Does a draw count as a result in an NBA pool?

No. In the NBA every game has a winner — if it's tied at the end of regulation, it goes to overtime — so in an NBA pool there are only two possible results per game: the home team wins or the away team wins, never a draw.

Which gives more points over a season, NBA or football?

It depends on how many games each person predicts, not the sport itself: with 82 games per team in the NBA versus 34-38 in a football league, there are more chances to score points if you religiously follow an NBA team, but most groups narrow down how many games they follow in each sport.

Do the NBA playoffs score the same as the Champions League's final phase?

The mechanics of predicting and scoring each game are the same, but the format is different: the Champions League decides its knockouts in a single match or two-legged tie, while the NBA playoffs are best-of-7 series, so a single knockout tie gives way more games to predict in basketball.

Can you follow the NBA and football in the same Match Prophets league?

Yes, when creating the league you choose which competitions it follows, and you can combine the NBA with one or more of the 9 available football leagues in the same standings table.

Which sport is better for starting a pool with a big group?

Football tends to be easier to kick off because one match a week demands less constant attention; the NBA gets more addictive once the group is already into it, especially during the play-in and playoffs stretch, where every game matters a lot.

NBA vs. football: differences when setting up a prediction pool

The main difference between an NBA pool and a football pool is the volume of games: an NBA team plays 82 regular-season games versus 34-38 in a European football league, and NBA playoffs are decided in best-of-7 series instead of a single match or two-legged tie. Per-game scoring — exact score or picking the winner — can be identical in both sports.

Quick comparison

Aspect	NBA	Football (typical European league)
Teams	30, in 2 conferences of 15	18-20, in a single table
Regular-season games per team	82	34-38
Final phase	Play-in (7th-10th seeds) + 16-team playoffs	Champions knockouts or promotion/relegation, depending on the competition
Knockout format	Best-of-7 series in every round	Single match or two-legged tie
Game frequency per team	Almost every 2 days	1 match per week (2 in weeks with Champions League or cup games)
Draw as a possible result	No, there's always a winner (with overtime if needed)	Yes, in most competitions

Why does the NBA have so many more games?

A typical European football league plays a home-and-away round-robin among all teams, 34 or 38 matchdays total. The NBA multiplies that: each team plays 82 games because it faces its own division and conference rivals multiple times, plus at least once against every team from the other conference. For a pool, this changes the strategy: in football it's reasonable to try predicting every match of your league; in the NBA almost no group does that, and it's common to narrow it down to certain teams or the week's most notable games.

Why doesn't football have a play-in phase?

The main domestic football leagues don't have a play-in: you qualify directly by table position at the end of the season, and European or relegation spots are decided by accumulated points, with no extra games. The NBA does add that extra layer between the regular season and the playoffs — the play-in, between the 7th and 10th seeds of each conference — to give a second chance to teams close to the playoffs without overly rewarding teams that finish outside the top 6.

Single match, two-legged tie, or best-of-7 series: the knockout format changes completely

In European football, a knockout tie is usually decided in a single match or two (home and away, adding up the scores). The NBA settles it with series: the first team to win 4 of up to 7 games advances. For a pool, that means a football knockout tie gives at most two predictions, while an NBA playoff series can give up to 7.

Does scoring change between the NBA and football?

It doesn't have to. Match Prophets uses the same system for both sports: 3 points for the exact score of a game, 2 for picking just the winner. The real difference isn't in how each game scores, but in how many games there are to follow and how often, something worth considering when deciding whether to run a combined football-and-NBA league or two separate ones.

Can you run a pool that combines the NBA and football?

Yes. In Match Prophets you can select the NBA alongside any of the 9 available football competitions within the same league, with a single combined standings table, perfect for a group that follows both sports and doesn't want to manage two separate pools.

Frequently asked questions

Does a draw count as a result in an NBA pool?: No. In the NBA every game has a winner — if it's tied at the end of regulation, it goes to overtime — so in an NBA pool there are only two possible results per game: the home team wins or the away team wins, never a draw.
Which gives more points over a season, NBA or football?: It depends on how many games each person predicts, not the sport itself: with 82 games per team in the NBA versus 34-38 in a football league, there are more chances to score points if you religiously follow an NBA team, but most groups narrow down how many games they follow in each sport.
Do the NBA playoffs score the same as the Champions League's final phase?: The mechanics of predicting and scoring each game are the same, but the format is different: the Champions League decides its knockouts in a single match or two-legged tie, while the NBA playoffs are best-of-7 series, so a single knockout tie gives way more games to predict in basketball.
Can you follow the NBA and football in the same Match Prophets league?: Yes, when creating the league you choose which competitions it follows, and you can combine the NBA with one or more of the 9 available football leagues in the same standings table.
Which sport is better for starting a pool with a big group?: Football tends to be easier to kick off because one match a week demands less constant attention; the NBA gets more addictive once the group is already into it, especially during the play-in and playoffs stretch, where every game matters a lot.

Keep reading

How to run a free NBA prediction pool with friends NBA playoffs prediction pool: how to score best-of-7 series How to run a football prediction pool with friends

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