How to Set up a Football Pool

How to Set up a Football Pool

Organizing a football pool for big games, especially The
Super Bowl, is a much beloved pastime for many football
fans. Whether you're having a football party, or just
organizing an office football pool, this article will
explain how to set up a football pool, determine who wins,
and provide advice on how to split up the pot.

!! Steps !!

Know the law. In some American States, laws are in place banning any
form of gambling, including pools that result in no profit to the
organizer. If this is the case, you won't be able to do this for
financial reward, or involving money.

* If playing for money is not permitted, play for something else,
such as simply winning and being able to brag! It can still be a
good excuse for a party.

Make a grid. Draw a grid on thick cardboard that consists of 10 rows
across and 10 columns high. Use a ruler to keep it straight. Make
sure there is adequate space for names or initials in each of the
squares.

* Alternately, print off a football pool grid. These can be found
doing an online search (look for "printable football grid" to find
one) and can be printed off on an 8-1/2 inch x 11 inch (21.5cm x
27.9cm) piece of paper, consisting of 100 squares.

* Write in the team names. Down one side of the grid, write one
team's name, and write the other team's name across the top of the
grid.
Decide the pricing and winnings. You'll need to decide how much to
charge per square and how to pay out the pot.

* Pricing the squares: A usual price is $1.00 per square, for a
total pot of $100.00.

* Paying out the pot: The most common way is to pay something at the
end of each quarter. You can decide what percent of the pot will
be paid out each time. For example, 25 percent after the 1st
quarter, 25 percent after the 2nd quarter and so on until 100
percent of the pot is paid out.

* Have each participant select empty squares on the grid. "Sell"
squares on the grid until all 100 squares are filled in with the
buyer's name. Buyers can purchase multiple squares.
After all squares are filled in with names, draw the numbers that
will be filled in along the top and down the left side of the grid.
Create 10 small squares of paper and then write one number (zero
thru nine) on each piece of paper. Fold the 10 squares and put them
into something to draw from, like a hat or an ice cream container.

* Choose somebody to draw one number at a time.

* As the numbers are drawn out, fill them in across the top,
starting from left to right.

* Fold them back up and do the same for the left side, top to
bottom.

* When finished, the numbers will be in random order across and down
the grid.

* Make copies of the grid on your copier or printer copier for each
participant. Place the original grid where everyone can see it,
especially if you're having a party, and have someone responsible
for keeping it updated.

* Decide how winners will be determined. A very common way is to use
the "last digit" method. Basically, take the last digits of each
team's score and find where those numbers intersect on the grid.
For example, if the final score is A's 19 and F's 12, line up the
9 from the 19 of the A's and the 2 from the F's side. The
intersecting square when you draw your fingers down and across
from 9 and 2 is the winner. (This is the exact same method as used
for reading a street map.)

* Enjoy the game and pay out the pot as decided.

!! Video !!

!! Tips !!

* If there aren't enough of you to take all the squares on a 10x10
grid, make a 5x5 one instead. If you do this, draw two numbers per
square across the top and down the side.

!! Warnings !!

* Be aware of the rules about gambling in your jurisdiction.

!! Things You'll Need !!

* Markers

* Thick cardboard or poster board

* Ruler

* Scissors

* Paper

* Hat or ice cream container

* Poster tack for pinning up

* Party snacks and drinks

* TV

!! Related WikiHows !!

* How to Make Your House the Ultimate Football Fans House

* How to Cheer at a Notre Dame Football Game

* How to Play 1 on 1 Football

* How to Become a Soccer Fan

* How to Make a Football T Shirt

* How to Perform an Aggie Yell

!! Sources And Citations !!

* Original source of article Sandee Lembke from
http://www.theme-party-queen.com, shared with permission.

* Additional updating information adapted from Howcast,
http://www.howcast.com/videos/117211-How-To-Organize-a-Pool-For-the-Big-Football-Game.

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