Frequently Asked Questions

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Introductory Questions

Your website is blocked at my work. Is there a "back door"? - This isn't a backdoor really but you can try hitting this IP: http://208.42.248.234/

When was Tournament Pools.com launched? - Tournament Pools started with the 2000 NCAA Men's Championship. 2013 will be our 14th year of business. We also do football and other sports at Office Football Pool.com.

What does the Tournament Pools.com website offer? - Tournament Pools provides hosting for private Pick-the-bracket, Confidence, Survivor and other pool formats. We have up to the minute standings in multiple formats, easy to use pick screens, message boards, pick confirmation emails, sitewide pick statistics, team and game matchup analysis and all the pool manager tools you need to run your pool.

How do I set up my pool? - To set up your pool go to POOLS>Start a Pool and pick the format you want to use. Follow the directions online to customize your scoring system, rules, pick deadline and other options. You can have multiple pools under the same account.

Which browsers are supported? - We develop mainly for Firefox but the site works with Internet Explorer, Chrome, Safari, Opera and others. We comply with w3.org standards and we've tested on Mac, Windows, Android, iPhone, Blackberry and Palm. We even have an iPhone app.

User Information Questions - Username, Email and Password

How do I change my username, email address and/or password? - You can change all of your personal information under HOME>My Account. Remember, usernames and email addresses have to be unique to the site.

I forgot my password, what should I do? - To retrieve your password, go to HELP>Retrieve Password. We'll send a password email to your registered email address. If your email address is no longer valid then you'll need to contact the website or your pool manager to get your email address fixed.

My email address has changed and I forgot my password. How can I retreive my password? - Write us and we'll change your email address for you. Or, your pool manager can change your email address too.

I know my username and password but I still can't log in. - If your username and password are correct and you still can't log in, it's probably because your browser is set to not accept cookies. Cookies are harmless and are necessary to use the site. Set your browser to accept cookies and you'll be able to log in. To check your browser settings, try our cookie test.

What if I want more than one account under the same email address? - For multiple accounts under the same email address, you need to use Aliases. Aliases are designed to let you create as many accounts as you want, all under the same email address and password. This feature allows you to enter more than one set of picks for yourself or it can be used to enter picks for someone else. Our site allows you to easily switch between aliases with a single click. Click here to create an Alias.

Why can't I log in? - Typically, there are 2 reasons why you can't log in. Most commonly, your username/password combination is wrong. Double check your username and password and get a password email if necessary. If it still doesn't work then you probably have cookies disabled on your browser. Your browser needs to accept cookies from us in order to use this website. To check your cookie settings, take the cookie test.

Pricing Questions

How much does it cost? - The website fee is about $1 per entry for most pool formats. Sweet 16 and Square pools are less. If you are doing a custom branded pool with your own graphics the price can be higher.

I don't know how many people will be playing. Can I wait to pay until after the Tournament Starts? - Yes. We encourage you to get your pool going, and pay after you know exactly how many people will be participating.

Some people joined my pool but never entered picks, am I charged for those people? - No. You are only charged for people who enter picks.

How do I pay for my pool? - You can pay securely online at POOL ADMIN>Pool Hosting Fee using your credit card or PayPal account and you can pay by credit card over the phone.

Can I test out the website before I pay? - Absolutely. We encourage you to test out the site before you pay. You can set up your pool with no obligation to pay, so feel free to start a pool now.

Standings and Scoring

What Tiebreakers Are Available. - For Pick-The-Bracket, Confidence and Seed 8 format pools, the main tiebreaker is always Points. We also have tiebreakers for Wins, Championship Game Point Total, Round 1 Points, Round 2 Points etc. For Survivor Pools the main tiebreaker is always Wins. Then we have tiebreakers for Championship Game Point Total and Champion.

What Scoring Options are Available for Pick-The-Bracket Pools? - If you click the link to Start a Pick-The-Bracket pool, you can see the different scoring options available. There are several options to reward people for picking upsets. In addition, we can write a custom scoring script for your pool for a small one time fee.

Entering Picks

What happens with the Play-In-Games on Tue/Wed? - We don't include the play in games on the picksheet. Instead, we start with the round of 64 and that gives people a couple more days to get their picks in. Until the teams are determined, we have the names listed as "Team A/Team B" (e.g. California/Depaul). This won't prevent you from doing picks.

Do I pick all 63 games at once, or do I have to return to enter picks after each round? - If you are doing Survivor, you enter your picks round by round. Otherwise, you enter picks all at once in Pick-the-Bracket and other formats.

When are my picks due? - The pool manager sets the pick deadline so every group has a different deadline. Check your POOL SETTINGS>Deadlines page to find the deadline for your pool.

Can I change my picks once they're submitted? - Yes, you can change your picks up until the pick deadline.

When will the teams be filled in on the Pick Sheet? - The teams will be filled in immediately after they are announced on Selection Sunday, 4 days before the Tournament starts.

How do I make Multiple Entries into the same pool? - After you submit your first set of picks you will be asked if you want to do additional entries. Click "Yes" and you will be guided through the process of setting up and entering picks as an alias. You can enter as many sets of picks as you want.

Pool Management

How do I set up my pool? - To set up your pool go to POOLS>Start a Pool and pick the format you want to use. Follow the directions to customize your scoring system, rules, pick deadline and other options.

How do people join my pool? - Give your friends the specially coded link you get when you start your pool. When they click this link they will be guided through the process of joining your pool, including registering on the website if necessary.

Who pays the pool hosting fee, when and how? - The fee is paid by the pool manager after everyone has entered picks and you know how many people are participating. To pay, go to Pool Admin>Pool Hosting Fee and use your credit card on our secure payment page. You can also pay by telephone.

Can I enter picks for people after the deadline? - Yes, the pool manager has the ability to enter or change picks for people at any time. Note that picks entered late will be flagged in the standings so that everyone can see exactly when the changes were made.

Can the pool manager see my picks before the deadline? - No. All the picks remain hidden for everyone including the pool manager until after the pick deadline has passed.

For certain formats (pick the bracket, seed 8 and confidence 16) the Manager Picks page does allow the manager to see your picks but the website will send you an email if that happens.