How to Pick Winners in Pro Football Pools

National Football League winners pools ramp up at the start of every football season. Whether it is for fun or there is a friendly wager at stake, NFL winners pools can be an ongoing source of entertainment throughout the football season. Perhaps you have tried your hand at picking winners and have not done so well. Here is some advice that can help you surprise your pals when it comes to picking winners in an NFL pool.

Instructions

    • 1

      Enter a point spread pool if you have little knowledge of football. The point spread--the margin by which one team is favored over another--tends to even things out for novices and experienced NFL fans. This is because the point spread that the majority of NFL winners pools use is set by the Vegas odds makers, who are looking for an even amount to be wagered on each team. What this means to you is that most games can go either way as far as the point spread is concerned, closing the gap between those who know little about pro football and those who know a lot. Luck becomes much more of a factor.

    • 2

      Be aware of the NFL injury report. This normally comes out on Fridays and lists the players from each team that will not play that week or that are hurting. You do not want to choose a squad that is missing its star quarterback or running back. By going through the injury report, which is in every newspaper and also available online, you won't make the mistake of picking a team that in reality has little chance to win.

    • 3

      Pick two upsets each week if you are in an NFL winners pool that only requires you to pick the winning team. By playing things safe and going with the favorites, you will find that you do not win often. Most everyone else in your pool is making the logical choices as well, which means that even if you are right, you will more than likely be tied after Sunday night with at least one and probably two or three other people in the pool. This results in things coming down to the Monday night game and whatever tiebreaker system is in place for your pool. If you pick two upsets and are correct on both, you will almost certainly win the pool. Be right on one and you probably will still be in the mix.

    • 4

      Make upset picks that have a realistic chance in winners-only pools. Avoid double-digit underdogs, as they rarely win in the NFL. Instead, focus on teams that may be giving away from five to seven points and are playing at home. These are the NFL teams that often surprise the prognosticators. Favored teams that have just played on Monday night and are back playing on Sunday can also be picked against. Early in the season, look for underdogs that absolutely need to win to keep their seasons relevant. They will be fired up.

    • 5

      Don't get boxed in point-wise for the Monday-night tiebreaker. Most tiebreakers go by picking the winning team and then correctly choosing the amount of points scored in the contest. If you choose in the 30s or 40s, you will find that other people in the tiebreaker may box you in with their choices, making it nearly impossible to win. Go with a very high or very low number of points in your tiebreaker, putting you in a much better position to win your NFL pool. For example, if someone has chosen 34 points, someone else has picked 41, and you have taken 53, any score more than 48 makes you a winner.