Super Bowl squares use the last digit of each team’s score at designated points in the game to determine winners on a grid. A standard board has 100 spaces arranged in 10 rows by 10 columns, with one team assigned to each axis.
Unlike sportsbook markets, this pool does not require participants to predict a winner, margin, or total. BetNow’s Super Bowl LX odds page covers championship betting markets, while a squares pool uses randomly assigned digits rather than sportsbook odds to determine winning spaces.
If you are asking what Super Bowl squares are, the idea is straightforward: participants claim spaces, digits 0 through 9 are assigned randomly to both axes; winners come from each team’s last score digit at specified checkpoints. Before joining any paid pool, confirm its payout terms and applicable local rules.
How to Set Up and Play Super Bowl Squares
How do Super Bowl squares work? To understand this, start with a 10-by-10 board. Each row intersects each column once, creating 100 possible digit combinations. Organizers should leave digits unassigned until participants have selected their spaces. It is recommended to fill every space first, then randomize 0–9 on both sides so no participant knows which numbers will attach to a chosen space in advance.
A clean Super Bowl squares grid can be prepared in five steps:
- Draw or print a 10-by-10 grid with 100 spaces
- Assign one competing team to rows and its opponent to columns
- Let participants claim available squares under stated pool conditions
- After selections close, randomly assign each digit from 0 through 9 once across both team axes
- Record payout schedules plus scoring checkpoints before kickoff
That is the core of how to play Super Bowl squares. Suppose Team A has row digit 7 and Team B has column digit 3. If a designated checkpoint score is Team A 17 and Team B 13, the 7–3 space wins because only each score’s final digit counts.
This method appears in many football squares pools. However, there is no universal payout formula, so an organizer’s posted Super Bowl squares rules should define prize percentages and whether its last award uses regulation-end scores or an official final score after overtime. For sportsbook wagers instead, read BetNow’s published sports betting rules for whichever market you place.
Super Bowl Squares Payouts and Best Numbers to Get
A common format pays one winner after the first quarter, halftime, the third quarter, and the final score. Prize funds can be divided evenly or weighted toward later checkpoints. For example, a $1,000 pool could pay 20% after each of its first three checkpoints and 40% for its final result. Those percentages are only an example; every payout schedule should be fixed before play starts.
Some number combinations are historically more favorable because NFL scoring is not evenly distributed across final digits. Under the official 2026 NFL scoring rules, touchdowns are worth six points; field goals, three; safeties, two; and tries after touchdowns can add one or two. It is important to note that 0 and 7 are the strongest overall, followed by 3, 4, and 6; 2, 8, 9, and 5 are generally harder to hit.
That does not mean a “good” digit guarantees a payout or a “bad” one cannot win. Once numbers are assigned, every game score still depends on field events. In a square football game, the distinction is between historical frequency and certainty: past scoring patterns can be measured, but they do not guarantee the next result.
Traditional football squares rules also mean that choosing corner or center positions before digits are drawn does not create an inherent advantage. If a grid is filled before random assignment, position alone does not reveal which number pair you will receive. For separate game wagers, Super Bowl prop bets use sportsbook odds and settlement rules rather than grid ownership.
Conclusion
This pool format works because setup is simple, but results remain uncertain. Build a board, randomize digits only after spaces are claimed, publish scoring checkpoints and payouts in advance, and use only each team’s last score digit when grading a winner.
Most importantly, do not confuse a squares pool with conventional NFL wagering. Markets such as point spread betting price expected margins and settle under sportsbook rules; squares pools assign digit combinations and follow organizer-stated terms.
Hilbert Mayer
Sports Writer
Hilbert Mayer is a professional sports writer, betting analyst, and content strategist with over 15 years of experience in the sports industry. Before focusing on sports betting analysis and handicapping, Hilbert worked as a sports writer for various news outlets, covering everything from game recaps to in-depth matchup features. Today, he specializes in MLB, NFL, March Madness, and UFC betting, combining his journalistic background with deep statistical expertise and real-world betting insights. His proven track record, sharp reads, and ability to break down complex matchups make him a trusted voice among both casual bettors and seasoned sharps.
Published on: September 17, 2026
Last updated: September 17, 2026