Do I assign a different value to every game?
No. NFL Pick’em uses three higher-value picks: 2, 3, and 4 points. The remaining picks are worth 1 point each. Bowl confidence pools use a different arrangement.
NFL Pick’em Pool: Rules, Confidence Picks & Hosting
Run an NFL Pick’em pool with your group
Pick the game winners each week and put a little more confidence behind three of them. Invite your group and see who can keep making the right calls.
First 5 member entries free per contest, then $1 per additional member who submits picks. Paid by the commissioner.
New selections each week
Three confidence picks
Weekly and overall standings
The format
How the weekly picks work
Each week, select a winner for the games shown on the pick sheet. Most picks carry 1 point. Choose three different games for your 2-, 3-, and 4-point confidence selections.
- Select winners rather than a roster of players.
- Use each of the three higher confidence values once per week.
- Submit your picks and the tiebreak prediction shown in the contest.
At a glance
Your weekly selections
- Game winners
- One 2-point pick
- One 3-point pick
- One 4-point pick
Confidence points replace the ordinary pick value
A correct confidence pick earns its assigned value. A 4-point pick is worth 4 points in total, rather than 1 point plus another 4. An incorrect winner selection earns no base points.
Submit before the weekly locks
Games lock individually five minutes after their scheduled kickoff. NFL Pick’em also has a weekly Sunday lock at 2:05 p.m. Mountain Time: any remaining game selections lock then, including later games.
Plan to submit before kickoff rather than rely on the five-minute window. Use the current week's pick sheet to check which games are still open.
The weekly tiebreaker
When the contest uses the Monday night tiebreaker, predict the combined score of that game. If there are two Monday night games, use the last one, as described in the entry dialog.
Other members' weekly tiebreak predictions stay hidden until the final game of the week locks. You can still see your own prediction.
Setting up the league
Select an available NFL Pick’em event, name your league, and share the invitation with your group. Each member joins with an NLSP account and submits their own picks.
Keep football as the only contest if that is what your group wants. Other available contests can be added to the same league later.
Plan your pool
Compare the formats, prepare an invitation, or read the guides before getting your group together.
FAQ
Questions before you start
Can I change Monday's winner after the Sunday lock?
No. The Sunday lock applies to remaining game selections for that week, including Monday's game. Tiebreak predictions have separate visibility rules.
Can I set up this contest now?
The league creation page lists the events currently available to add. Choose from that list; a format described here may not be open for setup or picks yet. Check the contest page for its schedule before inviting your group.
What does it cost to run a pool?
The first 5 member entries in each contest are free. The commissioner pays $1 for each additional member who submits picks. Members who join the league but do not submit picks are not counted. The free entries reset for each contest.
Ready to run the league
Start the pool, invite the group
Choose from the events available for setup, name your league, and invite your group. Review the scoring and schedule together before making picks.