# Squares for any game: college football, the World Cup final, the Grey Cup, a cup final

A squares grid works for any game with a score: the two teams on the axes, the last digit of each score picks the square. The only thing that changes between sports is how often each digit comes up and which periods you pay.

## By sport

- American football (NFL, college, CFL): quarters and the final; digits 0, 7, 3 and 4 dominate.
- Football (soccer): low scores, so most squares pay on 0, 1 and 2; pay the half and the final, and say what extra time and penalties count as.
- Basketball: scores run high and digits spread evenly; quarters work; the last digit changes often, which makes every square live.
- Baseball and hockey: low totals; use the final only, or pay every third inning or each period.

## Set it up

- Name the two teams on the create form; the rows carry the first team's digit, the columns the second's.
- Rename the periods in the pool's notes when the sport has halves or periods instead of quarters; enter the cumulative score at each.

## Quick answers

**Can you run squares for a soccer match?**

Yes: the grid is the same; because scores are low most winning squares are on 0, 1 and 2, so pay the half and the final and state in advance whether extra time and penalties count.

**Do squares work for basketball?**

Yes, and well: the last digit changes often, so the quarters are lively and no digit dominates the way 0 and 7 do in football.

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Bikoosh Pools is an independent tool, not affiliated with any league, team or broadcaster; team and event names are used to describe the game being followed. Bikoosh Pools never collects, holds or pays out money and never sets stakes: it keeps the grid, the picks and the standings for people who already know each other. Whether a pool carries any stake, and whether that is allowed where you are, is the host's responsibility.