Compare every pool format
Every format, one platform — NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB and college football. Find the one that fits your group — then tap a column to dig into how it plays.
At a glance
| Format | Pick'em | NFL Playoff Pick'em | NFL Playoff Bracket | NFL Playoff Ladder | High 5 | Confidence | Margin | Survivor | Best Bet | Touchdown Calls | One and Done Fantasy | Box Pool | NHL Slate Pick'em | NBA Slate Pick'em | NBA One and Done Fantasy | MLB Playoff Bracket | MLB Playoff Ladder | Bowl Pick'em | CFP Pick'em | CFP Bracket | CFP Ladder |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core concept | Pick winners of every game | Pick every NFL playoff game, round by round | Pick the whole NFL playoff bracket before it starts | Rank all 14 NFL playoff teams from 14 to 1 | Pick only your 5 strongest plays | Rank all picks by confidence | Pick one team to win by largest margin | Pick one winner weekly | Pick all games plus lock picks | Call 4 players to score TDs | Field a 9-slot fantasy lineup, no player reuse | Buy squares on a grid | Pick N games from the commissioner's NHL slate | Pick N games from the commissioner's NBA slate | Field a 3–8-slot NBA lineup, no player reuse | Pick the winner of every MLB postseason series | Rank all 12 MLB playoff teams from 12 to 1 | Pick every bowl and playoff game on one sheet | Pick every College Football Playoff game, round by round | Pick the whole College Football Playoff bracket before it starts | Rank all 12 College Football Playoff teams from 12 to 1 |
| Picks per week | All games | Every game in the round, for each pick type | One bracket for the playoffs: 13 games | One 14-team ranking for the playoffs | 5 games | All games | 1 game | 1 game | All games + locks | 4 players | 9 players | No traditional picks | N games (commissioner sets N) | N games (commissioner sets N) | 3–8 players (default 5) | One bracket for the postseason: 11 series | One 12-team ranking for the postseason | One sheet: all 47 postseason games, for each pick type | Every game in the round, for each pick type | One bracket for the playoff: 11 games | One 12-team ranking for the playoff |
| Scoring method | Most correct picks wins | Points per correct pick × round points (default 1/2/3/4) | 1/2/4/8 points by round | A team's rank value for every game it wins | Must maximize accuracy | Weighted point values | Largest margin wins | Stay alive until loss | Bonus-win scoring | TDs scored, Flex counts 2× | Real fantasy points (Standard/Half-PPR/PPR) | Score-digit matching | Ranked 1–N points, or 1 per win | Ranked 1–N points, or 1 per win | PTS + 1.2 REB + 1.5 AST + 3 STL + 3 BLK − TO | 1/2/4/8 points by round, optional exact-length bonus | A team's rank value for every series it wins | 1 per correct bowl pick; playoff games × round points | Points per correct pick × round points (default 1/2/3/4) | 1/2/4/8 points by round | A team's rank value for every game it wins |
| Strategy depth | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | High | Very High | Very High | High | High | High | High | Low | Medium | Medium | High | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium |
| Best for | Traditional office pools | Groups that want a January pool | Football groups and bracket fans | Groups wanting a quick, one-time pick | Skilled bettors | Competitive groups | Analytics-focused players | Elimination-style pools | Players wanting aggressive strategy | Fantasy football fans | Fantasy football veterans | Casual/social events | Hockey groups | Basketball groups | Fantasy basketball fans | Baseball groups and bracket fans | Baseball groups wanting a quick, one-time pick | College football groups and holiday office pools | College football groups that want the playoff only | College football groups and bracket fans | College football groups wanting a quick, one-time pick |
| Similar to | Confidence, Best Bet | Pick'em, MLB Playoff Bracket | NFL Playoff Pick'em, NFL Playoff Ladder | NFL Playoff Bracket, Confidence | Best Bet | Pick'em | Survivor | Margin | Pick'em | Survivor (no reuse) | Standard fantasy football, no reuse | None | High 5, Confidence | NHL Slate Pick'em, Confidence | One and Done Fantasy (NFL) | MLB Playoff Ladder | MLB Playoff Bracket, Confidence | CFP Pick'em, Pick'em | NFL Playoff Pick'em, Bowl Pick'em | CFP Pick'em, CFP Ladder | CFP Bracket, Confidence |
| Key difference | Simplest format | Playoffs only; later rounds worth more | Whole playoffs picked once; the Divisional round reseeds from your picks | Rank teams instead of picking games | Limited picks increase pressure | Every game has different value | Single weekly pick with point-spread focus | Cannot reuse teams | Bonus points create volatility | Player picks, not team picks — no player reuse | Full fantasy lineup — no player reuse across the season | Based on score endings, not game predictions | NHL games on a commissioner-chosen slate | NBA games on a commissioner-chosen slate; short weeks pick every game | Every game a player plays that week scores | Whole postseason picked once; later rounds worth more | Rank teams instead of picking series | The whole bowl season on one sheet | Playoff only, picked as each round is set | Whole playoff picked once; later rounds worth more | Rank teams instead of picking games |
| Main skill tested | Consistency | Reading playoff matchups | Forecasting a whole postseason | Ranking accuracy | Selectivity | Ranking accuracy | Precision | Long-term planning | Risk management | TD prediction + season planning | Roster management + season planning | Luck / randomization | Selectivity | Selectivity | Schedule planning + roster management | Forecasting a whole postseason | Ranking accuracy | Breadth across 47 games | Reading playoff matchups | Forecasting a whole postseason | Ranking accuracy |
| Player difficulty | Beginner | Beginner | Beginner | Beginner | Intermediate | Intermediate | Advanced | Advanced | Intermediate | Intermediate | Intermediate | Beginner | Beginner | Beginner | Intermediate | Beginner | Beginner | Beginner | Beginner | Beginner | Beginner |
| Spreads used? | With or without | With or without, plus optional totals | No — game winners | N/A | With or without | Generally without | Generally without | Generally without | With or without | N/A | N/A | N/A | No — straight up | No — straight up | N/A | No — series winners | N/A | With or without, plus optional totals | With or without, plus optional totals | No — game winners | N/A |
| Typical season length | Regular season (Weeks 1–18) | NFL playoffs, Wild Card to the Super Bowl | NFL playoffs (picks lock once, at the first Wild Card kickoff) | NFL playoffs (picks lock once, at the first Wild Card kickoff) | Regular season, can extend into playoffs | Regular season, can extend into playoffs | Regular season, can extend into playoffs | Regular season, can extend into playoffs | Regular season, can extend into playoffs | Regular season (Weeks 1–18) | Regular season only (Weeks 1-18) | — | NHL regular season | NBA regular season | NBA regular season | MLB postseason (picks lock once, at first pitch) | MLB postseason (picks lock once, at first pitch) | Bowl season, December to the title game | College Football Playoff, December to the title game | College Football Playoff (picks lock once, at the first kickoff) | College Football Playoff (picks lock once, at the first kickoff) |
Platform features
| Format | Pick'em | NFL Playoff Pick'em | NFL Playoff Bracket | NFL Playoff Ladder | High 5 | Confidence | Margin | Survivor | Best Bet | Touchdown Calls | One and Done Fantasy | Box Pool | NHL Slate Pick'em | NBA Slate Pick'em | NBA One and Done Fantasy | MLB Playoff Bracket | MLB Playoff Ladder | Bowl Pick'em | CFP Pick'em | CFP Bracket | CFP Ladder |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Picks lock before games start | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Weekly standings | Yes | Yes | Not applicable | Not applicable | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not applicable | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Yes | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Web & mobile access | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Commissioner controls | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Live scoring updates | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-entry support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| View all players' picks | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Not sure which to run? Most commissioners start with a Pick'em pool. Still deciding? Get in touch and we'll help you pick.