Does anybody runs a Super Bowl contest?

[BewareDaPenguin]

I'm a newbie on here just wondering if anybody runs any kind of Super Bowl contest? I went and looked up around last year this time and saw tvolball (Troy) put a little something together. Anyways jus thought it would be fun since so many people watch the Super Bowl.

I was thinking it would be fun to have a "Super Bowl Squares" pool...

There's 100 squares on a grid board
Top of Grid would be Denver  
Side Grid would be Seattle
Numbers are 0-9 on both sides of grid
Each Square would cost 1 cigar from a $3-$10 range (roughly, just no dog rockets. From the looks of it so far you guys are an awesome group n don't bid what you wouldn't smoke)
No limit on how many squares you can purchase with cigars!
Entries would be placed on the grid at random places
Once the grid is completely full the numbers would then be drawn in a random order for both axis of grid
There will be 4 winners that will each take home 25 cigars each
Winners are the end of each quarter of the game and based on the last digit of the respective teams score...for example if after the first quarter the score is Denver 13 Seattle 14 the winner would be in Denver 3 Seattle 4

We would need to get the grid filled up quickly and cigar entries would need to be mailed in by Friday to ensure they are received by next Friday as the game is Feb. 2nd. Would be nice if you also mailed in $1 with your entry to help cover the shipping cost to the winners.

So who is the one in charge of running the contest? Lol

I know it sounds like I'm volunteering to run it lol...but honestly I'm gonna be pretty busy the next few months but I'd gladly enter if someone wants to run it, possibly with there own twist on it, this was jus off the top of my head.

Anybody wanna step up?? 100 squares is a lot to fill up but I bet there's enough geeks who would want 2 play...thoughts? Comments? Anybody want to run a Super Bowl contest??

[mike.casey]

I don't know but sounds fun.

I'm in for 5 (or 10) squares!

[mike.casey]

The only thing I would do is just let everybody mail their entry to the winner once it's all said and done. That would help with the time crunch and save on shipping.

Just make sure anyone that wants to play has at least some feedback or someone to vouch for them.

[BewareDaPenguin]

Yeah I thought about that, but there's gonna be 4 winners...so the cigars would have 2 b broken up as such. So they would need 2 get shipped in to a moderator of some kind. Unless there's other ideas? I'd be in for at least a 5 possibly 10 if we couldn't get enough guys/gals!

[StogieDad]

Lord knows I love a football contest, ill play if we get one going!

[mike.casey]

You could just have one winner.

[bstessl]

Awesome idea!!  I'm in.

[tvolball]

Yeah I thought about that tis weekend but it to late to do it the way I did last year. Sorry geeks my bad. Been covered up and just forgot

[conditionZero]

If everyone is cool with Mike's idea of having just one winner then I would be willing to organize it. I think the logistics of fairly dividing the pot between four winners, as in a standard football square, would be a bit much.

[BewareDaPenguin]

I'm good with it...how about 1 cigar buys 2 squares then? The winner would jus be the final score and would receive 50 cigars? Sound good?

Next year we should get the squares filled at the start of the playoffs then we can do it more traditionally?

[conditionZero]

BewareDaPenguin - 1/21/2014  6:04 AM  I'm good with it...how about 1 cigar buys 2 squares then? The winner would jus be the final score and would receive 50 cigars? Sound good?  Next year we should get the squares filled at the start of the playoffs then we can do it more traditionally?

That's not a bad idea. However, I have a feeling that most guys are going to want to put up at least five cigars. At ten squares each then only ten people would be able to play.

How about this; one square per cigar. If there are still empty squares close to game time then they will be randomly assigned to people who have already bought up other squares (without increasing the pot size or anyone's obligation). If all of the squares are full, I'm sure no one will mind receiving 100 cigars, and if they do ( ) , they could always PM some of the losers and have them redirect their share to a fellow geek as a bomb.

  Any thoughts?

[BewareDaPenguin]

That sounds good....maybe we could do 2 winners then? Halftime & final? I'm in agreement that most guys will buy up at least 5 squares. Maybe you could direct who ships cigars 2 who? Split it up 50/50? 50 cigars is still quite a big haul n 2 winners wouldn't be real hard 2 coordinate? I'm open 2 how ever you want 2 run it tho, 1 winner bombing some of the other winners is def an idea as well! I'm open! Thanks for stepping up!

[nirab]

I will play if this gets going. I like the idea of 2 winners. Whoever runs it could select 2 groups of geeks (who did not win) and then direct those geeks to send the cigars to each respective winner. I also think that since this is the Super Bowl, and the last game of the year, the cigars should be super as well. $8-$15 dollar range. For the squares, you can just take the number of geeks who play, and divide that by 100, and then assign that amount of squares to each person. 20 geeks=5 squares per person, 10 geeks=10 per person, etc... and each geek is putting up a 5pk of Super Bowl quality sticks. Just my .02 cents!

[conditionZero]

nirab - 1/21/2014  7:14 AM  I will play if this gets going. I like the idea of 2 winners. Whoever runs it could select 2 groups of geeks (who did not win) and then direct those geeks to send the cigars to each respective winner. I also think that since this is the Super Bowl, and the last game of the year, the cigars should be super as well. $8-$15 dollar range. For the squares, you can just take the number of geeks who play, and divide that by 100, and then assign that amount of squares to each person. 20 geeks=5 squares per person, 10 geeks=10 per person, etc... and each geek is putting up a 5pk of Super Bowl quality sticks. Just my .02 cents!

Also good ideas. What I like about being able to buy squares at will is that it's always a nice gesture to buy them for someone else. In other words, you could by five for yourself, plus one each for five (or however many) other fellow geeks as a show of appreciation for generosity they've shown in the past. Plus, someone who can't come up with five super bowl quality sticks could just buy one or two squares as their budget or collection allows. I also think it add a little more fun when you can pick your squares based on what you think the likely outcome of the game is.

The two winner idea is doable, but depending on how many participate, an even split may not be possible. We could just say that any odd man out sends his share to the winner of the second half. Also, it would have to be understood that whatever one bets is part of the overall pot. What I mean is, if you buy ten squares, and then win a half, then 10 of the cigars in the pot are the ones you put up and would have to be deducted from the amount you receive, since you are, if effect, winning back your own cigars.

Okay, I'm probably making this sound more complicated then it needs to be. Nirab's idea is simpler, but Adam's original idea seems like more fun.

[nirab]

I like Adam's idea as well. I kept it simple because the Super Bowl will be upon us fast, and there is not a lot of time left once you figure out what you are doing with this contest. I like simple! Stick quality is always subjective anyway, so no big deal there. As for buying someone a square, the same theory could apply that the winner would have more than enough cigars to bomb the same people that he would have bought a square for. And I still like the 2 winner idea, and a 4 winner plan too. Making the odds better for all who participate makes for a better viewing experience (IMHO), and the squares contests that I have been involved in always award a winner for each quarter. But, whatever you decide to do, I would act fast! Looking forward to playing in whatever you come up with!    

[Cfickter]

Great idea. I would love to play
I would also suggest limiting the number of squares at least initially to 5. If not full then allow more. Maximizes everyone's opportunity to play.

[conditionZero]

Cfickter - 1/21/2014  8:31 AM  Great idea. I would love to play I would also suggest limiting the number of squares at least initially to 5. If not full then allow more. Maximizes everyone's opportunity to play.

I had the same idea.

[StogieDad]

One idea, kind of like the Newbie pass last month.  We could take 4 quarter winners.  Compile a list of "buy-in" cigars, then have a round robin pick from the 4 winners.  It worked out quite nicely on there.  Then you just ship your buy-ins directly to the winner that picked them.

Then you don't have to worry about fairness for the 4 winners, everyone gets equal shot at what they want from the pool.

[nirab]

StogieDad - 1/21/2014  8:35 AM

One idea, kind of like the Newbie pass last month.  We could take 4 quarter winners.  Compile a list of "buy-in" cigars, then have a round robin pick from the 4 winners.  It worked out quite nicely on there.  Then you just ship your buy-ins directly to the winner that picked them.

Then you don't have to worry about fairness for the 4 winners, everyone gets equal shot at what they want from the pool.

Now that is simple! I like it!!    

[StogieDad]

I ran the college football, I don't mind coordinating this and the round-robin with the winners if you guys would like.  As long as they don't get shipped to me and then I have to reship.  We can all handle shipping winnings to the winners.

And I agree, start with a limit of 5 and go to more if we cant fill the board.

Probably need at least one feeback or to be vouched for to play, don't want anyone getting stiffed on winnings.

[conditionZero]

nirab - 1/21/2014  8:25 AM ...the squares contests that I have been involved in always award a winner for each quarter...

Same here, but I think trying to split up the winnings and figure out who needs to ship to who would get too complicated. For me, at least.

 

StogieDad - 1/21/2014  8:35 AM One idea, kind of like the Newbie pass last month.  We could take 4 quarter winners.  Compile a list of "buy-in" cigars, then have a round robin pick from the 4 winners.  It worked out quite nicely on there.  Then you just ship your buy-ins directly to the winner that picked them. Then you don't have to worry about fairness for the 4 winners, everyone gets equal shot at what they want from the pool.

I thought about that as well. But it seems like then we would have to go with Adam's original idea of having all of the sticks sent to one person to distribute. Otherwise someone could end up sending one cigar each to five different people. Unless you meant that the winners pick a round robin in groups of five? In other words, claim all of the sticks from a particular loser, rather that just one stick at a time? That might not work either, as an uneven number of losers could leave some of the winners short changed.

 

Okay, it looks like there's enough interest to proceed. I'll mull the various ideas over and make it official around lunch time today.

Thanks to Adam (penguin guy) for initiating the idea. 

[StogieDad]

conditionZero - 1/21/2014  9:46 AM

nirab - 1/21/2014  8:25 AM ...the squares contests that I have been involved in always award a winner for each quarter...

Same here, but I think trying to split up the winnings and figure out who needs to ship to who would get too complicated. For me, at least.

 

StogieDad - 1/21/2014  8:35 AM One idea, kind of like the Newbie pass last month.  We could take 4 quarter winners.  Compile a list of "buy-in" cigars, then have a round robin pick from the 4 winners.  It worked out quite nicely on there.  Then you just ship your buy-ins directly to the winner that picked them. Then you don't have to worry about fairness for the 4 winners, everyone gets equal shot at what they want from the pool.

I thought about that as well. But it seems like then we would have to go with Adam's original idea of having all of the sticks sent to one person to distribute. Otherwise someone could end up sending one cigar each to five different people. Unless you meant that the winners pick a round robin in groups of five? In other words, claim all of the sticks from a particular loser, rather that just one stick at a time? That might not work either, as an uneven number of losers could leave some of the winners short changed.

 

Okay, it looks like there's enough interest to proceed. I'll mull the various ideas over and make it official around lunch time today.

Thanks to Adam (penguin guy) for initiating the idea. 

Sorry, missed your volunteer above brother....proceed

[conditionZero]

StogieDad - 1/21/2014  8:48 AM  Sorry, missed your volunteer above brother....proceed

 

Not a problem, just trying to help out.

I think the round robin idea sounds pretty cool, as long as no one minds having to ship their share to multiple winners? 

[mike.casey]

conditionZero - 1/21/2014  8:46 AM

Unless you meant that the winners pick a round robin in groups of five? In other words, claim all of the sticks from a particular loser, rather that just one stick at a time? 

I like this idea, if we are going to have 4 winners.

[StogieDad]

conditionZero - 1/21/2014  9:51 AM

StogieDad - 1/21/2014  8:48 AM  Sorry, missed your volunteer above brother....proceed

 

Not a problem, just trying to help out.

I think the round robin idea sounds pretty cool, as long as no one minds having to ship their share to multiple winners? 

I don't personally mind shipping out 4 if I have to.  I do like your idea of picking 5 at a time in the roundrobin though.  The only problem is that is assuming everyone picks 5 squares, noone can get in for less than that.