Entering a Super Bowl Squares pool is one of the simplest ways to have money on the Super Bowl. It’s the perfect game for people that know little about football, but want to have additional fun watching one of the biggest sporting spectacles of the year.
The game is simple once you understand the basics of it and that’s exactly what this guide intends to do – teach you the basics of how to play Super Bowl Squares.
What Is A Super Bowl Squares Pool?
Whether you call it a square or a pool, the setup and play is usually the same. A 10×10 grid is drawn, made up of 10 vertical columns and 10 horizontal rows. These rows and columns are numbered from zero to nine.
One team is assigned the vertical columns and one the horizontal rows. Traditionally, the Super Bowl’s “home team” is assigned the horizontal rows, while the “away team” is assigned the vertical columns. Remember that the home team alternates between the AFC and NFC.
Using this 10×10 format, you will now have a grid of 100 squares to fill in before the Super Bowl starts.
How To Play A Super Bowl Squares Pool?
Following our example of the traditional 10×10 grid, the first step required in winning a Super Bowl Squares pool is to buy some squares on the board. In most recreational Square Bowl Square pools, one square will be $1.00 to buy. However, some high-roller pools have squares that can cost more than $100.00. The pool can be whatever price participants will be comfortable with.
The person in charge of setting up the game can have participants buy squares either before or after the numbers are filled in on the outside vertical column and the top horizontal row. These numbers can be assigned in numerical order or randomly.
The more that things are done randomly, the harder it is to implement a Super Bowl Squares strategy.
How To Win A Super Bowl Squares Pool?
The most common Super Bowl Squares board features numbers 0 to 9 on the X and Y axis. Along with the numbers, the teams in the Super Bowl will be on the X and Y axis, as well.
The last digit on the scoreboard for each team is the only thing that matters in most types of Super Bowl pools. For instance, a score of 14-10 will result in the numbers 4 and 0 lining up on the Super Bowl Squares template.
In most Super Bowl Square pools, there are prizes for the end of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarter. There can also be a grand prize at the end of the game. Note, that this could include overtime.
For the squares that you purchase, your name or initials are written into the box. If you believe that the final score is going to end 27-24, then it will be important to buy the 7 and 4 square on the template.
Let’s look at Super Bowl 56 between the LA Rams and Cincinnati Bengals as an example. The final score of the game was 23-20 in favor of the Rams. So, the Rams’ axis will be 3, while the Bengals’ axis is 0.
The owner of the square with 3 and 0 is the winner of the grand prize for the final score. Simple, right? Do not beat yourself up if you do not win, because luck plays a huge role in having success.
Super Bowl Squares Strategies
There are a few Super Bowl Squares strategy tips that should be kept in mind when playing. It largely comes down to luck, but there are some choices to make before playing and numbers that do appear more often historically than others in the Super Bowl.
Choosing The Right Size Game
The bigger the pool is, the fewer opportunities there will be to buy as many squares as you would like; thus, reducing your chances of winning. We recommend playing pools that allow participants in the game to purchase the maximum number of squares.
Aim to find the right balance of payouts to number of players. Entering a traditional 10×10 contest with 100 players only provides you with one chance to win. However, if there are only 20 to 30 players involved, then you can buy 3 to 5 squares and increase your chances of winning.
Choosing the Right Numbers
The most likely number combination at the end of the 1st quarter is 0 and 0. If you are in a pool that rewards prizes after quarters, buying the 0 and 0 square is especially a must. Overall, 0 has been the most likely Super Bowl Squares number to hit.
The next most likely number in the Super Bowl is 7. This number has a tendency to land in the 3rd and 4th quarter. Then there is the number 3, which has been the most popular following the 2nd and 3rd quarter.
Combinations that include 0, 7, 3, 4, and then 6 are the five most valuable numbers in Super Bowl Squares. Buy these up before others have the chance to. If your pool uses a random “draft” selection format to determine who can select first, then you can be lucky or unlucky.
Where To Play Super Bowl Squares?
Do you have friends that are getting together to watch the Super Bowl? Then you can set up your very own Super Bowl Squares pool. If there are football fans in your office, consider pitching the idea of having a pool for the Super Bowl this year.
All that is required to play is a Super Bowl Squares pool template. The board can be as big as you want it like on a wall or just a free template printed out on a piece of paper.
There is also the option of inquiring if there is a Super Bowl Squares contest at your online sportsbook of choice. Online betting sites run numerous promotions for the Super Bowl, which sometimes include Super Bowl Squares contests.
The prizes can be big depending on your bankroll and risk tolerance. There are also smaller contests, and even free promotional Super Bowl Square pools to enter.
Some of the best Super Bowl Squares contests can be found at the following online betting sites:
Are Super Bowl Pools and Squares Legal?
This is a tough question to answer. In some US states, it’s pretty clear that Super Bowl squares are considered illegal gambling. The biggest of these is Texas, a state where I can confirm that people absolutely love playing squares games at Super Bowl time, most people playing in more than one.
Any US state that has restrictions on games based entirely on chance is likely to frown on a typical Super Bowl pool game, in which squares are randomly assigned and the outcome has nothing to do with the skill of the player.
I think a more important question is “Am I likely to get caught or prosecuted for playing in this pool?”
I did a good amount of searching through news and legal briefs for evidence of people prosecuted for participating in an office or home Super Bowl pool game. I didn’t come up with anything. Speaking of Texas, I’ve found that states that have broad definitions of “illegal gambling” also tend to be the least likely to prosecute bettors.
The larger the prize pool, and the more its operators are profiting from operating it, the more likely you are to get in trouble for being a part of it.
Bottom line, squares betting may be prohibited by law where you live, and if you’re concerned about that type of thing, you should look into your state’s gaming laws on your own or maybe talk to a lawyer about it. In my opinion, which is a non-legal opinion, a truly casual and privately held Super Bowl party is unlikely to draw the attention of law enforcement authorities.
