Mile High Stakes Rules
Season-Long Denver Broncos Football Squares
Target Payout Allocation
All payout amounts are disclosed before the season and scale with the total prize pool. Carryovers happen when no owned square wins. 100% of all funds are paid out by season end — the Super Bowl clears any remaining balance.
1The Basics
- This is a season-long football squares pool covering all Denver Broncos regular season games, playoff matchups, and the Super Bowl.
- The pool is run by a single organizer who handles operations, communications, and rule calls.
2Buy-In & Ownership
- $100 per person, paid in full at entry. One square per participant.
- Your square stays with you all season — no mid-season changes.
- Pool size grows each year: Year 1: 20 players → Year 2: 25 → Year 3: 30 → Year 4+: 33
3Priority & Square Selection
- First come, first served — priority is based on when you originally paid.
- Priority list is public. Returning players can pick a new square each season (in priority order).
4Games & Schedule
- All Denver Broncos regular season games are in play.
- Bye week is normally off, but an alternate matchup may be added (announced in advance).
- Playoffs: Broncos games take priority. When they're not playing, the organizer picks an alternate matchup. One game per playoff week.
5How Winning Works
- Fresh numbers every game. Both teams get randomly assigned digits 0-9 before each matchup.
- The last digit of each team's final score determines the winning square.
- Final score includes overtime. Tie games count (rare, but valid).
6Carryovers & Jackpots
- If no one owns the winning square, the prize carries over to the next game.
- Carryovers stack — a 5-game carryover means a payout 5x the base amount!
- All carryover money rolls until won or until the Super Bowl.
7Super Bowl — The Grand Finale
- All remaining empty squares on the board are filled so every score combination is covered. Extra squares are distributed evenly among participants, with any remainder assigned by priority order.
- Everything pays out. No money carries into next season.
8Mid-Season Entry
- Jump in anytime — even during playoffs. Full $100 buy-in required.
- You're eligible for all future games, but not retroactively for games already played.
- Your entry increases the prize pool for remaining games.
9Renewals & Deadlines
- Renewal deadline is announced each year with plenty of notice (email, text, etc.).
- Pay before the deadline to keep your priority. Miss it? Your spot goes to the next in line.
10Transfers
- Want to transfer your square? Get organizer approval first.
- Ownership and priority transfer together.
11The Fine Print
- 100% payout. No fees. No house cut. Every dollar goes to winners.
- The organizer makes all final calls on rules, matchups, and disputes.
- By joining, you agree to these rules and the organizer's interpretations.
Know Your Odds
What to realistically expect from your $100 investment
Simulated Season Outcomes (50,000 seasons each)
| Season | Players | Pool | Avg Payout | Avg Super Bowl | Largest Payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 20 | $2,000 | $398 | $692 | $2,000 |
| Year 2 | 25 | $2,500 | $417 | $766 | $2,500 |
| Year 3 | 30 | $3,000 | $429 | $833 | $3,000 |
| Year 4+ | 33 | $3,300 | $435 | $873 | $3,300 |
Why Only ~21% Win?
You own 1 square out of 100 possible score combinations. That's a 1% shot each game. Over 20 games plus the Super Bowl, math says you'll win at least once about 21% of the time. Most seasons, you won't win — but when you do, carryovers often make it worth the wait.
The Jackpot Effect
With only 20-33 owned squares, most games carryover (67-80% chance). That's by design! Carryovers stack into bigger payouts. A 5-game carryover means a winner takes home 5x the base prize. The Super Bowl catches everything left.
Per-Game Base Payouts
Base amounts before carryovers — actual payouts are often much higher
| 20 Players $2,000 pool | 25 Players $2,500 pool | 30 Players $3,000 pool | 33 Players $3,300 pool | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Season per game | $80 | $100 | $120 | $132 |
| Playoffs per game | $100 | $125 | $150 | $165 |
| Super Bowl base payout | $340 | $425 | $510 | $561 |
Based on 17 regular season games and 3 playoff games.
With only 20-33 owned squares out of 100, most games have no winner — and the prize rolls forward. A 3-game carryover triples the payout. A 5-game streak means 5x. In a 20-player pool, a regular season game with a 5-game carryover pays $400 instead of $80. The Super Bowl collects all remaining carryovers, so its actual payout is almost always significantly higher than the base amount shown above.