18 WEEKS! (right up to Christmas). An extra week this year! [Week 19, in essence will be the annual Bowl Pool which you'll all want to do - but it's a separate pool.] The first pool game is 11am, Saturday, September 4th.
15 choices are available each week, but you pick only 12!
Throughout the college season, most of the games will be College with several NFL. The first week will be entirely college games (since NFL doesn't start till September 12th). For the last few weeks, most or all of the games will be NFL.
All picks are versus a spread. This allows those not so knowledgeable to participate since a point spread on a game makes each game a virtual toss-up pick. The football point-spread is the great equalizer!
Picks will generally always include important and/or TV games - so that just about every game that is on TV will be a pool pick. If there are games you wish to have (or not have) in the pool - please let me know.
Monday night NFL game will always be in the pool (thus final results will always depend on the outcome of that game). (Except the first week - which is all college games. However, the Monday night (9/6) Texas Tech @ Arizona State game will be in the pool.)
Your picks must be weighted from 12 (best) to 1 (worse). 3 of the 15 games (your choice), you do not pick. Thus you can exclude picking the 3 games you are least certain about. Max score for a week therefore is 78.
All point-spreads will include a half-point. Thus - No tie games.
There will be no tie-breakers for pool winnings. Winnings will simply be split equally. I expect each week's final results to approximate a bell curve, so there shouldn't be lots and lots of ties every week for the top spots.
Each week costs $5.
You don't have to enter every week, but your top 10 weeks (out of 18) will count towards the overall awards. $10 each week will be put into the overall kitty (which will therefore end up totaling $180).
Each week's payout is (from all proceeds less the $10):
1st - 40% 2nd - 30% 3rd - 20% 4th - 10%
Final overall payouts are: 1st - $81 (45%) 2nd - $45 (25%) 3rd - $27 (15%) 4th - $18 (10%) 5th - $9 ( 5%)
In order to participate you MUST create a user account at http://www.budmans.com. But then, you've already done that if you can read this. You also MUST indicate your desire to participate and get approval from Bud. This can be done by e-mail to stowe@budmans.com. You need BOTH a user account AND football pool authorization to participate. Please have this setup in advance of the first games which starts September 11th, 1999.
The best way to make your entries each week is at:
http://www.budmans.com/fb99pool/
You can (as a last resort only) e-mail (stowe@budmans.com) or voice-mail (515-270-3216) your picks to me if unable to access the web site. Clearly indicate your weights for each of your choices (12 to 1). Do NOT re-order the games (that just makes my compilation of your entry more difficult.) Do NOT forget to put weights by your picks this year!
As in past years, entries will be accepted as long as they're before the start of the first game. In fact, the system will prohibit any entry from being accepted after that time. You can also change (edit) your picks right up to game time.
Recaps and Overall Results are automatically and dynamically generated at:
http://www.budmans.com/fb99pool/
Expect each week's pool games to be available by Wednesday.
I have friendly easy payment plans. Pay as you go preferably a few weeks at a time and preferably ahead of time.
Your current balance can always be checked. Just click on: