Run the Office, or Play Against the Public
Start your own pool with friends, family, or coworkers, or join a free league when one is available.
Many sports. One league.
Run a sports pool with your group
Choose a football pool, a March Madness bracket, or another available contest. Invite your friends, family, or coworkers and make your picks. Start with one event; add more to the same league if your group wants to keep playing.
Example standings
northstar24924
gameface88788
weekendace418
Commissioner Easy Mode
Set your contests and invite the group, then keep the rivalry moving from sport to sport and tournament to tournament.
Combined Leaderboard
Results from all brackets, playoffs, and major sporting events tally throughout the league season.
Set Your Contests and Invite the Group
Members enter their own picks and follow the standings online, so the commissioner does not have to collect every selection.
Free for small leagues
The first 5 member entries in every contest are free. After that it's $1 per person, and only members who submit picks are counted.
Find your format
What does your group want to play?
A fresh set of picks each week or one bracket to follow through the playoffs. Compare the rules and choose what suits your group.
Weekly picks
NFL Pick’em
Pick the week's winners and put extra confidence behind three selections.
Rules & setup
Tournament bracket
March Madness
Pick your way from the Round of 64 to the championship game.
Rules & setupPlayoff bracket
NFL Playoffs
Predict who advances through the playoffs and wins the Super Bowl.
Rules & setup
Series bracket
NHL Playoffs
Choose series winners all the way to the Stanley Cup.
Rules & setupSeries bracket
NBA Playoffs
Follow your picks through each round and into the NBA Finals.
Rules & setupPlayoff bracket
College Football Playoff
Build a bracket around the teams you think can win the national title.
Rules & setupPlanning your pool? Use the setup checklist and invitation draft.
Pool formats and sports
Many sports, one league
Choose from football, basketball, hockey, golf, tennis, racing, and other event-based contests. The league creation page shows which events are currently available to add.
Start with your favorite sporting event, or the next one on the calendar.
Keep the league going by including multiple sports as the season continues. Events can be added at any time.
The commissioner can enjoy the fun without turning the league into extra admin work.
Football
NFL Pick'em, NFL & College Playoffs, Bowl Game Confidence Pools
Basketball
NCAA March Madness, NBA Finals, WNBA Playoffs
Hockey
Stanley Cup Playoffs, NCAA Frozen Four
Golf
PGA Majors & Signature Events
Tennis
Australian Open, Wimbledon, French Open, US Open
Racing
NASCAR and Formula 1
Get started
How it works
The setup is simple. The fun part is what happens once the sporting contests are underway.
01
Choose your contest
Select one or more events from the available contest list. Review the dates and choose what your group wants to play.
02
Name the league and invite the group
Create the league, then share its invitation link or send invitations from NLSP. Members register or sign in to join.
03
Make your picks
Check the contest scoring and deadline, submit your selections, and follow the standings as results come in.
Built for your group
Keep the group together
Start with the event everyone is talking about. If the group wants another contest afterward, add it to the same league. Members can follow each contest and their combined league score.
Members submit their own selections, so you do not need to collect everyone’s picks by email.
The same league can include football, brackets, golf, racing, and other available contests.
Keep it to one event if that is what your group wants. Playing year-round is optional.
The NLSP difference
Crown a League Champion
Bring contest scores together and see who leads the league.
Know the rules
Know what your picks are worth
Review the scoring before you invite the group. Every contest shows its base points, bonus options, and tiebreaker so members can make informed picks.
Find the rules for your pool01
Start with the base points
Each format has its own point schedule. Check the value of a correct game pick, series winner, or finish position.
02
Choose the bonus options
Some formats offer seed, margin, series-length, or finish-position bonuses. Review which ones your league has enabled.
03
Follow the contest and the league
Contest standings show that event’s results. The league leaderboard brings scores from the group’s contests together.
FAQ
Questions before you start
Can I run just one sports pool?
Yes. Choose one available contest and invite your group. You can keep it to that event or add other contests to the same league.
How do people join my private league?
Share the league invitation link or send invitations from NLSP. Members need an account to join and submit picks.
What is a multi-sport league?
A league can include contests from different sports. Members make picks for each contest, and the league leaderboard brings their scores together. Your group can compete in one event and keep playing together when another comes along.
What does it cost to run a pool?
The first 5 member entries in each contest are free. The commissioner pays $1 for each additional member who submits picks. Members who join the league but do not submit picks are not counted. The free entries reset for each contest.
Can I join without creating a league?
Yes. Browse the public leagues to see what is available, or use an invitation from someone running a private league.
Does NLSP handle wagers or prize payouts?
No. NLSP is for entertainment and should not be used for gambling or wagering. The commissioner pays NLSP's hosting charges; those charges are not a prize fund.
Ready to run the league
Start your league today
Customize your private league, bring in your family, friends, and coworkers, then turn one event into a season-long chase for the league title. Your first 5 member entries are free in every contest, then it's $1 for each additional member who makes picks.