How to Run an NFL Pick'em Pool: A Commissioner's Checklist

Running the family or office NFL pool is a great job until Monday morning, when you are matching email picks against box scores and someone swears they sent theirs on Saturday. Here is how to set up a pool that runs itself, so the only thing you have to manage is the trash talk.

1. Pick a format your group will finish

The most common mistake is choosing a format that is too complicated for the least interested player. If half your group checks in once a week, stick with a straight pick'em pool: pick the winner of every game, one point each. If your group likes strategy, a confidence pool rewards knowing which games you are sure about. If people tend to drift away by October, a survivor pool keeps everyone watching, because one pick a week is easy and getting knocked out stings.

2. Decide when picks lock

You have two choices. A week lock closes every pick at the first kickoff of the week, usually Thursday night. That is simple and fair, but it means a Thursday game decides when everyone has to be done. A game lock lets players pick each game right up to its own kickoff, which is friendlier for busy people and makes Sunday morning picks possible. Most office pools are happier with game locks.

3. Keep picks hidden until they lock

Nothing starts an argument faster than someone copying the smart cousin's picks. On Sports Picker, nobody can see anyone else's picks until they lock, the commissioner included, and then everyone's picks are revealed at once.

4. Have a plan for forgotten picks

Someone will forget. Decide in advance whether a missed game is zero points (the usual rule) or whether you will allow a late pick. Reminder emails and phone notifications before picks lock cut down on misses a lot. If someone has a real excuse, a commissioner can give that one player a late pass for unstarted games.

5. Settle the tiebreaker on day one

Ties happen more than you think, especially in smaller pools. The classic tiebreaker is predicting the total winning margin of the Super Bowl. Announce it before Week 1 so nobody can claim a new rule was made up in February.

6. Prizes, money and keeping it friendly

A prize does not have to be cash. Loser buys wings, the winner picks the restaurant, or a traveling trophy all work. If your group plays for a pot, write down the buy-in and the payouts (for example, a weekly prize plus first, second and third for the season) and collect before Week 1. Sports Picker can show players Venmo, Cash App or PayPal buttons that pay you directly, and track who has paid, but it never holds the money. Keep cash pools within your local rules.

7. Make the chat part of the game

The standings tell you who is winning; the chat is why people keep coming back. Post a weekly recap, call out the upset nobody saw coming, and let the person in last place have a little fun at the leader's expense.

Ready to set one up? Start your pool in a couple of minutes, or read more about running a pool at work.

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