Rules
Bob Slaveck's NFL confidence pool, 2026. Every figure here is read from the same rules the standings are scored with.
The money
- $5 a week, or $90 for the whole season.
- $3 of each entry goes to that week's pot, paid to the top 4: 1st 40% · 2nd 30% · 3rd 20% · 4th 10%.
- $2 goes to the year-end pot, paid to the top 8: 1st 34.25% · 2nd 24.25% · 3rd 12.75% · 4th 7.75% · 5th 6.75% · 6th 5.75% · 7th 4.75% · 8th 3.75%.
- Year-end standings use your best 16 of 18 weekly scores — the worst 2 are dropped.
Ties split the prize slots they span, evenly. A two-way tie for 1st takes (40+30)/2 = 35% each. That is how the pool has demonstrably paid every tied weekly position on record.
Picking
- Pick a winner in every game, then rank them by confidence. 16 on the game you are surest of, down to 1 on the least.
- A short week uses the top of the range, not the bottom: 16 games → 1–16 (sums to 136), 15 games → 2–16 (sums to 135), 14 games → 3–16 (sums to 133), 13 games → 4–16 (sums to 130).
- Each confidence value is used exactly once.
- Tie breaker: the total points scored in the Monday night game. It only ever breaks ties — it is never added to your score.
- A tie in an actual NFL game is final and worth zero to everybody, whoever they picked.
Deadlines — all Chicago time
Most weeks the games start on Thursday, so picks are due Thursday by 6:00 PM central. Three weeks differ:
| Week | Picks due | Games | Tie-break game |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wednesday, September 9 at 6:00 PM CDT | 16 | DEN vs KCC |
| 2 | Thursday, September 17 at 6:00 PM CDT | 16 | NYG vs LAR |
| 3 | Thursday, September 24 at 6:00 PM CDT | 16 | PHI vs CHI |
| 4 | Thursday, October 1 at 6:00 PM CDT | 16 | ATL vs NO |
| 5 | Thursday, October 8 at 6:00 PM CDT | 15 | BUF vs LAR |
| 6 | Thursday, October 15 at 6:00 PM CDT | 14 | WASH vs SF49 |
| 7 | Thursday, October 22 at 6:00 PM CDT | 14 | DAL vs PHI |
| 8 | Thursday, October 29 at 6:00 PM CDT | 14 | CHI vs SEA |
| 9 | Thursday, November 5 at 6:00 PM CST | 15 | BUF vs MINN |
| 10 | Thursday, November 12 at 6:00 PM CST | 14 | LAC vs BALT |
| 11 | Thursday, November 19 at 6:00 PM CST | 13 | CIN vs WASH |
| 12 | Wednesday, November 25 at 10:00 AM CST | 16 | CAROL vs TB |
| 13 | Thursday, December 3 at 6:00 PM CST | 14 | DAL vs SEA |
| 14 | Thursday, December 10 at 6:00 PM CST | 15 | PITT vs JACK |
| 15 | Thursday, December 17 at 6:00 PM CST | 16 | NE vs KCC |
| 16 | Thursday, December 24 at 6:00 PM CST | 16 | NYG vs DET |
| 17 | Thursday, December 31 at 6:00 PM CST | 16 | HOUS vs GBP |
| 18 | Sunday, January 10 at 10:00 AM CST | 16 | SUNDAY NIGHT GAME |
Submitting
Fill in the workbook Bob emails round, including the Player Info tab, and send it to
bobslavnfl@gmail.com from the address on that tab. The sheet checks itself: cell
A20 reads GOOD TO GO!! only when your confidence numbers add up
and your tie breaker is filled in.
Rules quoted from Bob's 2026 season email. This site is unofficial — Bob's workbook is the record that pays.