Run a Handicapper Pool Today

You’ve likely heard of a pick’em pool, but there is actually a different type of pool that can add a level of difficulty. A handicapper pool might not have the same name recognition as a pick’em contest or bracket pool, but it still provides plenty of entertainment.

If you are looking for an additional source of revenue then running a handicapper pool can provide that to you. You’ll also be the most popular friend in your group if you are the one that takes the time to set up this type of contest.

OfficeSportsPools specializes in offering pools and contests such as handicapper, and we provide tools to make the experience simple and easy for you. You are certainly able to run it all on your own, but we can make everything easier for you along the way.

Of course, you will likely want to join in on your own handicapper pool as well, and this is a great game to play. The best part about running a handicapper pool is the fact that it can be set up for a wide range of sports.

If you still have some questions about how to run a handicapper pool, or where to begin, most of those questions will be answered on this page.

How Does a Handicapper Pool Work?

The most important aspect to running a good handicapper pool is knowing how this type of content works and operates. Even if you haven’t ever heard of this type of contest before, you will be pleased to know that the rules of this contest are simple.

It helps by first thinking about a pick’em contest, and that game requires players to pick the winners of certain games each week. A handicapper pool is no different, except this time you will be making picks against the spread.

The spread is a number that is set by sportsbooks, and using Vegas odds is typically the best way to go. These spread lines are posted well before a contest is played, giving players in your pool a chance to make predictions on the spread.

The way to rack up points with a handicapper pool is to successfully make a pick on a game. You can have as many games as you want for your players to pick from, or you can simply focus on a couple of the biggest games.

Points are awarded for each correct pick that is made, and the winner is the player that racks up the most points throughout the contest. Of course, your pool won’t be complete without some prize money, and the winner will walk away with the cash.

You are going to want to keep some money for yourself after all of the work that you do in setting up this contest. You aren’t going to get rich by running a handicapper pool, but it’s a good way to make some money for very little work.

NFL the Best Option

When it comes to running a handicapper pool, the National Football League is the best league to focus on. Not only is the NFL the most popular sport in the United States, but the schedule sets up perfectly for running this type of pool.

Every team in the NFL plays 17 regular season games, and they are almost always played on the weekends. There are games played on Thursday nights as well, but teams are still only going to play one time a week.

If you are going to use the NFL then you can simply require players to make a prediction on all of the games scheduled for that week. You don’t have to do it that way, but that is the traditional way and the option that will be set up from OfficeSportsPools.

Another big reason for using the NFL is the fact that the spread betting lines are going to be released several days before the games take place. This will give your players plenty of time to digest the upcoming schedule and make their picks.

If the NHL isn’t the league that you want to focus on then you can simply look at other professional sport as well. The schedules might not work out the same way, but you can custom your handicapper pool to meet your needs.

Baseball, basketball, and hockey are three sports that have games taking place every single night, and you can’t ask your participants to make predictions for all of those games. You might choose to focus on a couple of games each day, or even just offer the games set to take place on the weekends.

OfficeSportsPools will help you set up your handicapper pool however you want, and you won’t have to do any real work once everything is set up.

Year-Long Or Weekly?

If you are going to be using the NFL as the sport for your handicapper pool, then it would be wise to run a pool that lasts the entire season. If you are going to use other sports, then you could change up your handicapper pool to be a weekly contest.

It really doesn’t matter what type of contest you decide to go with, as the overall game is going to remain unchanged. Sports such as baseball, basketball, and hockey could even be offered as a monthly contest as there are games taking place every single day.

One nice thing about running a weekly or monthly contest is that there would be more chances to win, and also more chances to win some money. Get your start by running a year-long handicapper pool before looking to run smaller contests.

Planning Your Pool

The only real work that you will have to do when running a handicapper pool is doing all of the planning that is required before the contest starts. You are going to want to start planning your handicapper pool well before you intend to run the contest.

One nice thing about OfficeSportsPools is that you won’t have to do all of this planning every year. Once you have a contest established, then it can simply be offered again the following year.

Of course, you will have the ability to make any changes to your pool as well, and you can take what you have learned and apply them to future contests.

Invitations

The most important aspect to running a good handicapper pool is getting people that want to participate in your contest. This type of game might be completely new to some people, and it’s going to take some work to convince them to sign up.

The best way to accomplish this is to send out invitations through an email or group text to people that you want to invite. On that invitation you are going to want to explain how the contest works, and explain the benefits for joining.

If you are going to run a handicapper pool for the NFL then it would be best to send out those invitations in July or early August. This will allow your players to familiarize themselves with the pool and begin making plans on how they are going to participate.

Cost/Reward?

We have already mentioned that running a handicapper pool can be a great way to make some extra cash, but it all depends on how you want to set this thing up. You are likely going to want to keep the cost down at first so that people are willing to join.

If you are doing a season long handicapper contest then you can increase the price higher than what you would charge for a shorter contest. Sell your potential players on the fact that this is a source of entertainment, and there is a chance to win some big money.

Speaking of winning money, you also need to figure out the payout percentages that will go to the winners of your pool. You can either pay the champion the entire prize pool or you can offer different percentages for a select number of places.

You won’t be able to set the potential payout until all of the entries are in, but you can at least provide a good estimate of what that will look like.

Setting the Schedule

OfficeSportsPools will have a template set up for whatever sport you choose, but you don’t have to follow it. The entire NFL season schedule can quickly be uploaded into your specific pool, but you might want to offer only certain games.

This is another piece of information that should be explained to your potential players before they get signed up. They want to know what they are getting themselves into, and you shouldn’t ever change the schedule in the middle of a contest.

There isn’t really much to create a handicapper pool for the NFL, but there will be plenty of planning needed when setting the schedule for other sports.

Scoring System

The scoring system is another aspect of your handicapper pool that can be changed, but it has to be clear to everyone that is going to participate. Awarding one point for a correct pick is the easiest way to go, but it’s not the only option to use.

If you want to make things interesting then you could pick a couple of games each week and add additional points to getting those picks right. That would put a bigger focus on a couple of games, and that could make a big difference in the standings.

Another way to adjust the standard scoring is to award more points each week as the season goes along. It should be easier to make correct picks as the year moves along and it becomes easier to handicap teams.

As long as you are consistent in your scoring then your players shouldn’t have a problem with whatever you choose. The scoring system can easily be changed from year to year as well, and you can make adjustments on things that you didn’t like.

Reasons For Running a Handicapper Pool

There are so many reasons for running a handicapper pool, but one of the biggest is that it provides a change of pace. People are getting tired and bored with standard pick’em contests, and a handicapper pool is a new twist on that old game.

Another big reason for setting up a handicapper pool is the ability to make some money from a fun and simple game. The amount of money that you make is going to depend on how you set up your contest, but you have to reward yourself for doing all of the hard work.

Not only can you make some money by running a handicapper pool, but you can also participate and join in on the fun as well. If you are able to win your own handicapper pool then that will come with an even bigger monetary reward.

If you are going to run an handicapper pool then using OfficeSportsPools is simply the only option to choose.

We Make Your Pool Run Smoothly

A handicapper pool is one that you can run on your own, but it’s going to take some hard work and plenty of time. You can make this entire process easier by running your handicapper pool through OfficeSportsPools and allowing us to do all of the hard work.

There is still some work that you will have to do at the beginning, but all of that ends as soon as this game begins. You don’t want to spend time and energy “grading” the picks each week, and we can take care of all of that for you.

We have some plenty of experience when it comes to a handicapper pool, and that experience has allowed us to perfect our craft. The technology that we provide is unmatched, and it will allow you and your friends to have a terrific experience.

You don’t have to use OfficeSportsPools in order to set up your pool, but you’re making things much harder on yourself by not doing so.