Set up the board for the big game
Start with the pool title, then add the two team names. The team you put across the top becomes the column team; the team down the side becomes the row team. Choose a square price, pick a payout split and select either blank numbers for a hand draw or randomized numbers for an automatic shuffle. The preview updates as you type, so you can see exactly what your guests will see before you print.
When to draw the numbers
Draw after all 100 squares are claimed and before kickoff. That order is the whole point of the pool: nobody knows which digits their square will carry when they buy in. If guests are still claiming squares at kickoff, either wait a few minutes or draw anyway and mark the remaining squares as unsold. Do not let late arrivals choose a square after the numbers are visible. Write the rule on the board so there is no argument at the end of the first quarter. For a party, the cleanest method is to have one guest draw the column digits and another draw the row digits, reading each one aloud as it is written down. That small bit of theater is worth it: it shows the draw was not controlled by the host.
Payout splits for a Super Bowl pool
Two splits cover almost every party pool. The even split pays 25 percent at the end of Q1, halftime, Q3 and the final. The weighted split pays 20/20/20/40 and makes the final score worth double. On a $10 board with all 100 squares sold, the pot is $1,000: $250 per period on the even split, or $200, $200, $200 and $400 on the weighted one. Both are easy to explain and easy to print in the board header.
Print it or share a link
For a house party, print the board and tape it to a wall near the food. Guests write their initials in a square, and the numbers get filled in by hand or from the randomizer. For a party with remote friends, create an online pool instead: everyone gets the same public link, squares are claimed with a tap, and the board locks with random digits when the host is ready. The host enters scores as the game goes, and the winning square is highlighted for each period.
Five mistakes to avoid
- Drawing numbers before the board fills.
- Forgetting to write down whether overtime counts. It does for the final in this template, but say so out loud.
- Using a payout split nobody can remember. Print it on the board.
- Letting the host claim squares without saying so. Transparency keeps the pool friendly.
- Collecting cash with no record. A simple paid/unpaid column saves the awkward reminder later.
None of these are complicated rules. They are just details that get skipped when the game is about to start.
Why the 10×10 board still works
A 100-square board gives everyone a small, equal stake and creates four chances to win across the game. It also fits on one printed page, which is why it still works when the Wi-Fi does not. If your party is smaller than 100 people, run the 25-square version instead: each row and column gets two digits, every square covers four combinations, and the board fills in a fraction of the time. The rules and payout logic stay the same.