the pot. If your four teams win against the spread, your account will be credited 10 times the amount you played for that week.

Point Spreads

You must consider the point spread for games when making picks. The Administrator will set the point spread for each game every week. These should be set by Tuesday, but it will be pretty obvious if they are not.

The point spread is also refered to as the line. On the entry form you'll see this next to the visiting team. If the line as not been set for a game, it will be displayed as "n/l" (no line). Make sure the points spreads are set before finallizing your picks.

The value shown always applies to the visiting team. A negative point spread means that the visitors are favored by that many points, a positive spread means that the visitors are the underdog. If the point spread shows "even" it means that neither team is favored.

You want to pick the team that will win "against the spread." For example, if a team is favored by 6 points, they must win by 7 points (or more) to be considered the winner. As another example, say a team is a 3½ point underdog but they lose by only 3 points, they would considered the winner.

To put it another way, when determining the outcome of the game, the point spread is added to the visiting team's score and then compared to the home team's score.

Making and Changing Christmas Entries

When filling in an entry form, you will need to make exactly four picks. All other games will need to have the Not picked option selected. Select your play amount at the bottom before submitting your entry. If there are early games scheduled for a given week (games played on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday), you will be allowed to change your picks for other games later if you wish.

Locked Games

Games are automatically locked out on the entry form according to their scheduled date and time. Early games are locked at the start of the individual game. All remaining games (including any Monday night games) are locked at the scheduled start time of the first Sunday game.

Times displayed on the schedule are Eastern.

You may change your pick for any game up until the time that game is locked.

You can delete your entry, if desired, provided no games for that week have been locked.

Entries must be completed on time. Once a game is locked, you may not change your pick for it. If you did not make a pick for a particular game, it is counted as a loss. If you submit a partial entry and either forget or are unable to complete it, you are still responsible for the entry fee.

The Administrator may make exceptions for extenuating circumstances on an individual basis. By participating you agree to abide by the above rules and accept any decisions made by the Administrator.

If you have trouble accessing the site, logging in or otherwise completing your entry, please contact the Administrator for help.

Quick Picks

This feature let's you quickly fill in your christmas entry using one of these options to make a pick in four random games:

• 4 Away picks four random visiting teams.
• 4 Home picks four random home teams.
• 4 Favorites picks four random favored teams based on the point spread shown.
• 4 Underdogs picks four random underdog teams.
• Random picks four random teams.
• All not picked select all the not picked options.
This is a nice way to make all of your selections for games not played. You can hit this first and then change your four picks. Or you may want to make your picks, "keep" them by checking the box all the way to the left, and then using this to set the rest of the picks.
• Clear unchecks all picks.

By default, quick picks are applied to all unlocked games, overwriting any current selections. You can prevent this for specific games by checking the Keep box next to the game. Unchecking the box will again allow the game to be updated with a quick pick.

You can use any combination of quick picks and manual selections prior to submitting your entry. Remember to also select your play amount before submitting your entry.

Weekly Pool

Each week constitutes a new pool. You may play as many or as few weeks as you like but you are allowed only one entry per week. Each entry costs $1.00 which goes into the pot paid to that week's winner(s). Note, however, that 10% of each week's pot is reserved for an overall award given at the end of the regular season.

To enter, fill in the entry form by making your pick for each game. The goal is to pick the winning team, based on the point spread (see below).

You will also be asked to guess the total points scored in the Monday Night Football game (or whatever the last scheduled game of that week is). This will be used as a tiebreaker.

The winner for each week will be the player with the highest score. In the event of a tie, the player who guessed closest to the actual point total of the tiebreaker game will win. Should any players still be tied after applying the tiebreaker, the pot will be divided equally among those players.

For the tiebreaker, it does not matter if your point total is over or under the actual score total. It is only the difference that counts.

Scoring

Your score is simply the number of games you correctly picked.

In the event a game ends in a tie, you will receive half a point for that game, provided you made a pick for it.

Point Spreads

You must consider the point spread for games when making picks. The Administrator will set the point spread for each game every week. Check with him or her to find out when you can expect these to be available.

The point spread is also refered to as the line. On the entry form you'll see this next to the visiting team. If the line as not been set for a game, it will be displayed as "n/l" (no line).

The value shown always applies to the visiting team. A negative point spread means that the visitors are favored by that many points, a positive spread means that the visitors are the underdog. If the point spread shows "even" it means that neither team is favored.

You want to pick the team that will win "against the spread." For example, if a team is favored by 6 points, they must win by 7 points (or more) to be considered the winner. As another example, say a team is a 3½ point underdog but they lose by only 3 points, they would considered the winner.

To put it another way, when determining the outcome of the game, the point spread is added to the visiting team's score and then compared to the home team's score.

Making and Changing Weekly Entries

When filling in an entry form, you do not have to make a pick for each game. All that is required is that you enter a point total for the tiebreaker. This is helpful if there are early games scheduled for a given week (games played on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday). You may make your picks for these games beforehand and complete the rest later.

Locked Games

Games are automatically locked out on the entry form according to their scheduled date and time. Early games are locked at the start of the individual game. All remaining games (including any Monday night games) are locked at the scheduled start time of the first Sunday game.

Times displayed on the schedule are Eastern.

You may change your pick for any game up until the time that game is locked. You may also change your tiebreaker point total up until the time that all entries are locked on Sunday.

You can delete your entry, if desired, provided no games for that week have been locked.

Entries must be completed on time. Once a game is locked, you may not change your pick for it. If you did not make a pick for a particular game, it is counted as a loss. If you submit a partial entry and either forget or are unable to complete it, you are still responsible for the entry fee.

The Administrator may make exceptions for extenuating circumstances on an individual basis. By participating you agree to abide by the above rules and accept any decisions made by the Administrator.

If you have trouble accessing the site, logging in or otherwise completing your entry, please contact the Administrator for help.

Quick Picks

This feature let's you quickly fill in your weekly entry using one of these options to make a pick in each game:

• All Away picks all the visiting teams.
• All Home picks all the home teams.
• All Favorites picks all the favored teams based on the point spread shown.
• All Underdogs picks all the underdog teams.
• By Rank picks teams based on your personal team rankings. Note that this option is only available after you have set your personal team rankings (see below).
• Random picks teams at random.
• Clear unchecks all picks.

By default, quick picks are applied to all unlocked games, overwriting any current selections. You can prevent this for specific games by checking the Keep box next to the game. Unchecking the box will again allow the game to be updated with a quick pick.

You can use any combination of quick picks and manual selections prior to submitting your entry. Remember to also enter a tiebreak point total.

Editing Your Team Rankings

Use the edit team rankings form to set your personal team rankings. To assign a rank to a team, select the desired rank from the drop down list (#1 being the team you consider the best, #2 the second-best and so on). The display will automatically update to show the new order.

When you are satisfied with your rankings, press the Update button to save your data. You can then use these rankings make quick picks on the weekly entry form.

Overall Award

After all weekly pools are concluded, the overall award will be given to the player who made the most correct picks over the entire regular season.

Note that it is the total number of correct picks that counts, not the percentage. This is done to favor players who play more rather than ones who score well but only play a few weeks.

The size of the overall award will depend on the total number of weekly entries made. If there is a tie between two or more players, the award will be split equally among them.

Survivor Pool

This pool is separate from the other pool(s). If you choose to participate, you must make an entry during week 2 (This is the week the Administrator has chosen to start the pool). The entry fee is $3.00.

The pool runs over the entire regular season. Each week, you must pick one team among those playing that you think will win its game. You can use each team only once.

Note that point spreads are not used in this pool. You want to pick teams to win straight up.

This pool is actually a combination of two similar yet distinct pool formats described below. You make only one pick each week, that pick applies to both the survivor pool and the margin pool.

Survivor Pool Objective

The goal of the survivor pool is to outlast your fellow players. If your team wins, you survive and continue on to the next week. If your team loses, you are eliminated.

Note that if you do not make a pick for a given week, it counts as a loss. If the game ends in a tie, it is considered a loss. In the event all active players are eliminated in a single week, those players will be reinstated and continue to the next week.

When only one player remains, he or she wins the pot. If more than one player survives to the end of the regular season, they will split the pot equally.

Making and Changing Survivor Picks

As with the other pool(s), you may make or change your pick for the survivor pool up until all games for that particular week are locked. If you pick a team playing an early game, you cannot change that pick once that game is locked. Likewise, you cannot pick a team whose game has been locked.

You can make your picks in advance for upcoming weeks. Note, however, that when you make a pick, that team is no longer available for use in other weeks. So if you later decide you want to use that team in a different week, you'll first need to change or delete the existing entry for it.

Margin Pool

This pool is separate from the other pool(s). If you choose to participate, you must make an entry during week 1 (This is the week the Administrator has chosen to start the pool). The entry fee is $3.00.

The pool runs over the entire regular season. Each week, you must pick one team among those playing that you think will win its game. You can use each team only once.

Note that point spreads are not used in this pool. You want to pick teams to win straight up.

Margin Pool Objective

The goal of the margin pool is to pick the team you think will win it's game by the greatest scoring margin. If your team wins, the point difference is added to your total. If your team loses, the point difference is subtracted from your total.

If you do not make a pick for a given week, it counts as a loss and your point total will be deducted using the greatest losing margin among all games for that week.

Whichever player scores the most points at the end of the regular season wins the pool. In the event of a tie, the number of correct picks will be used as a tiebreaker. Should two or more players still be tied, those players will split the pot equally.

Making and Changing Margin Picks

As with the other pool(s), you may make or change your pick for the margin pool up until all games for that particular week are locked. If you pick a team playing an early game, you cannot change that pick once that game is locked. Likewise, you cannot pick a team whose game has been locked.

You can make your picks in advance for upcoming weeks. Note, however, that when you make a pick, that team is no longer available for use in other weeks. So if you later decide you want to use that team in a different week, you'll first need to change or delete the existing entry for it.

To make picks, view results and find additional information, see the site map.