How Does The Super Bowl Squares Work

• How Does The Super Bowl Squares Worksheet
• How Do Nfl Super Bowl Squares Work
• How Does A Super Bowl Squares Pool Work

The game starts with a 10-by-10 grid, or 100 individual boxes — each of which is assigned a universal price tag, like $1 per square. Before the Super Bowl kicks off, participants purchase. Super Bowl squares is a common office pool or party game played during the game, and because of the COVID-19 pandemic the game will be more prominent online in 2021. It's a game of chance and each.

Super Bowl squares, also known as football squares, have become a staple of Super Bowl parties everywhere – an easy and fun way for guests to bet on the outcome of the game.

So as this year's Super Bowl between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs approaches – featuring two of the NFL's top quarterbacks in Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes – it's time to get up to speed on how it all works and how you can put yourself in the best position to win.

Here's USA TODAY Sports' primer on Super Bowl squares, how they work and which squares are most likely to pay off on Sunday.

How do Super Bowl squares work?

The game starts with a 10-by-10 grid, or 100 individual boxes — each of which is assigned a universal price tag, like $1 per square. Before the Super Bowl kicks off, participants purchase individual boxes — generally as many as they wish — until all 100 of them are accounted for. The numbers 0-9 are then assigned to the columns and rows (usually at random), giving two numbers to each individual cell.

From here, the game can be played a few different ways. Typically, one axis represents the last digit of the NFC team's score and the other represents the last digit of the AFC team's score. Whoever has the correct digits of the final score wins the pot; If the Bucs win 28-21, for example, the winning square would be where the No. 8 on the NFC axis meets the No. 1 on the AFC axis.

What other Super Bowl square options are there?

One of the most popular variations on Super Bowl squares is to pay out 25% of the pot at the end of every quarter, rather than all of it at the end of the game. (Or, in some cases, 20% at the end of the first and third quarters, and 30% at the end of each half). This makes it more likely that there will be multiple winners, albeit with smaller shares of the pot.

What are the best squares to have?

The values on each axis are usually assigned at random, so you might not have a choice here. But if you do, your best bet will generally be some combination of zeroes and/or sevens. In a 2013 blog post, the Harvard Sports Analysis Collective wrote that the single best square to have is seven on the favorite's axis (the Chiefs are the favorites this year) and zero on the underdog's, with the 0-0 square a close second. The Washington Post lists 0-0 as the best square to have, with the two combinations of seven and zero (7-0 or 0-7) right behind it. Three, four and one also aren't bad numbers to have from an odds standpoint.

What are the worst squares to have?

Any combination of twos or fives. According to the aforementioned Harvard Sports Analysis Collective post from 2013, the 2-2 square and 2-5 square (two on the favorite's axis, five on the underdog's) are among the worst, because it usually takes some combination of safeties, missed extra points or other general strangeness to get there.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How to play Super Bowl squares 2021: Here are the rules you need to know

Super Bowl 55 is set to kick off on Sunday, February 7th at 6:30 p.m EST. The matchup features the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the Kansas City Chiefs, and there is a fair amount of scoring expected in the game. Squares bettors should already know which numbers to be happy with given these expectations: 0, 7, 3 and 4. Anyone receiving a square with one of those numbers has a real shot, and if your square has both of those numbers on it, more power to you.

For those who are unable to play in an office pool of Super Bowl squares, several websites are offering big squares challenges. One of the most intriguing Super Bowl 55 squares games is being hosted on MyBookie, with prizes up to $15,000, and an entry fee of only $3. If you want to play in one of the biggest online squares games at a reputable sportsbook, MyBookie’s Super Bowl 55 Squares contest could be ideal for you. Super Bowl Squares is a great way to have some stress free fun on Super Bowl Sunday, since the game is all about luck, and you don’t have to worry about optimizing any of your play. Should you engage in this entertaining betting contest, best of luck!

How Does The Super Bowl Squares Worksheet

Is It Legal To Play Squares On The NFL?

Super Bowl squares are legal in most states, as they fall into the category of social gambling. While some states have certain limitations on the total prize amount a bettor can win, the majority of states only require that the buy-in prize is under a set amount (generally $50). There are some states that completely outlaw social gambling and NFL squares would be included in this. However, as this form of social gambling does not have “the house” taking a cut, the law is rarely, if ever, enforced.

Those looking to crack down on illegal gambling are looking for operators that are making money without paying their taxes. Breaking up a game of squares associated with a restaurant, office, or group of friends is extremely rare. In nearly every situation, the amount of money collected from the buy-ins is rewarded to the bettors who win at 100%. As nobody takes a cut (though some organizations do squares as a fundraiser), it is seen more like a lottery and raffle system as opposed to gambling.

How Does Super Bowl Squares Work?

There are a few different ways to play NFL squares but the idea is the exact same to start. Bettors are made aware of a per-square buy-in price ($1 for example). A bettor can purchase as many squares as they wish and they add their name in one of the 100 boxes on the 10 x 10 square. After the entire sheet is filled, a method to label each column and row with a number is formed. The methods range from pulling numbers out of a hat, using a number randomizer, or a handful of other methods. Once the rows and columns have their numbers in place, bettors have the first look at what their squares look like.

The idea behind Super Bowl squares is to have your numbers picked at the end of a quarter, half, or game. Some pools also score based on every point scored in the game, but the quarterly winnings are the most common method. Bettors win money by having their square in the position of both of the teams’ last digit of their point total. For example, the New Orleans Saints are playing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Saints are leading 10-7 at the end of the first quarter. The NFL square operator would find the side of the grid associated with the Saints, use the column with the 0 and cross-match it with the other side of the grid associated with the Bucs. Only one winner can be associated with each cross-section, making the payouts quite rewarding.

In our $1 buy-in example, the total pot would be worth $100. Some Super Bowl square games break down each quarter evenly, giving up to four bettors $25 each. However, other games seem to give the winner of the final score the majority of the money, leaving the other $50 or so for the other bettors to share. The payout methods can be varied, but the idea is always the same – pick a spot, hope for “good football numbers”, and see if the score reflects the numbers associated with your square.

Playing Squares At MyBookie

For those that will not be playing the squares at a Super Bowl 55 party or event this year, MyBookie has you covered as they have been hosting squares tournaments all throughout the regular season and the playoffs. They offer payouts for these tournaments at the end of every quarter, half and also the final score of the game. The prize payout for the winners of quarters 1-3 are 20% of the total prize. The payout for the first half is 40% of the prize while the payout of the second half is higher at 60%. As for the payout for the final score of the game, it is also at 40% of the total prize money. If there is an overtime period, the points of that quarter will be added to the fourth quarter.

The Best And Worst Numbers To Have In Super Bowl Squares

Though this style of wagering has no ability to be controlled, bettors can see the production of their numbers over the last few Super Bowls. Every player always has a superstition about certain numbers but the truth of the matter is, any number could be successful with the variety of scoring options in the NFL. That said, there are some clear positive outliers in terms of what numbers hit most often. Bettors should feel confident should they land on a 0, 3, or 7. These numbers are common scoring increase totals (or a lack of scoring) and are some of the bettors’ favorite numbers to see. This is pretty intuitive – NFL teams tend to score in increments of seven and three, and seven plus three is ten, which ends in zero.

When the square’s number is revealed, bettors who are on the 2, 5, 8, or 9 are given some of the worst opportunities to win. Though 2 (safety), 5 (two touchdowns with a PAT and 2-pt attempt), 8 (touchdown with 2-pt attempt), or 9 (three field goals) is possible, the likelihood of other scoring events interrupting this pattern is more likely. In reality though, once the Super Bowl score breaks past 20 points, any scoring method can cause obscure number endings. Super Bowl Squares tends to reward players at the end of each quarter so that there are multiple chances to win. Given this, there is a pretty decent amount of data regarding what the best numbers to have are. Based on the past 54 Super Bowls with four quarters each, the numbers most likely to hit are as follows.

Super Bowl Square Number Probability

• The number 0 appeared 118 times – 27.31%
• The number 7 appeared 81 times – 18.75%
• The number 3 appeared 69 times – 15.97%
• The number 4 appeared 46 times – 10.65%
• The number 6 appeared 34 times – 7.87%
• The number 1 appeared 26 times – 6.02%
• The number 9 appeared 20 times – 4.63%
• The number 8 appeared 16 times – 3.70%
• The number 2 appeared 12 times – 2.78%
• The number 5 appeared 10 times – 2.31%

Super Bowl LV Squares

Super Bowl 55

How Do Nfl Super Bowl Squares Work

Sunday, February 7th, 6:30 EST

Kansas City Chiefs

vs.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

How Does A Super Bowl Squares Pool Work

Super Bowl LV pits the Kansas City Chiefs against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Chiefs are favored in the matchup, but Squares bettors don’t have to worry about any of that, as squares is a game of chance. There are a ton of different Super Bowl Squares competitions to take part in as a Squares enthusiast.

For example, MyBookie has been running a squares competition all season, and Super Bowl LV should be the culmination of that. The 2021 Super Bowl will bring a ton of eyes to the sports betting websites, and that means that there are a lot of potential competitors in a squares competition, so good luck!