Rules

Each team will play the other teams at least once.

Weeks 15-16 are play-in weeks, and weeks 17-18 are the playoffs (there are 17 games this year, and each team gets a bye).

Each week, the paired off teams will each make three picks using the spread derived from Oddsshark. Opponents will be allowed to pick opposite sides of the same game; however, one team manager cannot choose both sides of the same game to ensure a guaranteed win. Team managers will make their picks using the form on the Picks page.

Picks will be first come, first served—if your opponent has already picked the same side of your game, you must choose another game or the opposite side.

Picks for the week open Wednesday at 12:00 pm. You can change your picks as long as neither your original or replacement game has started. The spread can also be locked in at the time of the pick, or left undeclared and therefore locked at kickoff.

One (1) point will be awarded for a cover, a half (0.5) point will be awarded for a push, and zero (0) points for a missed pick. The team with the most points in a week wins (note that it is possible to tie with several different win/loss combinations).

Spread is a way to balance uneven games. The team that is deemed the more likely to win will be assigned (-) negative points, and the opponent will be assigned the corresponding (+) positive points. A pk (or pick ‘em) implies two evenly matched teams.

Overall Match Record

1^st tie breaker: Overall Picks

2^nd tie-breaker: Head to Head Match Record

3^rd tie-breaker: Point Differential.

In weeks 15 and 16, the 3-6 seeded teams will play-in for the 3^rdand 4^thspot.

Play In Week 1

Seed 3 vs Seed 4

Winner attains 3rd seed

Seed 5 vs Seed 6

Winner plays loser of 3/4 matchup

Play In Week 2

3/4 Loser vs 5/6 Winner

Winner attains 4th seed

Fair question. My whole focus for the league is to have everyone as competitive as possible, for as long as possible. I based the play-in on the NBA play-in. The goal there was similar--to allow teams on the fringe of the playoffs to have a chance. There is also a secondary goal: to prevent tanking. If more teams have a chance at winning it all, then people will remain more engaged. Admittedly, the stakes are nowhere near as important as an NBA championship (debatable, since I've literally never monetarily gained from a championship. Well, except that one time--what's up Raymond?), but since this is a casual league, I didn't want it to become a boring one.

There. That's the reason. And apparently I like making more work for myself because I'm an idiot.

Seed 1 vs Seed 4

Seed 2 vs Seed 3

1/4 winner vs 2/3 winner

Winner is the champion, and the loser is second place

1/4 loser vs 2/3 loser

Winner is third place.

All rules from semi-finals in place

First Pick

Monday: Higher Seed available

Tuesday: Lower Seed available

Second Pick

Wednesday: Higher Seed available

Thursday: Lower Seed available

Third Pick

Friday: Higher Seed available

Saturday: Lower Seed available