Play Squares

Run a Squares Pool Online for Football, Basketball, and Baseball

Players claim their own squares, we randomize the numbers once the board fills, and live scoring shows who's on track to win the scoring period being played right now.

How It Works

1

Create your board

Pick from multiple sports, game modes, and scoring options.

2

Share with others

Our host tools make it easy to share your board, fill the squares, and collect payments quickly.

3

Track scores & winners automatically

We update scores in real time, determine winners for each period, and notify players automatically so you don’t have to manage a thing.

See For Yourself

Philadelphia Eagles

100 squares available

Playing as: You. Choose your squares!

Players (8)

Why Choose Our Squares Board

Built on three core principles: Easy, Fun, and Fast. If this is your first time hosting, our full guide to hosting a football squares pool walks through the whole process, and our mid-game rules for overtime and the reverse score rule cover what to do when the score gets complicated.

Easy
Fun
Fast

Automatically track scores & winners

Scores update in real time, and the board shows the pending winner while the scoring period is still being played.

Keep players updated

Players stay in the loop with updates and notifications for each game.

Mobile-optimized

Perfect for in-person events, and it works great on phones and tablets.

Multiple scoring options

Keep your players engaged with multiple game modes, like final scores, reverse scores, touching squares, and more.

Multiple game options

One board, multiple games. Run a slate for the Thanksgiving Day games, the March Madness Tournament, an NBA series, or just 1 game like the Super Bowl.

Multiple board types

Keep it classic with a 10x10 board, or tone it down with a smaller, 5x5 board for a smaller group.

Multiple sports

Choose from football, basketball, and baseball, including the NFL, NCAA Football, NCAA Basketball, the NBA, and MLB.

Fun animations

Make game day more exciting with animations for key events, scoring changes, and winners.

Fill your board faster

Our host tools make it easy to share and fill your board.

Collect payments

Players can use one-click payment links through supported payment methods, like Venmo, Cash App, PayPal, or Zelle.

Players pick their squares

Players can pick their own squares and join the pool in seconds.

How We Compare

Our AppPDFs/SheetsOther Sites
Automatic winner detectionSometimes
Real-time updatesNo/ManualSometimes
Mobile-optimizedYes/LimitedVaries
Setup time<5 minutes10-15+ minutes5-10 minutes
Fun animationsRarely
Flexible payment optionsSometimes
Multiple games on 1 boardRarely
Board Creation LimitsUnlimitedPer boardPer board
CostOne Game Pass - $12.99FreeFree to $25/board

What Hosts Are Saying

Real feedback from people running Play Squares boards.

After years of using pen and paper, this was such a welcome upgrade. It was easy to set up and share for our Super Bowl party.

Timothy M., Super Bowl Host

As a host, this saves so much time and eliminates manual errors. The interface is easy for players, and I'll use this for every event I host.

Brodie D., Super Bowl Host

Even my older uncle had no issues picking squares. I felt confident sharing it with everyone, and it was completely worth the price.

Brandi, Fundraiser Host

How Does a Squares Pool Work?

Every player claims squares on a grid, and each square ends up holding one digit for the home team and one for the away team. Whoever holds the square matching the last digit of each score when a scoring period ends takes a share of the prize pool. Nobody needs to know anything about the sport to play, and nobody picks their own numbers.

Claim your squares first, numbers come after

Players claim a spot on the grid and the host collects the money, then the digits get randomized across the rows and columns once the board is full. Whoever signed up first has exactly the same shot as whoever squeezed in at the last minute, and the board locks the moment the numbers are drawn.

Reading a win takes one glance

If the home team is sitting on 17 and the away team is on 13 when the first quarter ends, the winning square is the one holding a 7 for the home team and a 3 for the away team. Most hosts pay a prize at the end of every scoring period rather than only once at the end, and you decide how the prize pool gets split.

Pick the board size that suits your group

BoardWhat one square covers
100 squares (10 x 10)One exact digit pairing, the most common board by far
25 squares (5 x 5)Four digit pairings, two digits per axis
10 squares (strip)The last digit of both scores added together
4 squares (2 x 2)Twenty five pairings, five digits per axis

Size the board around how many squares you want to sell, and see our breakdown of how many squares belong in a football pool for what changes with each one.

The mechanics stay the same whichever sport you put on the board, so NFL squares, Super Bowl squares, NBA squares, March Madness squares, and MLB squares all track the live score for you and show the pending winner while the period is still being played. Hosts raising money for a team or a cause can follow our walkthroughs for a Super Bowl squares fundraiser and a March Madness squares fundraiser.

Simple, Transparent Pricing

One Game Pass - $12.99

Best for single-event hosts.

  • Host a squares pool for 1 game
  • Players join for free
  • One-time purchase (no subscription)

One Month Pass - $29.99

Best for hosting multiple pools over a short period, such as playoffs, tournaments, or busy game stretches.

  • Host unlimited squares pools for 30 days
  • Add multiple games to a single board
  • Players join for free
  • One-time purchase (no subscription)

One Year Pass - $79.99

Best for frequent or season-long hosts.

  • Host unlimited squares pools for 1 year
  • Use across all sports and seasons
  • Players join for free
  • One-time purchase (no subscription)

30-Day Satisfaction Guarantee
If you're not satisfied, we'll refund you. No questions asked.

What are you waiting for?

Frequently Asked Questions

When do the numbers get randomized?

The numbers get assigned after every square has been claimed and paid for, never before. Play Squares randomizes the digits for you and locks the board at that moment, so nobody can join or move squares once the pairings are known. That randomization is the real sign-up deadline for your players, rather than some fixed number of days before the game starts.

Are some squares better than others?

Some digit pairings do win more often than others, and our football squares odds tool shows the real historical win rate for all 100 pairings across five NFL seasons. Even the strongest pairing on the board wins only a small share of the time, so treat it as better chances rather than anything close to a sure thing. It also doesn't change how you play, since the digits are randomized after every square has been claimed.

What do I need to get started?

Hosts need an email and password. Players just need the game link — they claim squares with a name and email, no account or password required.

How do players join and pick squares?

Players open your game link, tap the squares they want, and enter their name and email — the squares are claimed right away, with no code to wait for. A confirmation email follows so they can get back to the board from any device. Hosts can manage all squares before numbers are generated.

Do you handle payouts or prize money?

No. We provide the platform and workflow tools, while hosts control payouts, rules, and prize structure.

Is this safe to use?

Yes. We use industry-standard security practices, and payments are processed securely through Stripe. Review our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy for details.

Is this a gambling site?

Play Squares is a digital board for friends, coworkers, and fundraisers, and we never hold or hand out prize money ourselves. Rules around pools and contests vary by state, so always check your local laws and regulations to confirm what's allowed where you live. Review the Terms of Service for more details.
Football & Basketball Squares Pools Online | Play Squares