Know The Rules

General Contest Rules

Super Bowl bracket picks can be made and changed up until kickoff. (Note: kickoff time is set for 6:30 PM.)
Once “kickoff time” is reached, picks will be closed and cannot be made or changed.
Make your picks in each category of this year’s Super Bowl game — there are 12 different picks for the Super Bowl bracket contest.
You cannot view other bracketeer’s picks until the game starts and all picks are locked in.

Points Assessment – Awards & Penalties

Points are awarded in 3 categories — by picking game scores (end of each quarter), picking the winning team (Vince Lombardi Trophy winner), and picking the MVP (Most Valuable Player).
Scores Throughout Game (5 picks): you can receive up to +105 points for accurately picking game scores as follows–

+10 points awarded for picking leader’s points, trailer’s points, and point total at the end of the 1st quarter:

3 of 10 points for picking leader’s exact score & 3 of 10 points for picking trailer’s exact score, or
1 mercy point if within ±1 point of leader’s exact score & 1 mercy point if within ±1 point of trailer’s exact score.
4 of 10 points if the sum of your score-picks equals the exact point total, or
2 mercy points if the sum of your score-picks is within ±2 points of exact point total.

+20 points awarded for picking leader’s points, trailer’s points, and point total at the end of the 2nd quarter:

6 of 20 points for picking leader’s exact score & 6 of 20 points for picking trailer’s exact score, or
2 mercy points if within ±2 points of leader’s exact score & 2 mercy points if within ±2 points of trailer’s exact score.
8 of 20 points if the sum of your score-picks equals the exact point total, or
4 mercy points if the sum of your score-picks is within ±3 points of exact point total.

+30 points awarded for picking leader’s points, trailer’s points, and point total at the end of the 3rd quarter:

9 of 30 points for picking leader’s exact score & 9 of 30 points for picking trailer’s exact score, or
3 mercy points if within ±3 points of leader’s exact score & 3 mercy points if within ±3 points of trailer’s exact score.
12 of 30 points if the sum of your score-picks equals the exact point total, or
6 mercy points if the sum of your score-picks is within ±4 points of exact point total.

+40 points awarded for picking winner’s points, loser’s points, and total points at the end of the 4th quarter (same as end of game if no overtime required):

12 of 40 points for picking leader’s exact score & 12 of 40 points for picking trailer’s exact score, or
4 mercy points if within ±4 points of leader’s exact score & 4 mercy points if within ±4 points of trailer’s exact score.
16 of 40 points if the sum of your score-picks equals the exact point total, or
8 mercy points if the sum of your score-picks is within ±5 points of exact point total.

+5 points awarded for picking the point total in overtime, if overtime is required (pick is optional). If picked:

5 of 5 points for picking exact overtime total, or
2 mercy points for picking within ±2 points of overtime total.

Point deductions (overtime only):

-2 points deducted if you pick an overtime score and game does not go into overtime, or
-2 points deducted if you do not pick an overtime score and game goes into overtime.

Note: you will not be picking points according to specific team, rather point picks apply to whoever the leader/winner and trailer/loser is in the game. Score picking format is 99-99. Example 7-3 (no spaces, letters or special characters except the hyphen).

Pick Winning Team (1 pick): choose who you think will win the game as follows:

+5 points awarded for picking the winning team, or
-3 points deducted for picking the losing team.

Pick Game’s MVP (6 picks): you can receive up to +15 points for correctly picking the most valuable player as follows:

+15 points are awarded if your 1st choice player is the game’s MVP, or
+10 points are awarded if your 2nd choice player is the game’s MVP, or
+5 points are awarded if your 3rd choice player is the game’s MVP.
You can pick a total of 6 players — 3 from the AFC Championship team and 3 from the NFC Championship team, in choice order.
There are no penalty points deducted in the MVP category.

Walkthrough Scenario (using Super Bowl XLIV as example, except for #6)

Example #1 – The score at the end of the 1st quarter is 10-0 and you picked it to be 7-3. (How did I do?)

You earn no points for the leader’s score which is 10. You picked 7.
You earn no points for the trailer’s score which is 0. You picked 3.
You earn a total of +4 points for picking the exact point total of 10 [10+0]. You picked 10 [7+3].
Reminder you are not picking points by team, simply points by leader and trailer.

Example #2 – The score at the end of the 2nd quarter is 10-6 and you picked it to be 10-3. (How did I do?)

You earn +6 points for picking the leader’s exact point total of 10.
You earn no points for the trailer’s score which is 6. You picked 3.
You earn +4 “mercy” points for picking within ±3 of the exact point total of 16 [10+6]. You picked 13 [10+3].
So you are awarded a total of +10 points for the 2nd quarter score.
Reminder you are not picking points by team, simply points by leader and trailer.

Example #3 – The score at the end of the 3rd quarter is 17-16 and you picked it to be 24-16. (How did I do?)

You earn no points for the leader’s score which is 17. You picked 24.
You earn a total of +9 points for the trailer’s exact point total of 16.
You earn no points for the total score of 33 [17+16]. You picked 40 [24+16].
Reminder you are not picking points by team, simply points by leader and trailer.

Example #4 – The score at the end of the 4th quarter is 31-17 and you picked it to be 35-21. (How did I do?)

You earn +4 “mercy” points for picking within ±4 of the leader’s score of 31. You picked 35.
You earn +4 “mercy” points for picking within ±4 of the trailer’s score of 17. You picked 21.
You earn no points for the total score of 48 [31+17]. You picked 56 [35+21].
So you are awarded a total of +8 points for the 4th quarter score.
Reminder you are not picking points by team, simply points by leader and trailer.

Example #5 – The game is decided in regulation but you elected to pick 6 overtime points. (How did I do?)

You are deducted -2 points for inaccurately predicting overtime.
No points are awarded when the game does not go into overtime and you accurately predicted it would not. Sorry.
Reminder that picking overtime points is purely optional.

Example #6 – The game is decided by 3 points in overtime and you elected not to pick overtime points. (How did I do?)

You are deducted -2 points for not anticipating overtime.
Had you predicted overtime and picked 3 points, you would have earned +5 points.
Had you predicted overtime and picked 1, 2, 4, or 5 points, you would have earned +2 “mercy” points.
Reminder that picking overtime points is purely optional.
And here’s a little hint … if the game goes into overtime your score picks in the 4th quarter ought to equal each other ;-) That’s a free one on us for reading the Rule Book.

Example #7 – New Orleans Saints beat Indianapolis Colts and you picked new Orleans to win. (How did I do?)

You earn +5 points for correctly picking the Saints.
However, had you picked the Colts to win you would have been penalized -3 points.

Example #8 – Drew Brees is the Game’s MVP and you picked him as your 2nd choice for the Saints. (How did I do?)

You earn +10 points for correctly picking Drew Brees, but only as your 2nd choice.
Had you picked Drew as your 1st choice, you would have earned +15 points.
Conversely, if you picked Drew as your 3rd choice for the Saints, you would have earned +5 points.
Reminder that no points are awarded if the MVP is not on either of your 2 lists (home and away).

Point Summaries

Point maximums and minimums — each category:

The most you can earn in the 1st Quarter is 10 points (3 points + 3 points + 4 points)
The most you can earn in the 2nd Quarter is 20 points (6 points + 6 points + 8 points)
The most you can earn in the 3rd Quarter is 30 points (9 points + 9 points + 12 points)
The most you can earn in the 4th Quarter is 40 points (12 points + 12 points + 16 points)
The most you can earn from Overtime (if played) is 5 points
The most you can earn for picking the Winning Team is 5 points
The most you can earn for picking the Game MVP is 15 points
The most you can be penalized for Overtime (whether played or not) is -2 points
The most you can be penalized for picking the Losing Team is -3 points
The total points you can earn for the 2018 NFL Super Bowl Bracket is 125 Points
The total points you can lose for the 2018 NFL Super Bowl Bracket is -5 Points

Tie Breakers

Tie-break Procedure (head-to-head Bracketeer comparison of the following, in order, until winner is determined):

Most points from “Picking the Point Totals in Quarters 1-4” category
Most points from “Picking the Leader Points in Quarters 1-4” category
Most points from “Picking the Trailer Points in Quarters 1-4” category
Most points from “Picking the Point Total in Overtime” category
Most points from “Picking the Game’s MVP” category
Most points from “Picking the Winning Team” category
Flip-a-Coin (amongst yourselves, please)

Final Contest Rules

It’s free so anyone can join…tell your family, friends and Super Bowl party guests to sign up.
Good luck and have some fun…hey, that’s what Super Bowl parties are all about!