Tips for How to Run a Super Bowl Squares Pool at Work or Home – Use the Best Templates and More
Super Bowl 2024 is almost here, and I’m sure the football fans among you can’t wait for the big game. One of the best ways to add extra sauce to the event is by playing Super Bowl squares.
If you don’t know how to run a Super Bowl squares pool, don’t worry. I will break down everything you need to know, including the best templates, top tips, and more.
Without further ado, let’s figure out how to host a Super Bowl squares pool for you and your friends. To do that, I’ve rounded up some of the best tips to keep in mind.
Choose the Best Template for Your Party
My first tip for running Super Bowl squares pools is to choose the best template for your party.
There are a variety of ways you could play (which I’ll touch on). However, you want to make sure you’re catering to the people you’re competing with, and having the template you choose align with what you’re setting out to accomplish.
You could take the simple and straightforward route, or you can crank things up a notch for your more advanced peers.
My personal favorite is the template with quarter lines. People who have a deep understanding of Super Bowl squares should consider this template. However, not everyone has played before.
Good thing you have a lot of great templates to choose from, and I’ll dig deeper into that shortly.
Of course, you can always bet money on the Super Bowl, but this is another fun way to play. Choose whichever template fits your style most. Not sure which to use? Good thing I’ve got you covered.
Download Printable Super Bowl Squares Templates for Free
You have an idea of what kind of template you want. The next step is actually finding one and doing it for free. There are many different ways to play, but the standard template has an 11-by-11 grid.
Here’s what your standard squares grid should look like:
In the above version, you would assign the names to the boxes first. After that, you would randomly assign numbers to the darker grey boxes. This way, no one gets an extra advantage from having a favorable number (0, 4, 7, etc.).
You could also charge more for certain boxes. If you prefer to play this way, here’s a template with the numbers written out for you.
In this one, you have a choice, so there’s some strategy involved. According to the results in the previous editions, the best numbers for Super Bowl squares are 0 and 7, while 2 and 5 are the worst.
Of course, the past doesn’t necessarily have to repeat itself. The Super Bowl squares odds are roughly the same for most numbers.
If you’re wondering, “How do I make a Super Bowl squares pool?” The first step is to download one of these standard templates.
Spice Things Up with Alternate Printable Super Bowl Squares Templates
Already know how to run a Super Bowl squares pool? Then you can think a bit outside the box when it comes to free downloadable Super Bowl templates.
If you want to kick things up a notch, maybe consider these advanced templates for this year.
10 Lines Super Bowl Squares Template
First in line is the 10-line squares template.
The main difference to the classic Super Bowl squares rules is that each player only has one number instead of two. For that to work, you need to add up the scores of each team at the end of each quarter and use the last number to determine the winner.
For example, if Team A has 9 points after the first quarter and Team B has 7, the total is 16, and the player who has the number 6 in his square wins. The same logic applies to each quarter.
This variation of the Super Bowl 2024 squares is perfect for 10 people, or you could use it with 5, and each can pick two boxes.
25 Line Super Bowl Squares Template
The next option features 25 squares, as you can see from our printable template below.
Once again, the rules are similar to the classic version but with a slight twist. There are two numbers in each square, so every player has a higher chance to win.
This variation of the Super Bowl square grid works well if you don’t have enough people for the bigger one.
50 Line Super Bowl Squares Template
This one is a mix between the 25-line Super Bowl pool grid and the classic option.
As you can see, you will have only one number for one of the teams but two numbers for the other.
That way, you have a higher chance of hitting a prize, and once again, this version of football squares is designed for fewer people.
Super Bowl Squares Template with Quarter Lines
Finally, we have my personal favorite – the version that includes quarter lines.
This variation works like the classic squares, but your numbers are different for each quarter. I would say that this adds a lot more fun to the whole experience.
Tell Everyone About It Beforehand
If you’re trying to figure out how to make a Super Bowl squares pool, you should know that the players are the most important part. You don’t need a massive group of people, but you do need more than just yourself.
That’s why you will want to give everyone a heads-up in advance. If you wait until your guests arrive at your Super Bowl party, they might not be prepared to play. Maybe they have already placed their bets on the big game and aren’t intrigued by Super Bowl squares.
After all, you don’t want to spend all your time preparing for the contest, and nobody ends up wanting to play.
Not only is it good to give your guests a heads-up, but it could also give them time to research Super Bowl squares for themselves. It’s also not ideal to try and figure out how to manage a Super Bowl squares pool while also being the host of the party.
If everyone knows there will be a Super Bowl squares competition, they will be more likely to play.
Print Out Enough Sheets for Everyone
The next thing you are going to want to do is print out enough sheets for all your guests and then some. What if your cousin has a new boyfriend they didn’t tell you about, and he’s a huge football fan?
You don’t want anyone to feel left out, so it’s important to print out enough templates for everyone. I know handling printers can be a mess at times, but this is far too great of a detail to ignore.
For those of you who like to get a head count for events, this could also be a sneaky way of doing so. Instead of having the awkward “hey, are you coming?” interaction, you could ask how many would like to play Super Bowl squares.
You thought you would figure out how to create a Super Bowl squares pool. What you didn’t know is that you would get some neat party-hosting tricks along the way.
Have a Prize for the Winner
The best advice for hosting Super Bowl squares pools is to have a prize for the winner. Bragging rights are fun and all, but it’s tough to beat an actual prize. A cash prize makes the most sense here, but you could even make it work without money.
If you have completed step one (tell everyone in advance), then you could also ask them to bring the cash they would like to wager. There are a few ways to handle cash prizes for squares contests.
If people want to choose their numbers, you could charge them more for those spaces. After all, they are increasing their odds of winning by having favorable numbers.
You could cash out at the end of every quarter, half, or the entire game.
If you don’t think a cash contest would be appropriate, feel free to do other forms of payout. Candy, gas cards, or personalized gifts would make the contest fun for those who don’t like to gamble real money.
For those who do, I would recommend checking out our Super Bowl prop bets guide.
Make It a Tradition
I have one more tip, but it’s for those of you who already know how to run a Super Bowl squares pool. Since you already have an idea of how to host a Super Bowl squares pool, my previous tips probably haven’t been much help to you.
If that’s the case, I would recommend making this a yearly tradition for your friends and family. You might have played once as a group before, so why not make it a tradition? The Super Bowl is watched by hundreds of millions of people.
It’s essentially a holiday at this point. Since it’s celebrated as a holiday, why not celebrate it like one? There are a lot of common traditions that families have for the holiday season. If your family loves to watch football, then you are going to want to do this every year.
Maybe even throw in some of the best Super Bowl drinking games to make the night even more memorable.
Running a Successful Super Bowl Squares Pool
Hopefully, my advice for hosting Super Bowl squares pools has reached you well. The big game deserves to be celebrated in a big way, and this is a perfect way to do so.
Super Bowl betting has become a staple in the sports betting industry, and Super Bowl squares contests could be the next big thing. If you are looking to increase the camaraderie of your family, friends, or co-workers, be sure to create a Super Bowl squares contest.
Now that you know how to run a Super Bowl squares pool, you might want to participate even more. Super Bowl betting squares are also available online, so the fun never ends.