About the Pool
This pool is based on the 2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. There will be two separate tournament pools run on this website. The first, which will be referred to as the "Original Pool" consists of picking winners for the entire 64-team bracket. The second pool, which will be referred to as the "Sweet 16 Pool", starts after the first weekend of games and consists of picking the winners for the 16 teams that remain in the tournament. Each pool has its own deadline, scoring system and tie-breaker rules described below. At the end of the tournament, the person with the most points in each pool will be the winner for that pool. Bracket Limit
There is no limit to the number of brackets each person may enter in either the original pool or the Sweet 16 Pool. Each person's brackets for both the original and Sweet 16 Pool should be submitted using the same Login ID. Bracket Deadlines
Brackets can be added, edited and deleted up until the bracket deadline. The deadline for the original pool is Thursday, March 19th at 12:00 PM ET. The deadline for picking the play-in game is Tuesday, March 17th at 7:00 PM ET. Brackets that have picked the play-in game cannot be deleted after the play-in game deadline. The deadline for the Sweet 16 Pool is Thursday, March 26th at 7:00 PM ET. Entry Fee & Prize
Login for information on the entry fee and/or prize. ORIGINAL POOL SCORING & TIE-BREAKER Play-in Game
Officially called the "Opening Round", the Play-in game is a preliminary game that takes place two days before the tournament first round. The winner of the Play-in game gets placed on the bracket as a #16 seed and will face a #1 seed in the 1st round. The Play-in game is used in this pool and will appear on the entry bracket as a game to be picked. | POOL POINTS SCORED BY ROUND | | Play-in | 1 point for correct pick | | 1st Round | 2 points for each correct pick
Plus points based on the seed of the winning team as shown in the table below | | 2nd Round | 4 points for each correct pick
Plus points based on the seed of the winning team as shown in the table below | | 3rd Round | 8 points for each correct pick
Plus points based on the seed of the winning team as shown in the table below | | 4th Round | 12 points for each correct pick
Plus points based on the seed of the winning team as shown in the table below | | 5th Round | 16 points for each correct pick
Plus points based on the seed of the winning team as shown in the table below | | 6th Round | 24 points for correct pick
Plus points based on the seed of the winning team as shown in the table below |
| POOL POINTS SCORED BASED ON SEED OF PICK | | | Seed # | | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | | 1st Round | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | | 2nd Round | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | | 3rd Round | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 10 | | 4th Round | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | | 5th Round | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | | 6th Round | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 |
Bonus Points
The following bonus points are awarded in addition to other points scored in the pool:
· 10 points for correctly picking all four #8 vs. #9 games
· 5 points for correctly picking all four #7 vs. #10 games
· 5 point for correctly picking all 1st round games in a region (can be earned for each region).
· 30 points for correctly picking all 4 Final Four teams.
· 10 points for correctly picking 3 (but not four) Final Four teams.
· Bonus Teams: You will pick one team to be your "Bonus Team" and earn bonus points for each win by your "Bonus Team" provided that you also picked the team to win on your entry bracket for that round. The points awarded for bonus team wins are shown below.
| ·1st Round: | points according to the following formula: (Bonus team seed # multipled by the round number of the win) plus 1 | | ·2nd Round: | points according to the following formula: (Bonus team seed # multipled by the round number of the win) plus 2 | | ·3rd Round: | points according to the following formula: (Bonus team seed # multipled by the round number of the win) plus 3 | | ·4th Round: | points according to the following formula: (Bonus team seed # multipled by the round number of the win) plus 4 | | ·5th Round: | points according to the following formula: (Bonus team seed # multipled by the round number of the win) plus 5 | | ·6th Round: | points according to the following formula: (Bonus team seed # multipled by the round number of the win) plus 6 |
Original Pool Tie-breaker
If the tournament ends with two or more entries tied with the same score, ties will be broken as follows. - Pick the total score of both teams combined in the National Championship game. You will make your tie-break pick as part of the entry submission. Closest to the actual total score wins the tie-breaker.
SWEET 16 POOL SCORING & TIE-BREAKER | POOL POINTS SCORED BY ROUND | | 1st Round | 2 points for each correct pick
Plus points based on the seed of the winning team as shown in the table below | | 2nd Round | 4 points for each correct pick
Plus points based on the seed of the winning team as shown in the table below | | 3rd Round | 6 points for each correct pick
Plus points based on the seed of the winning team as shown in the table below | | 4th Round | 8 points for each correct pick
Plus points based on the seed of the winning team as shown in the table below |
| POOL POINTS SCORED BASED ON SEED OF PICK | | | Seed # | | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | | 1st Round | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | | 2nd Round | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | | 3rd Round | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 10 | | 4th Round | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 |
Bonus Points
The following bonus points are awarded in addition to other points scored in the pool:
· 15 points for correctly picking all 4 Final Four teams.
· 5 points for correctly picking 3 (but not four) Final Four teams.
· Bonus Teams: You will pick one team to be your "Bonus Team" and earn bonus points for each win by your "Bonus Team" provided that you also picked the team to win on your entry bracket for that round. The points awarded for bonus team wins are shown below.
| ·1st Round: | points according to the following formula: (Bonus team seed # multipled by the round number of the win) multipled by 1 | | ·2nd Round: | points according to the following formula: (Bonus team seed # multipled by the round number of the win) multipled by 2 | | ·3rd Round: | points according to the following formula: (Bonus team seed # multipled by the round number of the win) multipled by 3 | | ·4th Round: | points according to the following formula: (Bonus team seed # multipled by the round number of the win) plus 4 |
Sweet 16 Pool Tie-breaker
If the tournament ends with two or more entries tied with the same score, ties will be broken as follows. - Pick the total score of both teams combined in the National Championship game. You will make your tie-break pick as part of the entry submission. Closest to the actual total score wins the tie-breaker.
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES & DISCLAIMER Special Circumstances
Technical problems
Due to the nature of the internet, the pool website may not be available at all times. It may be especially difficult to connect to the website as the deadline nears due to high traffic volume. Therefore, you are encouraged to complete your bracket as early as possible (remember, you can modify the bracket as many times you want until the deadline.) The pool commissioner is not responsible for website malfunction.
Commissioner privilege
The pool commissioner has the final decision on all pool matters, including those items not specifically mentioned on this rules page. If you have any questions regarding the pool rules, please contact the pool commissioner for clarification.
Disclaimer
Use of this website and participation in the pool indicates consent and acknowledgement of this disclaimer. This website is powered by software from sportsfan.com and is intended for entertainment and amusement only. Sportsfan.com does not recommend, advise or participate in gambling activities. The materials and information provided by the website do not indicate a recommendation to place or accept wagers or bets. This pool and website are not affiliated or endorsed by the NCAA or participating colleges and universities.
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