How to Run a Block Pool

For organizers

The short version: pick a price and a payout split, get 100 squares sold, draw the numbers once the board is full, and pay a winner at the end of each quarter. Decide your rules before anyone pays, and tell everyone.

1. Pick the price and the payouts

A board has 100 squares, so the pot is 100 × the price per square: $1 squares make a $100 pot, $10 squares make $1,000. Choose a price your group is comfortable with, then split the pot across the four scoring moments. Common splits:

• 25 / 25 / 25 / 25: the same payout every quarter.
• 20 / 20 / 20 / 40: the final pays double, which keeps everyone watching.
• 10 / 20 / 10 / 60: halftime and the final carry most of the pot.

See the rules and common variations for more options.

2. Set your house rules up front

• A deadline for buying and picking squares, before kickoff.
• A limit on how many squares one person can buy, if you want the board spread around.
• Unsold squares: whether a winning unsold square rolls its payout to the next quarter or goes to the house.
• Overtime: most pools count the final score, overtime included.

3. Collect the money before anyone picks

Take payment first, then let people choose squares, so you’re never chasing money after the numbers are out. Cash works at a party; for a group spread out, most organizers use an app their group already shares, like Venmo or Cash App. Payment apps have their own rules about what they can be used for, so check them, or stick to cash. Keep a list of who paid for how many.

4. Fill the board

Players put their initials in the squares they want. On paper, that means passing one sheet around (or a printable sheet on the fridge). Online, each paid player gets a link and picks from their phone. Either way, keep it first come, first served.

5. Draw the numbers, after the board is full

Only once picks are closed, randomly assign the digits 0–9 across the top and down the side. Drawing after picking is what makes the game fair: nobody knows in advance which squares will be good. On paper, pull numbers from a hat in front of the group; online, they’re drawn once and everyone sees the same result.

6. Game day

At the end of each quarter, take the last digit of each team’s score. The square where those two digits meet wins that quarter. Write each winner down as it happens.

7. Pay the winners

Pay each quarter’s winner as soon as the quarter ends, using the same method you collected with. Take a photo of the finished board, numbers included, so there’s a record.

Running it with this site

Super Bowl Block Pool handles steps 4–6 for you: paid players get their own pick link, the draw happens once on the server, and live scores fill in each quarter. The commissioner guide walks through every button. Check the rules on pools where you and your players live, especially if the organizer keeps a cut.