Welcome to the March Madness Survivor Pool!

This is the ultimate challenge for March Madness enthusiasts. Do you have what it takes to be the last one standing?

Join the 2024 Survivor Pool

What is the Survivor Pool?

The Survivor Pool is a low-stakes, high-engagement game based around the March Madness tournament, where participants pick winners from the games to advance through the rounds. Dubbed by Cousin Sal as "the best office pool ever," this pool requires strategic selection and a bit of luck to navigate through the tournament's twists and turns successfully.

Rules

  • Entry Fee: $5 per entry (hypothetically, if gambling were legal).
  • Selection Deadline: Picks must be submitted before the first game starts on Thursday. No exceptions.
  • Getting Started: For Round 1 (Thursday) pick two teams to win their games outright. If either loses, you're out but can buy back in for $5.
  • Buying Back In: If you lose, you can buy back in (up to three times max) for another $5. The buyback increases the number of winners you need to pick: four on Friday, five on Saturday (if you buy back in on Saturday), and six on Sunday (for the last buyback).
  • No Repeats: You cannot pick the same team more than once throughout the tournament.
  • Advancing: After successfully picking winners, you only need to choose one winner per day to advance, starting from Saturday.
  • Automatic Loss: If you run out of teams to pick, you automatically lose on the next day of games unless all other contestants also face a loss.
  • Winner: The last person standing wins the entire pot. If multiple participants are left, they can choose to split the pot or continue until there is a single winner.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Can I join after the tournament has started?
    • No, all picks must be in before the start of the first game on Thursday.
  • What if I pick a team that loses?
    • You're out but can buy back in for $5 with increased picking requirements, up to three times before the start of Sunday's games.
  • How many times can I buy back in?
    • You can buy back in a maximum of three times, and not after the start of Sunday's games.
  • Can I pick the same team more than once?
    • No, each team can only be chosen once throughout the pool.
  • What happens if I run out of teams to pick?
    • You automatically lose the next day unless no other contestant makes a successful pick, making it an automatic loss for everyone involved.
  • How is the winner determined?
    • The last man standing wins everything. If multiple participants remain, they can decide to split the pot or continue the competition.