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How to Win Super Bowl Squares During the 2020 Game

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The big game is just around the corner. It won’t be long before you’re sitting in front of your TV watching the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs playing Super Bowl LIV to see who becomes the 2020 champion. You may even have put a pool together for the game with money or alternate prizes for some added fun. Here’s how to win Super Bowl squares (or at least better your odds).

How Super Bowl Squares Work

If you participate in Super Bowl football squares pool and it’s done correctly, there really isn’t any way to better your odds of winning. This is because the numbers for the game will be randomly assigned after all of the spaces in the game have been filled. This will mean that nobody knows which numbers they have until after they have already chosen squares. This ensures that those who receive the most coveted spaces do so randomly.

how to win super bowl squares

How to Win Super Bowl Squares

The key is that there’s no way to better the odds if the game is set up correctly. The reason that many times it’s possible to better your odds is that often these games aren’t set up correctly. You can do this by understanding the odds of what number combinations are most likely to appear from past Super Bowls. By knowing the number combinations with the greatest chance of appearing, you can choose those slots giving you a distinct advantage over those who join the pool later or don’t understand that some squares are much more likely to win than others.

When football squares are set up correctly, all participants must choose their square (among the white squares from the image above) before the 0 – 9 numbers for both teams are written (the grey squares in the above image). The mistake that happens more often than it should is that the 0 – 9 numbers are filled in before people choose their squares. When this happens, you can choose squares which are much more likely to pay than those that aren’t because you know exactly where they are. Even if you know nothing about football, you have a good chance of winning by knowing the numbers most likely to appear. Here are the numbers you need to know:

The simple rule of thumb is that you want squares that have the numbers 0, 7, 3 and 4 in them and avoid squares that have the numbers 2 or 5 in them. If you have your choice, you want to pick one of the five following combinations:

  • 0-0
  • 7-0 (0-7)
  • 3-0 (0-3)
  • 7-3 (3-7)
  • 0-4 (4-0)

Looking at all the past Super Bowls, this is how often all the numbers have appeared: “0” has appeared 101 times (26.9%), “7” has appeared 78 times (20.7%), “3” has appeared 58 times (15.4%), “4” has appeared 39 times (10.4%), “6” has appeared 31 times (8.2%), “1” has appeared 23 times (6.1%), “9” has appeared 17 times (4.5%), “8” has appeared 10 times (2.7%), “5” has appeared 10 times (2.7%) and “2” has appeared 9 times (2.4%).

Take Note of This And Good Luck!

By understanding that the 0-0 square (or any of the others mentioned above) is much more likely to appear sometime during the game than the 2-2 square (or any other square not mentioned above), you can greatly increase the chanced that you’ll win one of the prizes given away. It’s important to note that these are the odds, and that doesn’t mean the above numbers are guaranteed to win. They simply suggest that going by past Super Bowl games, which numbers are much more likely to appear and which aren’t.

With the above knowledge, you could take advantage of any game put together where the 0-9 numbers have already been written on the sheet before filling in your square(s) and increase the likelihood of winning. A better course of action, at least in my opinion, would be to point out the flaw in the way the game has been set up. The game can then be properly set up so that it’s random and nobody has an advantage over anyone else when the numbers are chosen.

Finally, for a handy printable Super Bowl squares chart, go here.

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How to Play and Download a Free Super Bowl Squares Printable Chart

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printable super bowl squares

The 2020 Super Bowl is coming up soon. Two teams that don’t typically appear in the season’s biggest game are playing: The San Francisco 49ers and The Kansas City Chiefs. As the game approaches, many people are beginning to play Super Bowl squares. If you’re not quite sure how to play but want to get an office pool started, here’s a step-by-step guide (plus free printable Super Bowl squares).

Step One: Print the Super Bowl Football Squares Chart

Superbowl squares

First, print a 10 square by 10 square chart. Use this link to print your free Superbowl squares chart.

Step Two: Set a Price for the Value of the Squares

If you decide to make a friendly wager on the game, you need to determine how much each square on the chart will be worth. Each participant will need to pay this amount for each square they place their name in on the chart. The amount for each square is completely up to you – adjust it according to the group of people you’re playing the game with. Below are a few examples of amounts you could determine each square to be worth, and what the total pool for that amount would be.

  • 10 cent squares would create a total pool of $10.00
  • 25 cent squares would create a total pool of $25.00
  • 50 cent squares would create a total pool of $50.00
  • 1 dollar squares would create a total pool of $100.00
  • 2 dollar squares would create a total pool of $200.00
  • 5 dollar squares would create a total pool of $500.00
  • 10 dollar squares would create a total pool of $1000.00

If you don’t want to bet cash on the Super Bowl, you may consider giving away small prizes to the winning square holders. Typically, you’ll award these prizes after each quarter.

Step Three: Assign Squares

Next, you will need to fill in the 100 squares inside the chart. As long as it is easy to determine who has claimed which square, you can organize this any way you want. The most common way to do this is to have all those participating initial the square(s) they want for the game. You can also assign each participant a color and allow them to color in the squares they’d like to claim.

The number of squares each person gets depends on the number of people playing the game. If you have 10 people playing, each would pick 10 squares (5 people playing, each would pick 20 squares, and so on).

Step Four: Randomly Assign Numbers

Have people fill in their squares before assigning numbers. Then, assign numbers 0-9 on the top and side of the chart. It is more likely for the end score for either team will end in a 0, 3, or 7 than most other numbers. For this reason, you’ll want to assign the number after people have colored/initialed their squares to provide everyone with the same odds of winning.

Step Five: Decide How to Award Prizes

There are a wide variety of ways to award prizes. You can decide which is best for you and the group you’re playing with. Most games give out a small amount at the end of each quarter, with a bigger prize for the participant that has the winning square at the end of the game. Below you’ll find some of the different ways you can award the prize money. For those who are giving away predetermined prizes rather than money, you should also determine how these will be awarded.

Ways you can payout prize money for super bowl squares

Step Six: Determine the Winners

In order to determine the winner, you need to look at the last number of the score for each team. For example, if the score is Kansas City 14 and San Francisco 13 after the first quarter, you would look for the “4” column from the Chiefs side, and “3” column from the 49ers side. Once the two columns have been determined, you run the lines together until they meet at a square which is the winner. You follow the same process with the scores at half-time, the end of the third quarter, and the final score.

Readers, are you participating in Super Bowl squares or any other Super Bowl game? Let us know your plans in the comment section below!

Photo: Erik Drost

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3 Fun Games About Saving Money

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3 Fun Games About Saving Money

When it comes to personal finance, saving can be the most daunting challenges one can take on. Not only is it a discipline that few come by naturally, throwing 10-20% of your money straight into a lock-box is arguably the most boring wealth building tool available. Unfortunately, though, it must be done. That being said, I have found a helpful tool in getting people started on their journey is recommending some easy games that educate users on saving their money.

Here are the three games I have found most helpful (and fun) to get the ball rolling:

 

Financial Football

A game that defies the usual platform of your average “finance” game, this Madden-esque sport simulator offers elements of traditional gaming tied in with money-saving education. Visa partnered with the NFL to bring you the most gamer-friendly learning tool out there, and I find it very engaging. The game switches between football plays and multiple-choice questions, and keeps a great balance between the two. If you enjoy football and want to learn a thing or two about saving money, this is the game for you.

Pros: Exciting gameplay, broad questions, and available on mobile.

Cons: Some football knowledge required.

google play apple store

Money Metropolis

This computer-only game is a great tool for teens. The player starts with a goal for which they want to save. This could be getting a new pet, going on a trip,  or even a shopping spree. After this, the player can adventure around the town and find ways to make money and keep up on their budget until they eventually reach it. One of the best parts about this game is the map, allowing you to choose where to go and how to get your income. As a result, your child’s creativity can keep this game new and interesting for them.

Pros: Easy, open, and great for early-teenagers.

Cons: Basic and computer-only.

https://www.practicalmoneyskills.com/play/money_metropolis

Peter Pig’s Money Counter

Got to have something for the little ones. Peter Pig will teach your 5-8 year old fun facts about money and how to count and save smaller amounts. Step-by-step your child will learn the value of different coins, how to count change, and how to save it to dress up their pig! I have seen quite a few kids love this one, and it is a terrific starting point (and distraction) for any youngin’.

Pros: Kid-friendly, easy, and one cute piggy.

Cons: Only for kids, and has a very narrow scope.

google play apple store

 

There aren’t many great games about saving money, but these gems are sure to get folks of any age ready to get started! I hope you love them as much as my family has, and pay it forward by sharing this article.

I finally got Disney Plus to Work and I’m Overjoyed

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disney plus

I am one of 10 million people that signed up for Disney Plus. My sister and I spoke about breaking down and purchasing Disney Plus on the first day. We both said we wouldn’t do it because it would have issues, and we did it anyway. I almost immediately regretted it once I couldn’t log in and kept seeing error messages but I saw the light.

No Linux-based Devices

As with most streaming services, or highly-anticipated apps, there will be issues. For all the money and effort Disney put into its streaming service, it didn’t work for many of its millions of new users. It doesn’t work in android or Linux-based devices such as Chromebooks. As a Chromebook user that hadn’t read ahead, I was sorely disappointed when I kept receiving “error code 83.” Once I did a Google search, I realized that I wasn’t the only one. There are whole Reddit threads explicitly dedicated to that error. For those that stream on an android-based tablet or phone, this will be extremely frustrating because this will require security changes on Disney’s part. Luckily, I like all types of devices and was able to log in with my personal computer (PC) so I could finally watch “Endgame.”

Error Codes

For Apple, Amazon, Roku, and PC devices, they weren’t without their issues. There were issues loading content, streaming, and even log-ins given the lack of bandwidth. A quick google search reveals at least nine error codes were widely searched since the launch two days ago. Error code 83 means that your Linux device doesn’t meet the security requirements. Error code 73 means you’re in a region that is not currently supported, which is everywhere but the US, Canada, and the Netherlands. Puerto Rico, New Zealand, and Australia should have access starting November 19. Although Australia is about the same size as the lower 48, it has about 300 million fewer people, so hopefully, their launch will be much smoother.

Limited Titles

What’s even more unfortunate is the limited amount of titles available. I’m pretty sure that’s why Disney plus offered a bundle before it even launched. You need at least one other streaming service to have sufficient entertainment. It also explains the $6.99 price tag. Disney previously explained the limited titles by stating they would be released in the future. However, compared to streaming services like the bundled Hulu, or Netflix, the number of titles seems trivial.

Upgrade Your Hulu

Speaking of Hulu, my sister and I compared bundles, and it seemed like she was getting a better deal. I had Hulu with commercials for $5.99. She has Hulu without ads for $12.99. Once she added the Disney Plus Bundle, Disney credited her $12.99, so she’s only paying taxes and fees for Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. I immediately switched to the ad-free Hulu package. You might ask why, and the reason is, I can have everything for the same price without the commercials. It is so annoying to get rid of cable and still have ads, but now, thanks to my little sister, I don’t have to worry about it.

 

Read More

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Is the New Disney Streaming Service Worth the Money?

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The Final Nail in the Coffin of MoviePass

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MoviePass

We all saw this coming. MoviePass officially went out of business this weekend, marking the end of a very short life for the company. Earlier this year, it was reported that MoviePass subscribers had decreased by 90 percent after the company’s business practices turned out to be less than honest.

The Lifetime of the Business

Believe it or not, MoviePass made its debut in the marketplace in 2011. It did not rise to popularity until summer 2017 though. At that time, the company was offering unlimited movies each month for just $9.95. That wouldn’t buy a single movie ticket in most places, so it is no wonder the company blew up in terms of popularity. Upon announcing its pricing, subscriber numbers jumped from 15,000 to 3.2 million practically overnight. However, that price simply wasn’t sustainable for the business.

In less than one year after it debuted its services at this low price, the company began changing its offer without even alerting customers. Suddenly, you were limited in the number of movies you can view per month. Additionally, it began reopening closed or canceled accounts without the customer’s permission (talk about bad business practice).

Once theater chains like AMC and Regal saw the business failing, they began launching their own movie subscription services at more sustainable prices. Many of these also included family plans, which MoviePass never offered.

When the company went up for sale some pretty large investors showed interest, but no one bought in because the company was already so far gone. Fast-forward six months and MoviePass has shut its virtual doors for good.

What MoviePass Customers Can Do

If you were a customer, you may be wondering what’s next. The company has said it has not given up on looking for additional funding to keep the business running, but there are no sources currently available.

Company executives released a statement saying, “On September 13, 2019, MoviePass notified its subscribers that it would be interrupting the MoviePass service for all its subscribers effective September 14, 2019, because its efforts to recapitalize MoviePass have not been successful to date.”

It is a good idea to still keep an eye on your account. As mentioned above, MoviePass has done some less-than-savory things when it comes to closed accounts in the past. You will want to be sure you’re not continuing to be charged.

Previous customers have options, however. If you’re still interested in movie subscription services, there are a number of alternatives available. (See a list of alternatives here.)

Readers, are you surprised by MoviePass coming to an end? 

Photo: Flickr: jenvargas

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Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Mix Business With Pleasure

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Mixing business with pleasure is a term that’s used to describe business partners who are romantically involved with each other. Mixing business with pleasure usually involves dating a fellow professional, especially one you work closely with. This would include people in your department or in a department you’re associated with.

We’ll be looking at the major reasons why mixing business with pleasure is such a bad thing and the unique cases where they can actually work. First, we’ll consider the downsides:

It’s bad for business.

The primary reason why you shouldn’t date someone you work with is that it’s bad for business. It’s simply too distracting. You’ll never be able to get any work done because you’ll be too busy doting over each other. This is especially true if your relationship is new or you’re really in love with each other. This lack of focus can reduce productivity, and even slow down the entire business’ operations.

Besides derailing the vision of the organization, dating your co-worker can also encourage the behavior, especially if you’re in a position of authority. You essentially endorse the act and give your employees or subordinates the right to do the same. Once this happens, it’s only a matter of time before all the emotional heat snowballs into an avalanche of chaos (and probably lawsuits).

It’s bad for pleasure.

As counterintuitive as it may sound, mixing business with pleasure is also bad for pleasure. Dating your co-worker means you always take a piece of work home with you. Even if you have a good working relationship, you’ll have to set new ground rules for when you’re not in the office. It’s going to be even harder trying to keep the two of them (relationship life and professional life) separate because the office demands strict and professional relations while life at home demands more compassionate relations.

You can see that this topic can lead to some major problems, both for the organization and the individuals involved. But then, now, we’re going to look at the situations where mixing business with pleasure might actually work out.

You have high emotional intelligence.

Having high emotional intelligence means being able to keep a lid on your feelings, no matter how strongly you feel at the moment. With high emotional intelligence, you can compartmentalize your emotions and keep them from interfering with your work. That way, you can avoid all the pitfalls that come with dating a co-worker.

You work from home.

Working from home is great because you can set your own hours and make as much money as you want. It all depends on how much time and energy you put into it. It also means you can date your co-worker, or work with your partner (depends on how you want to look at it.) For example, imagine that you trade on Bitcoin future, and your partner could also be in the same business. It wouldn’t matter much since there isn’t that much professional interaction involved.

The job is a temporary assignment.

If you’re both working on a very temporary arrangement, then mixing business with pleasure may not be such a dangerous thing. Since you’ll both stop working together soon, it’s unlikely that your relationship is going to affect your work and vice versa.

More often than not, it’s better to put off dating until after you’ve completed your business because it’s very rare to keep romantic affairs from spilling into work relationships.

For more on relationships, consider reading these articles:

How A Polygamous Relationship Can Impact Your Finances

How Money Issues Kill Marriage

Dying Regrets And Why I Won’t Have Them

Image Credit: Pexels.