Rules and Regulations
The rules will be the same as in previous years (for those of you that have been in it before), with all picks submitted via internet entry. All players must register for the pool using the sign up form. After you have registered, you will receive an e-mail confirmation with the information you entered.
Each week a player must enter their picks on the "Pick Entry Form" found on the pool website. No picks will be taken over the phone, by e-mail, or any other method. New players are welcome anytime during the season, but MUST use the sign up form in order to get their pool name on the picksheet list. The picksheet list is NOT automatically updated. I have to run a program to update it, so don't panic if your name is not on there immediately. I will try to update the list every day in which I receive a new signup.
Each player MUST come up with a Pool Name to use as their "handle". Pool names are limited to 17 characters, including spaces. Surnames or initials are boring and don't add to the unique nature of "The Pool". I promise to change any nickname that resembles a surname or initials, so don't get offended if you choose to challenge this rule. Use your imagination and give the rest of us something to laugh about.
The Pick Sheet will not allow you to send your picks in unless ALL games have a winner marked and the Monday Night total points is entered. After making pool selections, you will get a confirmation screen and an e-mail with your picks will be sent to the address you used on the sign up form.
Except for the last week of the season, there will be games on Thursday nights every week. All picks must be entered on the pick sheet by 5:30 PM on Thursday. The only exceptions to this are on Thanksgiving Day, the picks must be submitted prior to the start of the first game and on Week 17 when all teams play on Sunday. If you attempt to enter your picks after this deadline, they will not be accepted and you'll be redirected to a page that will tell you that you were too late.
A $5 entry fee is due before 5 PM on Friday. No exceptions!!! (Prepayment for weeks in advance is acceptable. Payment for the entire 17 week season is $85). You can pay by credit card using the PayPal "BUY NOW" button below. PayPal charges a fee which I have figured into the payment. You can use this if you're short on cash! Entry fees must be submitted to the pool manager, or his representative. The pool manager will upload only the pool entry forms of the players that have paid the entry fee. Late entries may be accepted on a case by case basis if only one game has been played (ie. a Thursday night game that you forgot about). Originality of stories used for excuses will count! In the event that a game has been played, that game shall count as a loss for the late entrant.
After entering your picks, you'll get a confirmation screen and e-mail message confirming your picks. Picks may be reentered at anytime until the deadline. New this year is a page that allows you to check who has entered picks (Picks Received) and the ability to check the picks (Check Your Picks) that you made (in case you don't trust the confirmation page or e-mail!). In order to access the picks, you will need your player name and password.
Summaries of pool picks for the weekend will usually be available the next morning from the pool website ("Player Selections"). The "Player Selections" sheet contains the official list of everyone who is participating for the week and a record of each player's picks. It is from this sheet that the weekly winner is determined.
The pool will be updated on Sunday night, after the last game of the day. A summary indicating the players standings going into the Monday Night Game will be available on the "This Week's Standings" page on the pool website on Monday morning. The table will indicate which players are in the running for the week's pool and what combination of game winner and score will allow the player to win the pool.
Monday Night game results will be input on Monday Night after the game (assuming the pool manager does not have too much beer while watching the game!) and summary results will be available on the "This Week's Standings" page on the pool website on Tuesday morning. The player with the most games won will win that week's pot. The pot will consist of the total amount of money collected for that week, less 15% which will be put aside for the year end pot. If two or more players tie for the most wins in a given week, the Monday Night game point total will be used to determine a single winner. In a tie break situation, the player who has picked a Monday Night point total closest to the actual score will be the winner. If 2 players have picked point totals that are an equal distance away from the actual score, the winner will be the player who has not exceeded the actual score. Examples of how this tie break system works are listed below.
Example 1: Player 1 - 43 pts; Player 2 - 48 pts. Actual score - 46 pts.
Winner: Player 2. Player 1 has a winning range of 0-45 pts and Player 2 has a winning range of 46+
Example 2: Player 1 - 43 pts; Player 2 - 47 points. Actual score - 45 pts.
Winner: Player 1. Player 1 has a winning range of 0-45 pts and Player 2 has a winning range of 46+. Both players are 2 pts away from the actual score, however, in this situation the player who has not exceeded the actual score would win (Player 1),
The only situation where 2 players would split the pot is when both tie for the most wins and have selected the same Monday Night score.
The pool name of the winner, the amount won and the contribution to the season pot will be available on a separate page on the website.
Year End Jackpot
Year end awards are generated by withholding 15% of each weeks total pot (minus $25 for the software used to run the league). At the end of the season, the top 3 players with the BEST WINNING PERCENTAGE for the entire season will each receive a portion of the accumulated jackpot. In order to qualify for the year end jackpot, a player must have played at least 14 of the 17 weeks during the season and also participated in at least 4 out of the last 5 weeks. The top 3 place finishers MUST play the last week. This criteria will insure that the "Pool Champion" has truly distinguished themselves throughout the entire year and is deserving of the crown.
You can keep track of where you stand in line for the year end pool by checking out the "Season Standings" page of the pool website.
Distribution of the receipts collected for the accumulated jackpot will be as follows:
1st Place - 50%
2nd Place - 30%
3rd Place - 20%