How it works
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 times central
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 | Wed Sep 9, 6:00 PM not Thursday | 16 | DEN vs KCC |
| 2 | Thu Sep 17, 6:00 PM | 16 | NYG vs LAR |
| 3 | Thu Sep 24, 6:00 PM | 16 | PHI vs CHI |
| 4 | Thu Oct 1, 6:00 PM | 16 | ATL vs NO |
| 5 | Thu Oct 8, 6:00 PM | 15 | BUF vs LAR |
| 6 | Thu Oct 15, 6:00 PM | 14 | WASH vs SF49 |
| 7 | Thu Oct 22, 6:00 PM | 14 | DAL vs PHI |
| 8 | Thu Oct 29, 6:00 PM | 14 | CHI vs SEA |
| 9 | Thu Nov 5, 6:00 PM | 15 | BUF vs MINN |
| 10 | Thu Nov 12, 6:00 PM | 14 | LAC vs BALT |
| 11 | Thu Nov 19, 6:00 PM | 13 | CIN vs WASH |
| 12 | Wed Nov 25, 10:00 AM not Thursday | 16 | CAROL vs TB |
| 13 | Thu Dec 3, 6:00 PM | 14 | DAL vs SEA |
| 14 | Thu Dec 10, 6:00 PM | 15 | PITT vs JACK |
| 15 | Thu Dec 17, 6:00 PM | 16 | NE vs KCC |
| 16 | Thu Dec 24, 6:00 PM | 16 | NYG vs DET |
| 17 | Thu Dec 31, 6:00 PM | 16 | HOUS vs GBP |
| 18 | Sun Jan 10, 10:00 AM not Thursday | 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.