Explanation of the Super Bowl 2025 brackets: How do they work?
What are Super Bowl squares? How can you play? Discover more about Super Bowl squares so you can be ready to join in the Big Game festivities.
This weekend, Super Bowl LIX will take place, featuring the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. This event is a key date for betting, as the Super Bowl is considered the most bet-on single event in the United States. According to recent data, it is estimated that around $1.39 billion will be legally wagered on this event.
One of the most popular betting games during the Super Bowl is "Super Bowl squares." This game is accessible to both casual fans and football experts, making it an attractive option for Super Bowl celebrations. Here’s how it is played.
Super Bowl squares start with a 10x10 grid, which includes 100 empty squares. The grid has the Philadelphia Eagles (home team) on the upper horizontal axis and the Kansas City Chiefs (away team) on the left vertical axis. Participants randomly choose a square and mark it with their name, and each square represents an entry. The size of the pool and the cost of each square can vary by group, and participants can buy as many squares as they want, depending on their budget.
Once all the squares have been filled, numbers will be assigned. The horizontal and vertical axes will be labeled with numbers from 0 to 9. These numbers are selected randomly and assigned to the rows or columns. A hat, a deck of cards, or an online number generator can be used to ensure the process is completely random.
The mechanics of the game require each participant to have a square that matches the final digits of each team's score at the end of each quarter. For example, if at the end of the first quarter the score is Chiefs 7, Eagles 3, the owner of the square corresponding to “Chiefs 7” and “Eagles 3” will be the winner of that quarter. At halftime, if the score is Chiefs 17, Eagles 14, the winner of the second quarter will be the one who has the square that matches “Chiefs 7” and “Eagles 4.” Prizes are typically awarded at the end of each quarter and also for the final score, with amounts depending on the prize pool established at the beginning.
Some numbers in the squares may offer significant advantages. Previous analyses have shown that owning the numbers 0 and 7 is optimal for success during the game, followed by 3, 4, and 6. Having these numbers increases the chances of winning. Super Bowl LIX will be broadcast on Sunday, February 9, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. ET on Fox.