Football Pool Rules: What Commissioners Should Decide Before the Season

1. Which leagues and games count?

Decide whether the pool includes NFL games, College Football games, or both.

With Automatic mode, eligible games and available lines can populate the Betting Board as they become available. Commissioners can still remove an unopened game when no picks have been placed and adjust current market lines for future picks when appropriate. Accepted picks keep the line and odds they were accepted at.

Manual mode remains available for commissioners who prefer to build the board themselves.

2. How many virtual points does everyone start with?

The starting bankroll establishes the scale of the pool.

Choose a starting amount that gives members enough room to make meaningful decisions throughout the season without making individual picks feel irrelevant.

3. What are the minimum and maximum points per pick?

A minimum prevents extremely small picks that have little practical effect on the standings.

An optional maximum can limit how much of the bankroll a member can put behind one pick.

4. Which types of picks are allowed?

Depending on commissioner settings, myfbpool can offer:

• spreads;
• moneylines;
• totals;
• parlays;
• teasers.

A pool can keep the format relatively simple or make more sportsbook-style choices available.

5. How are spreads and totals priced?

For qualifying straight spread and total picks, myfbpool supports two approaches.

Even Money (+100) uses simple +100 pricing.

Market Odds uses the available sportsbook-style price for the selection.

Moneyline picks continue to use market odds.

6. Can submitted picks be changed?

In myfbpool, accepted picks are final and can’t be changed.

The line and odds accepted with the pick remain part of that accepted pick even if the current market changes later.

7. When can other members see a player's selections?

Future selections remain hidden from other members until the associated game kicks off.

After that game's lock point, the accepted selection can become visible while selections tied to later games remain hidden.

8. Can players join after the pool starts?

The commissioner decides whether late registration is enabled.

If enabled, invitations and registration can remain available after the pool starts for the permitted period. If disabled, starting the pool closes registration and invalidates pending invitations.

9. Is there a weekly participation requirement?

A commissioner can optionally enable Weekly Wager Requirement.

When enabled, members may be required to wager a selected percentage of their virtual points during applicable weeks. The commissioner determines the percentage, timing, and weeks.

10. Can a player receive more virtual points after running low?

A commissioner can optionally enable Respawn.

Respawn restores a configured amount of virtual points to a member whose balance is low enough to qualify under the pool's rules.

The commissioner sets the qualifying balance, Respawn amount, weekly limit, season maximum, and final available week.

11. When does the pool end?

Set a Pool Final Week so members know which part of the football season is included in the competition.

When the next season begins, myfbpool can restart the pool using the previous setup as the starting point.

Sample football pool rules template

This template is a starting point for a private virtual-points football pool. Commissioners should customize it to match their group and clearly communicate the final rules before play begins.

For the full setup sequence, read how to organize your pool from start to finish.