Rules

Scoring

  • For each matchup, a line will be set at the number of points the favored team is expected to beat the underdog by.

  • Example: The line is 6, 49ers over Patriots. If you pick the 49ers, and they win by a touchdown (7), or more, you got the pick correct. If the 49ers win by 5, or anything less than 6 (including a Patriots win), you got the pick incorrect. If the 49ers win by 6 exactly, your pick is a push.

  • A correct pick is 1.0 point. An incorrect pick is 0.0 points. A push is 0.5 points.

  • Example: The line is 0, Dolphins vs Jets. If you pick the Jets, and they win, you got the pick correct. If they tie, you get 0.5 points no matter which team you chose, because in both cases, that team pushed the line.

  • You get to pick 5 teams every week of the regular season.

  • The lines are set deliberately to split bets, averaging close to the same 50/50 chance as a coin toss. Historically, if you average 3 picks correct out of 5 weekly, you are going to end in the top standings. 60% is great for Vegas.

Logistics

  • All times on the site (and in these docs) are in the pacific timezone, unless otherwise specified.

  • Lines for each upcoming week will be posted on Wednesday evening at 6pm.

  • You have until Saturday night at midnight to place your picks.

  • Everyone’s picks will be emailed out at 1am after lockdown Saturday night.

  • The app gracefully handles daylight savings time. Before the shift, picks lock at midnight. After the shift, picks lock at midnight. Every timed schedule is consistent for both PDT and PST (and all other timezones, just shifted).

  • Scores are fetched every minute during game windows (from 30min before kickoff until the status is reported as finished).

  • Scores tick live on the matchups and picks views. No need to refresh.

Payment

  • You may play in the free (default) league at will. Pick as many or as few weeks as you’d like. Take breaks. Enjoy your time.

  • The contest has an entry donation of $50. This must be received by week 3 to enter.

  • Payments are either made through Venmo (Petty) or Stripe (follow the Upgrade link on your menu). If you’ve already paid, this will change to show Premium. In the offseason, it will display Offseason and the tooltip will indicate your status from the most recent season.

  • If you are in the paid league, all of your views will default to only show the paid league (leaderboard, all-picks view, etc). If you are not in the paid league for that season, it will show everyone (the free league).

  • $2 of each $50 goes to the end-of-season party in Hermosa Beach. Fly to LA for your hard-earned beer.

  • The other $48 of each $50 goes to the prize pool. We are not pocketing any of the dues. The service is free.

  • Payout is displayed on the leaderboard, based on the current number of paid players for that season.

  • It’s a discrete logarithmic distribution (p=0.9), with the floor payout being determined by the buyin.

  • Round-downs for ranks 2-N go to the 1st place prize, and the 1st place round-down goes to the party fund.

  • If multiple people are tied for the same total points, their purses are summed and distributed evenly among them.

  • A $10 weekly prize will be awarded to anyone who gets all 5 picks correctly. If no one goes 5-0 then the prize will carry over to the next week, accumulating another $10. If multiple people get 5-0, then the current prize total will be split evenly among them. If no one goes 5-0 on the final week of the regular season, then the current prize total gets added to the party fund.