What Is an NFL Survivor Pool? A Beginner's Guide
NFL Survivor Pools have become one of the most exciting ways to engage with professional football without the complexity of traditional fantasy leagues. Whether you're joining your office pool or competing with friends, understanding the basics will help you stay in the game longer.
How NFL Survivor Pools Work
An NFL Survivor Pool (also called elimination pools, knockout pools, or last man standing) operates on a deceptively simple premise: pick one NFL team to win each week. If your team wins, you survive and advance to the next week. If they lose, you're eliminated from the pool. The catch? You can only use each team once throughout the entire season.
The pool continues until only one participant remains—or until the season ends, in which case the remaining survivors split the prize. This format creates escalating tension as the season progresses and your options dwindle.
Standard Rules and Variations
While the core concept remains consistent, Survivor Pools come in several variations.
Standard Format
- Pick one team each week to win their game
- Can only use each team once per season
- Incorrect pick eliminates you
- Last person standing wins
Common Variations
- Double elimination: You get one "strike" before being eliminated
- Multiple picks: Some weeks require selecting two winning teams
- Elimination Pool: Pick a team to lose instead of win
- Against the spread: Teams must cover the point spread, not just win
Some pools also implement special rules for ties. In most formats, a tie counts as a loss, but some pools treat ties as neither a win nor loss, allowing you to continue but without using that team again.
Why Survivor Pools Are Popular
The rising popularity of Survivor Pools can be attributed to several factors:
- Simplicity: Unlike fantasy football, there's no need to track individual player statistics or make multiple lineup decisions.
- Season-long engagement: Even if your team has a terrible season, your Survivor Pool keeps you invested in games across the league.
- Strategic depth: While the rules are simple, optimal strategy requires balancing immediate survival with preserving strong teams for future weeks.
- Low time commitment: Just one decision per week, rather than ongoing roster management.
- Social experience: Perfect for office pools and friend groups, creating weekly discussion and friendly competition.
Basic Strategy for Beginners
If you're new to Survivor Pools, these fundamental strategies will help you avoid early elimination.
- Don't save teams for later: Many beginners make the mistake of "saving" the best teams. While you shouldn't waste elite teams on obvious mismatches, surviving the current week should always be your priority.
- Home teams have an edge: Home field advantage is real in the NFL. When deciding between similarly matched teams, the home team is typically the safer choice.
- Check the betting lines: Vegas odds provide valuable information. Teams favored by 7+ points win approximately 75% of the time.
- Avoid divisional matchups when possible: Games between divisional rivals are often unpredictable, regardless of team records.
- Watch the weather: Extreme weather can equalize teams and create unpredictability, particularly for pass-heavy offenses.
- Consider the consensus pick: If a large percentage of your pool is picking one team, choosing differently gives you a strategic advantage if that popular pick loses.
Getting Started
- Ready to join your first NFL Survivor Pool? Here's how to get started:
- Find a pool: Many offices organize pools, or you can join online communities dedicated to Survivor Pools.
- Understand the specific rules: Confirm whether there are any unique variations to the standard format.
- Create a season strategy: Map out potential picks for several weeks ahead, understanding this will evolve as the season progresses.
- Use tools and resources: Services like Spreadwise provide algorithmic recommendations to optimize your weekly selections.
- Make your first pick: Choose a strong home favorite for Week 1, but avoid teams you'll likely need later in the season.
What's the difference between a Survivor Pool and a Pick'em Pool?
In a Survivor Pool, you select one team each week to win their game outright, and you can only use each team once during the season. Incorrect picks eliminate you from the competition. In contrast, NFL Pick'em Pools require you to predict the winners of all games each week, often against the point spread. Pick'em pools typically use a point-based scoring system where participants accumulate points throughout the season, and everyone continues playing regardless of incorrect picks. Survivor Pools create higher stakes with their elimination format, while Pick'em Pools offer more consistent engagement with every game.
What happens if my team ties in a Survivor Pool?
Most NFL Survivor Pools treat ties as losses, which means you're eliminated if your selected team finishes with a tie. However, some pools implement alternative rules where ties don't count as either wins or losses—you survive the week but can't use that team again for the remainder of the season. Some variations might even count ties as half-wins, allowing you to continue but with a "strike" against you in pools that permit multiple losses. Always verify your specific pool's rules regarding ties before the season begins, especially since the NFL's overtime rules have changed several times in recent years, potentially increasing the likelihood of tied games.
How many people typically survive an entire NFL season?
The survival rate in NFL Survivor Pools varies dramatically based on several factors, including pool size, participant expertise, and season unpredictability. In average-sized pools (30-50 participants), it's common for all participants to be eliminated before the season concludes, often by Week 12-14. In larger pools with hundreds or thousands of participants, a handful of survivors might remain at season's end. The 2023 NFL season saw unprecedented upsets in the early weeks, with over 70% of Survivor Pool participants nationwide being eliminated by Week 3. This illustrates how even seemingly "safe" picks can fall victim to the NFL's inherent unpredictability, making complete season survival a significant achievement requiring both skill and luck.