No Super Bowl 60 party is complete without a Super Bowl squares competition. The game, which has become popular over the last decade, pits your everyday NFL fan against the novices. There is no easy way to win this game. If anything, it's similar to your average NCAA Tournament bracket – if doesn't matter how much football you've watched this season to take break even.
That being said, there are a few pointers the sports gambling community will happily point out to any interested third party. For those of us trying to look smart at our gatherings prior to Super Bowl 60 between the Patriots and Seahawks, FanSided has you covered. Much like Sunday's matchup between Seattle and New England, the end result of Super Bowl squares is somewhat unpredictable, which is also what makes this game so much fun.
How Super Bowl squares work
So, what do you need to know to play Super Bowl squares? Let's start on Level 0, shall we?
Super Bowl squares is a game played on a 10x10 grid with one team playing in the Big Game listed on one axis while the other team is listed on the other axis. The 100 total squares are then filled in with names claimed by the participants in the pool until they have all been accounted for.
At that point, the numbers 0-9 are then randomized across each axis to accompany a row or column. That means your square will have be an intersection point for a number from each team. Those are your numbers for Super Bowl squares and will be tied to the final digit for each team's score. To better visualize that as it pertains to Super Bowl LIX, if your square is at Seahawks 3 and Patriots 7 and the final score is Seahawks 23, Patriots 17, you would win! For what it's worth, both of those scores are fairly common in the NFL – especially in what could be a defensive battle – so please take the free advice.
Most Super Bowl squares pools, however, pay winners out at the end of each quarter. Some have even payouts for every quarter but some have progressive payouts based on the money in the pool. However, all of the winners in that case are still determined by your numbers, which do not change. So using the previous example, if the score was Seahawks 13, Patriots 7 at halftime, you would also win.
Got it? Great! Now let's go into what numbers that you're hoping to end up with since, you know, they're randomized and that leaves it all up to fate. However, if you end up with certain numbers, you're sitting pretty.
The best numbers for Super Bowl squares
This might sound obvious but the best numbers in Super Bowl squares are the key numbers in NFL games. Specifically, 0 and 0 are the best Super Bowl squares numbers to have according to the historical data. Given that a 0-0 tie, 10, and 20 are all key numbers, that tracks. And Establish the Run noted that you have a 6.8% chance of winning with both zeroes in your corner. Here's a look at the five best number combinations to have in your squares pool should you be so lucky based on the percentage chance of winning.
Super Bowl Squares Numbers | Percentage Chance of Winning |
|---|---|
0 and 0 | 6.8% |
7 and 0 | 6.0% |
3 and 0 | 4.7% |
7 and 7 | 4.5% |
7 and 3 | 3.6% |
Again, given the key numbers we know in football, that all makes sense. It's also worth noting that three of the No. 6-10 best options include 4 and either 0, 7 or 3, so that's not a bad draw either. However, this is just to win at the end of every quarter.
When talking about the progressive payout model, typically having the right Super Bowl squares numbers for the final score pays the most money to the winner. And the best numbers for the final score payout are a bit different as 7 and 0 are the best numbers for that with a 3.8% chance of winning in that. 7 and 4 is the only other combo with better than a 3% chance followed by 3 and 0, 4 and 0, 7 and 3, and 6 and 0 as the only combinations with 2% or more chance.
Why certain numbers are better for Super Bowl squares than others
As mentioned, the key numbers are what you want for Super Bowl squares. In case you didn't know why key numbers are key numbers, though, we've got you. It really comes down to the common scores what we see in NFL games.
Obviously, a touchdown and an extra point are worth seven points, which makes multiples of 7 a bit valuable. When you then factor in field goals, that's where you start to get higher numbers that end in 7, 4 and sometimes 3 or zero as well. Zeroes obviously have the value of being the starting score as well.
If you're good a math, you'll love this game. If not, best to ask someone who is or get out a calculator. For some Super Bowls, it can be as looking through each team's regular-season schedule. How many points to they normally score and give up? Really, there is no bad guess – it's all in good fun.