How Do Super Bowl Squares Work? Here's How to Play During the Big Game (2024)

Looking for a way to add an extra layer of fun to the biggest football event of the year? And no, we're not talking about Ree's Tex-Mex layer dip (which you should certainly include on your Super Bowl snacks table)! We're talking Super Bowl party games—specifically Super Bowl squares!

This popular activity can transform the way you experience the big game, providing even more excitement and friendly competition among participants. And everyone can play! Whether you're a die-hard football fan (like the Drummonds) or just tuning in for the Super Bowl commercials or halftime show, you're sure to enjoy a Super Bowl squares showdown.

But how do you play Super Bowl squares? We've got you covered. In this guide, we'll walk you through setup, rules, and tips so that you can make the most out of this classic game day tradition. We've even included a handy (and cute) printable for you to use. With a bit of strategy and a lot of luck, the game might turn this year's Super Bowl party into your most memorable event yet... made even better if your favorite team wins, of course. 😉

So, gather your friends, grab your grid, and get ready to cheer for those winning squares!

Download the Super Bowl squares template here.

How to Set Up Super Bowl Squares

Create a Grid

Let's get right into the game! Starting Super Bowl squares is actually pretty simple. First, you'll want to create your grid! For this, you can either print out our easy-to-use printable, or draw your own. A standard Super Bowl square is a 10-by-10 grid. After you've made your grid, assign one of the football teams to the columns and the other football team to the rows—this year, that's the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers.

Assign Squares

It's time to assign squares to participants! Anyone who wants in on the fun should choose squares on the grid, either randomly or through a predetermined system. Typically, the game is played with a money reward. To do this, set a price per square and have people buy into as many squares as they’d like to create your prize pool. Hint: The more squares a person selects, the better their chances of winning. And the more squares that are bought, the greater the payout for the winner. This also means that the more people you have playing, the more difficult it is to win.

You may also choose to skip the money reward and just divide squares evenly based on the amount of players you have, then hand out other prizes (like football gifts) at the end.

Fill in the Grid

As everyone chooses their squares, write their initials in the corresponding boxes. After all players have claimed their squares, randomly assign numbers 0-9 to each row, then do the same to each column. You can do this using the tried and true pick-numbers-out-of-a-hat method or with an online random number generator. These numbers represent the last digit of each team's score at the end of each quarter. On our printable, you can put these numbers in the light blue spaces along the top and side of the grid. Be sure to leave the darker blue square in the middle of these blank. The white squares are the squares to be picked and initialed.

Here's a few tips for picking your squares: If possible, you'll want to select squares across different rows and columns to increase your chances of winning in each quarter. It's also helpful to know the scoring tendencies of each team as this can help you strategically choose your boxes.

How to Play Super Bowl Squares

To play Super Bowl squares, the first step is watching the game (or at least paying enough attention to know the score). 😂 At the end of each quarter, look at the last number of the score for each team. The person whose square corresponds with the intersection of the second digit of each team’s score wins that quarter's prize. For example: a 21-14 score at the end of the first quarter pays out whoever chose the square at row 1, column 4. If nobody chose that specific square, you can choose to roll over the money to the next quarter.

Payouts typically get higher as the game continues and are highest for the final score. Think: 10% of the total pool for the first quarter, 15% for the second quarter, 20% for the third quarter, and 55% for the final score. Though it's less common, you might also choose to give out the prize money based on the score at the end of each half, or just do one big payout on the final score—it's all completely up to you. The only real rule is to make sure everyone is having fun!

Now, let the games (and grids) begin! 🏈