League Rules

This league is independent and not affiliated with any professional sports organization. It’s designed for friendly competition and global sharing—no gambling, no entry fees, and no cash prizes.

Each Week

Pick the teams you believe will win that week’s scheduled games.
Assign each of your picks a unique confidence number (e.g., if there are 16 games, use 1–16 exactly once each).
Scoring: you earn the confidence number as points for each correct pick; incorrect picks earn 0.
Your weekly points add up across the season. Highest total at season’s end is the overall winner (bragging rights, badges, and leaderboard glory—no monetary awards).

Special Features

Wager Game (Double-Weight Game): Each week, one game is designated as the “double-weight” game. Use a confidence number on that game like usual. If your selected team wins, you score double that number. If it loses, that number is subtracted from your weekly total. (Example: assign 5, win = +10; lose = −5.)
Postseason Weeks: In postseason weeks hosted within the app, all games are treated as double-weight. Assign a confidence number to each game; wins score double, losses subtract the assigned number. These points still count toward your season total.
Championship Picks (Optional): Before Week 2 begins, you may submit two finalist picks (two different conferences/leagues as defined by the app). Each correct finalist is worth +10 season points; getting both correct awards +30 total. Submit directly in-app.

Submission Rule

Picks are due before the first game of the week kicks off (as shown in the app’s schedule).
If you don’t submit picks, you receive the maximum negative points for that week’s double-weight game only. (Example: in a 16-game week with one double-weight game, non-submission = −16.)
For postseason weeks (where all games are double-weight), non-submission applies the subtraction for each scheduled game.
All submissions are made within the app—no email or spreadsheets required.

The “Hot Tub” (A Chance for Redemption)

Between the end of Week 11 and the start of Week 12, you may opt into the Hot Tub, a side track that mirrors all normal rules but resets your score to 0 for Week 12 onward.
You’ll compete only against other Hot Tub participants for a separate, app-visible leaderboard (winner-take-all bragging rights/badges—still no fees or cash prizes).
Your previously submitted championship picks still count toward your season total at year’s end.
If fewer than 6 participants opt in, the Hot Tub may be skipped for that season.

Winners & Recognition

Season winner is the player with the most total points after the final game.
In the event of a tie, the app highlights co-winners and may apply tie-display rules (e.g., shared rank, next rank skipped). No monetary payouts.
Badges, profile highlights, and community shout-outs are used to recognize top performers.

This ruleset is designed for friendly play, wide sharing, and simplicity. It borrows gameplay ideas (like the double-weight “wager” game and the “Hot Tub” reset) but is not associated with any third-party league or the NFL.