The most widely used scoring system in a football prediction pool is 3/2/0: 3 points if you nail the exact score, 2 points if you only get the winner (or draw) right without the exact score, and 0 points if you miss both. It's Match Prophets' default system and can be tweaked, but if you're not sure where to start, it works almost every time.
| Prediction outcome | Points | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Exact score | 3 pts | You predict 2-1 and the match ends 2-1 |
| Correct outcome (winner or draw) | 2 pts | You predict 2-1 and the match ends 3-1 |
| Miss (neither score nor winner/draw) | 0 pts | You predict 2-1 and the match ends 0-2 |
In Match Prophets, the default system awards 3 points for nailing the exact score, 2 points for getting just the outcome right (winner or draw), and 0 if you miss completely. It's the balance most prediction pools use: it properly rewards whoever commits to an exact score without being too harsh on someone who just reads a match well. As league admin you can tweak these values however you like, but if you're not sure where to start, stick with 3/2/0 — it works almost every time.
Extra points for correctly calling the outcome in matches considered tough (a derby or a final, say). A bonus for predicting who scores first. A symbolic penalty (negative points) if you're way off on a blowout. Multipliers for specific matchdays, like the final one of the season. Be careful not to overcomplicate the system: the more special rules you add, the harder it gets to explain to anyone who joins midseason.
This is one of the topics that causes the most confusion. The usual approach is that if a match is postponed or called off before kickoff, that prediction simply doesn't score for anyone, as if it never happened. If it gets rescheduled, the fairest approach is to lock predictions at the new kickoff time, not the original one. Spelling this out in your group's rules from the start avoids misunderstandings when it actually happens.
With a lot of participants, ties on points in the table are bound to happen sooner or later. The most common tiebreakers, in order of priority:
Agreeing on this before the first matchday, even if it feels premature, saves you an awkward argument when two friends end up tied in the season's final week.
In Match Prophets nobody needs to run a spreadsheet or add up points by hand: the standings recalculate automatically as soon as each match ends, using the default 3/2/0 system. That way the whole group can focus on talking football, not doing math.
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