Bookie Challenge - RULES®© ™

The Chips

The Bookie Challenge established a monetary pool before the start of the 2nd annual competition and appointed Magic as its Treasurer. All chips are mailed to the Bookie Challenge Treasurer at the start of the season and then winnings are mailed out by him to the two qualifying winners immediately after the NFL Super Bowl.

Chip participation is voluntary for ONLY the veterans to participate in future Bookie Challenge competitions. However, only those veteran participants who forward Chips at the start of the regular season will be eligible to win a share of the Bookie Challenge chip pot.

ALL ROOKIES MUST BE CHIP PARTICIPANTS IN THEIR INITIAL YEAR OF COMPETITION.

The fee for Chip participants is 30 *CHIPS* and it is due before the start of the 3rd week of the NFL regular season -- NO EXCEPTIONS!!! All Chips received and postmarked after the 3rd Sunday of the NFL regular season will be sent back by the Bookie Challenge Treasurer (Magic -- The Quantum Treasurer).

Chip-paying participants who finish with the highest total points in the final Bookie Challenge Playoff point standings will share the Chip Pot (total monetary pool). The top chip-paying point winner will win 70% of the total Chip Pot and the 2nd place chip-paying participant will win the remaining 30%.

In case of any ties among the Chip participants, the Bookie Challenge Championship Tiebreakers will be implemented to determine the Chip payouts. Chips will be mailed out to the Chip winners within one week from the conclusion of the NFL Super Bowl. All Chip participants should mail proceeds to the Bookie Challenge Treasurer. The Treasurer's address may be obtained by sending a request to milliondollarbill@hotmail.com.

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The Pointspread

The pointspreads will be posted in a topic thread titled "Week n Lines" in the forum titled "THE SPREAD SHEET" on the Bookie Challenge message board no later than Wednesday of each week during the NFL season. The post identifies the betting line for each game that week and this betting line is to be used by the participants for their two weekly best bet selections and for their 3-team combination (3-team parlay).

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Regular Season Scoring

On a weekly basis during the NFL regular season each participant is required to select two best bets and a 3-team combination (3 team parlay).

ONE POINT is awarded for each winning best bet selection. Any ties to the pointspread off the straight line will result in a "no bet" and will count as a tie on a participant's best bet record (won-loss-tie).

THREE POINTS are awarded for a participant's winning 3-team parlay. All three teams on the parlay combination must win against the pointspread. A tie to the spread for any of the three games chosen on a 3-team parlay will result in the loss of the entire parlay selection.

A total of FIVE POINTS (a "Perfecta") can be achieved if both best bets cover and if all parlay teams also all cover and at least one of the parlay teams is also a best bet team.

A total of SEVEN POINTS (a "True Perfecta") can be achieved if five DIFFERENT teams are picked between the two best bets and the 3-team parlay and ALL FIVE teams cover.

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Weekly Results and Point Standings

During the course of the entire NFL season, weekly results and point standings will be posted in THE SPREAD SHEET forum on the Bookie Challenge message board. Forum topic threads will be named "Week n - Results and Standings".

The weekly point standings will show each participant's overall ranking by points and will also reflect each individual member's straight bet and parlay records. For the first seven weeks of the NFL regular season all participants will be in one single point standings group. After the conclusion of the 7th week, all participants will be seeded into five separate divisions and, for the remainder of the NFL regular season, the point standings will then reflect each participant's point ranking within their respective divisions.

At the start of the Bookie Challenge playoffs the divisions are abandoned and all the participants will be ranked back into a single group for the remainder of the contest.

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Opening Week Super Bowl Picks

By the kick off of the first game of the season (normally a Thursday night game) all participants will be required to post their Super Bowl predictions. Each participant will select the two teams they believe will be in the Super Bowl as well as the Super Bowl winner. At the conclusion of the AFC/NFC championship games TWO bonus points will be awarded to those participants who correctly picked BOTH Super Bowl teams. At the conclusion of the Super Bowl, THREE bonus points will be awarded to those participants who correctly picked the Super Bowl winner. Players who fail to submit Super Bowl teams/winner predictions prior to the kick off of the first season game will be ineligible for these bonus points.

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Thanksgiving Day Special

Besides posting regular weekly picks for the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend, each participant will be required to submit picks for the 4 Thanksgiving Day games.

Thanksgiving Rules
The Thanksgiving Day Special will require all participants to pick all 4 games against the spread and ONE O/U as your 5 Best Bets and then  select a parlay consisting of two bets against the spread along with one Over/Under bet.
As usual, ONE POINT will be awarded for each winning best bet off the point spread and one over/under (for a possible 5 points). TWO POINTS will be awarded for a winning Parlay.
So, it's possible to earn a total of Seven POINTS for the Thanksgiving Day games

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Divisional Seedings

A single point standings containing the point totals and rankings of all the Bookie Challenge participants will be utilized from the first week through the seventh week of the NFL regular season. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE SEVENTH WEEK, all participants will be seeded into five separate divisions: the ARK, BELDAR, FRESH, LACEY, and TESLA divisions. The ARK division is named in honor of Arkman, a long-term player, holder of several records and a multi-year champion. The BELDAR division is named in memory of Beldar, a long-term player who, unfortunately, departed this earth prior to the 2010 season. The FRESH division is named in honor of Mighty_Colts, one of the originators of the Bookie Challenge effort. The LACEY division is named in memory of Mighty_Colts' best friend and pal dog, Lacey Jane. Finally, the TESLA division is named in respect for Magic the "quantum treasurer" and his electrifying personality.

With a few exceptions (Arkman will always be seeded in the ARK division, Mighty will be seeded in FRESH, Magic will be seeded in TESLA, BlueShoes will be seeded in the LACEY division), participants will be seeded based upon their overall point totals so as to most fairly balance divisions. For example, in one of the five divisions, the top seed (best overall point's total) will draw the lowest seed (worst overall point's total). In the next division, the second seed (2nd best overall point's total) will then be paired off with the second worst seed (2nd to last overall point's total). The process continues in the same manner until every participant is seeded into the five division. In situations where participants are tied in overall points and have identical best bet records, the Bookie Challenge Cadre reserves the right to make the final placement of those participants into a division.

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Regular Season Tiebreakers

The status in which a participant enters the Bookie Challenge Playoffs is determined by their regular season ranking within their respective division. Listed below are the official regular season tiebreakers for determining Divisional Championships and WILD CARD berths in case of any ties in total points.

- Most overall best bet wins
- Best winning percentage (minimum 13 weeks of participation)
- Most PERFECTA weekends
- Least GOOSE EGG weekends

A PERFECTA is accomplished when, on any given weekend of the regular season, a participant wins both best bets and wins his/her 3-Team Parlay.

A GOOSE EGG is accomplished when, on any given weekend of the regular season, a participant loses both best bets and LOSES EVERY GAME of his/her 3-Team Parlay. Keep in mind, a tie to the pointspread on a parlay game is considered as a loss.

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The Playoffs

The status in which all participants enter the Bookie Challenge Playoffs will be determined at the end of the regular season on the basis of their final point totals and rankings within the five Bookie Challenge divisions. A participant's final status will fall under one of two categories: Divisional Champion (1st place finisher in each division) receives THREE bonus points to start the playoffs and three Wild Card finishers (the next three highest point totals from the remainder of the field across all divisions) who each receive 1.5  bonus points to start the playoffs. All other participants will enter the playoffs with ZERO POINTS.

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Playoff Scoring

NFL WILD CARD ROUND (1st Round - 4 games - possible 5 points total)
- Pick a best bet winner for each game - 1 point per best bet for a total possible 4 points
- Pick any three of the teams (all must cover) - total of 1 point for the parlay

NFL DIVISIONAL ROUND (2nd Round - 4 games - possible 5 points total)
- Pick a best bet winner for each game - 1 point per best bet for a total possible 4 points
- Pick any three of the teams (all must cover) - total of 1 point for the parlay

NFL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP (3rd Round - 2 games - possible 4 points total)
- Pick a best bet winner for each game - 1 point per best bet for a total possible 2 points
- Pick both winners (all must cover) and an Over/Under - total of 2 points for the parlay

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The Super Bowl

The Bookie Challenge's arduous season culminates with pro football's grand finale, the NFL Super Bowl. Players will enter the Super Bowl holding their accumulated points from the three playoff weeks. Points are awarded in the Super Bowl for several proposition bets as outlined in the following table. At the conclusion of the Super Bowl, the Bookie Challenge Championship two winning Chip participants will be recognized and awarded their chips.

Super Bowl Scoring (All Participants - 30 possible points)

[1] Best Bet = 2 points Select the point spread winner

[2] Over/Under = 2 points Over/Under the total points

[3] Straight up winner = 2 points Select the outright Super Bowl Champ

[4] Halftime Divergence = 1 point. How many points will separate the teams at halftime.
If you guess "zero", then you are guessing the score will be tied at halftime.
Your guess must be 2 points or closer to the actual divergence.

[5] Final Divergence = 2 points. How many points will separate the teams at the end of the game.
Your guess must be 1 point or closer to the actual divergence.

[6] Halftime Total = 1 point. The combined score of both teams. Your guess must be 5 points or closer to the actual Total.

[7] Final Total = 2 points. The combined score. Your guess must be 3 points or closer to the actual Total.

[8] Time of possession = 1 point. Team with the highest time of possession.

[9] First Blood = 1 point. First team to score.

[10] Last team to score = 1  point.

[11] First Punt = 1  point.

[12] 1st and Ten = 1 point Team with the most 1st Downs

[13] 3rd Down = 1 point Team with the most 3rd down conversions

[14] Rushing = 1 point Team that has the highest yards-per-carry average

[15]  Which Defense will have the most total tackles = 1 point

[16] First Field Goal = 1  point Team to make the game's first field goal

[17] Second Field Goal = 1 point Team that makes the game's second field goal

[18] Coin Toss = 1 point (Heads or Tails you goofballs)

[19] MVP = 2 points.

[20] OverTime Coin Toss = 5 points (Heads or Tails you goofballs)



Bookie Challenge Championship Tiebreakers

-Participant with highest point total from regular season
- Overall best bet winners (regular season and playoffs combined)
- Best winning percentage (regular season and playoffs combined). Note: Requires a minimum of 13 weeks of regular season participation and all 4 rounds of playoff participation to qualify for the 3rd tiebreaker.
- Most parlay wins (regular season and playoffs combined)
- Fewest GOOSE EGGS (regular season and playoffs combined)

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Posting Guidelines

Each GameDay is separate and individual, whether that be Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday games. Here's an example of the options available to you:

You decide to make a Thursday game a Best Bet. If you want to include this game in your Parlay, then you must post your ENTIRE Parlay before the Thursday posting deadline, otherwise your Parlay is void, invalid, null, ineffective, nonviable, useless, worthless, and nugatory.  

Let's assume you only want the Thursday game as a Best Bet, not a Parlay. Now let's assume there's a Saturday game scheduled and you want to make that your second Best Bet, but you don't want that to be in your Parlay. Then, on Sunday, you post your 3 team Parlay before the Posting Deadline for that day.

Here's another example of options available:

You don't want the Thursday game but play the Saturday game as a Best Bet. Then you forget to post your remaining Best Bet and 3 team Parlay on Sunday. Since each GameDay is separate and individual, you can make your second Best Bet on Monday, giving you an opportunity to score two points on your two Best Bets for that week, even though you lost a chance at a 3 point Parlay.

When you post your Parlay, it must be COMPLETE. Any Parlay that is less than 3 teams is void and must be corrected before the Posting Deadline.

To summarize:

1) You can post your entire bookie card all at once if you choose.
2) You can post your Best Bets on different days if you choose, each GameDay is separate and individual. You can make a Best Bet on Thursday, your Parlay on Sunday, and your second Best Bet on Monday.
3) You cannot post an incomplete Parlay. If you don't correct it before the Posting Deadline, then your Parlay is void for that week. For example; if you post your Parlay on Sunday and it's incomplete, you must correct it before the Posting Deadline for Sunday, which is of course the kickoff of the first game played that day. If the first game is scheduled for 10am Pacific, then the Posting Deadline is 9:59am Pacific.
ALL Sunday picks must be posted before the first kickoff of that day.
If you are late then your last chance is one Best Bet for the MNF game.

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Miscellaneous Guidelines

All participants should attempt to refrain from making adjustments to their posted picks after they have been initially posted. Adjustments will be allowed in certain circumstances where a poster has made an obvious error. For example, posting a straight line game on a parlay combination when there is not a parlay line available for that particular game.
All participants should attempt to post their selections on the same thread the Bookie Challenge Line was initially released on.  That is, the entry is a "Reply" to the weekly line thread.

In any situation where a participant has been deemed to be in violation of the posting guidelines, the Bookie Challenge Cadre (mighty_colts, and/or Magic) will enforce a final ruling.

Should any participant have trouble posting their picks before the posting deadline (for example, the Bookie Challenge server is down) the participant can E-Mail their selections to any of the Bookie Challenge Cadre at their respective E-Mail addresses listed below. However, any E-Mail received by the Cardre that contains selections are still subject to the conditions and time constraints as described in the Bookie Challenge posting guidelines.

- milliondollarbill@hotmail.com (Magic)


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The Hedge Rule (Week 17)

In order to discourage a participant from hedging bets in an effort to lock up a favorable playoff position (Divisional Championship), the Bookie Challenge will implement the "Hedge Rule" on the FINAL WEEKEND OF THE REGULAR SEASON ONLY.

On the final weekend of the regular season, any participant holding the following status: divisional or "at large" wild card, and who has a five point or less lead over their nearest competitor(s) for those playoff berths, cannot select duplicate best bet(s) picks from a trailing participant who has already posted their selections. In addition, a divisional leader or an "at large" wild card cannot duplicate an entire 3-Team Parlay combination posted by any participant who trails them by seven points or less.

Of course, the Hedge Rule applies to a divisional leader or an "at large" wild card only if the trailing participant has posted his/her selections first. However, if a divisional leader or an "at large" wild card posts their selections first, the Hedge Rule does not apply should any best bet picks or entire parlays eventually result in duplicated picks from a participant trailing them by seven points or less.

Any participant found to be in violation of the Hedge Rule will have any duplicated best bet(s) or duplicate 3-Team Parlay voided and counted as a loss.
Rest in Peace Garth