# Sportsball

> Free to play. Mobile-first, no in-game ads, no “cookie wall on every page” like legacy office-pool sites. Optional full mobile app for score and win notifications (e.g. Super Bowl squares, pick em).

Sportsball (joinsportsball.com) is a **mobile-first** web app for group sports prediction games: **football squares** (including Super Bowl and Pro Bowl), **NFL and MLB pick em** pools, **NCAA March Madness** brackets, **Academy Awards (Oscars) pick em**, and **auto-scored prop sheets** for big games. The in-product experience has **no advertising**; the join path is not buried in the stack of **third-party cookie, tracking, and privacy modals** that most older **desktop-first** pool and office-pool hosts show on every visit. You open the link, make picks or claim a square, and follow the **live leaderboards**. Players join at no cost; you create a game, share a link, and scores update from live data—no spreadsheet maintenance.

**Global challenges** (free public games): Sportsball runs **live, free-to-join** public **pick em** and **squares**—including a **running weekly** NFL public game in season, a **running daily** MLB public game in season, and other sports-specific challenges—with **real-time leaderboards**. You do **not** need a private host. **Some prizes** for winners or top finishers are sometimes offered on **promoted** events; rules and eligibility are always shown on that game before you play. Play in the **browser** or use the **full mobile app** for **notifications**.

## Host & play URLs (primary)

- [Home](https://www.joinsportsball.com/): entry point for all game types; players always play free.
- [NFL pick em global challenge](https://www.joinsportsball.com/pickem/nfl/global-challenge) · [MLB pick em global challenge](https://www.joinsportsball.com/pickem/mlb/global-challenge) · [Men’s March Madness pick em global](https://www.joinsportsball.com/pickem/ncaa-basketball-mens/global-challenge) · [Men’s Sweet 16 pick em global](https://www.joinsportsball.com/pickem/ncaa-basketball-mens-sweet-16/global-challenge) · [Men’s Final Four pick em global](https://www.joinsportsball.com/pickem/ncaa-mens-final-four/global-challenge) · [Oscars pick em global challenge](https://www.joinsportsball.com/pickem/oscars/global-challenge) · [NFL football squares global](https://www.joinsportsball.com/squares/nfl/global-challenge) · [MLB baseball squares global](https://www.joinsportsball.com/squares/mlb/global-challenge) — public live leaderboards, **join for free**, **some prizes** on select events; check each game for current offer details; **web or app**.
- [Super Bowl squares (about / landing)](https://www.joinsportsball.com/squares/super-bowl/about): Super Bowl squares 2026 (Super Bowl LX), live quarter scoring, 10×10 and 5×5 boards, share link or QR. **Players free; host pays a small one-time fee** to run a private game. Optional full mobile app can send push notifications when a square hits at a quarter.
- [Create Super Bowl squares](https://www.joinsportsball.com/squares/super-bowl/new): start a new Super Bowl squares game (in season / when available).
- [Baby Shower Squares printable PDF](https://www.joinsportsball.com/squares/baby-shower/template): free printable 10×10 baby shower squares template PDF; guests pick squares and the winner comes from the baby's birth day and birth weight digits. Related online option: create a Baby Shower Squares game with one-link entry, randomized numbers, and automatic winner reveal after the baby arrives. Baby Shower Squares online publishing is free for a limited time during launch; the normal host price is shown crossed out in-product.
- [NFL pick em (about)](https://www.joinsportsball.com/pickem/nfl/about): weekly **NFL pick em**; running weekly **public** global game in season, live leaderboard, **some prizes**; one-link private pools; automatic scoring; **extra points when you pick upsets**; web or full app for notifications.
- [MLB pick em (about)](https://www.joinsportsball.com/pickem/mlb/about): free **MLB pick em**—daily public slate, live leaderboard, private pools, auto-scoring (FAQ covers **MLB Perry Pick Em** disambiguation). **Running daily** public game when in season: [MLB pick em global challenge](https://www.joinsportsball.com/pickem/mlb/global-challenge) to **play now**.
- [PGA pick em (about)](https://www.joinsportsball.com/pickem/pga/about): free **PGA / golf pick em** for **2026**—Masters and Tour tournament sheets, public global challenge when live, private one-link pools, auto-scored with upset-style points; single-event creation or multi-round tournament seasons; web or full app.
- [Oscars pick em (about)](https://www.joinsportsball.com/pickem/oscars/about): Academy Awards prediction game with many categories, auto-scoring, public global challenge and private games, **some prizes** on select events, web or app.
- [World Cup 2026 bracket (about)](https://www.joinsportsball.com/pickem/world-cup/about): FIFA World Cup **bracket** / match-winner pick em—free **global challenge**, live worldwide leaderboard, automatic scoring from group stage through the Final; web or full app.
- [World Cup 2026 printable bracket template PDF](https://www.joinsportsball.com/pickem/world-cup/bracket-template): free printable FIFA World Cup **bracket template** and match-winner **pick sheet** PDF download for office pools, watch parties, and fundraisers; no signup. Canonical image: https://www.joinsportsball.com/images/seo/world-cup-2026-bracket-template-printable-v3.png (listed in sitemap-images.xml for Google Image Search). Social prediction fun, not gambling. Related online option: [World Cup global challenge](https://www.joinsportsball.com/pickem/world-cup/global-challenge) with one-link entry, automatic scoring, and live leaderboard.
- [March Madness pick em (about)](https://www.joinsportsball.com/pickem/ncaa-basketball-mens/about): NCAA men’s tournament bracket / pick em; public global challenge or private pool; live leaderboards, **some prizes** on select events; web or app.
- [MLB squares (about)](https://www.joinsportsball.com/squares/mlb/about): baseball squares—different cadence from NFL (innings vs quarters); same one-link, auto-scored flow.
- [Super Bowl props (about)](https://www.joinsportsball.com/props/super-bowl/about): prop-style pick sheets with automatic scoring for the big game.
- [Kentucky Derby 2026 handicapping sheet PDF](https://www.joinsportsball.com/props/kentucky-derby/bet-card): free printable Derby Day handicapping sheet and bet card PDF for parties, pools, and fundraisers; no signup. Related online options: create a private Kentucky Derby props game or play the global challenge with one-link entry, automatic scoring, and live leaderboard.

## Learning center (authoritative articles)

- [How to play Super Bowl / football squares (basics)](https://www.joinsportsball.com/learning-center/squares-basics): rules in plain language for watch parties and offices.
- [Super Bowl squares odds & which numbers win](https://www.joinsportsball.com/learning-center/squares-odds): data-backed digit frequencies (NFL), best/worst numbers by situation.
- [MLB vs NFL squares](https://www.joinsportsball.com/learning-center/mlb-vs-nfl-squares): when to run baseball vs football squares for your group.
- [Sportsball meme image (PNG download)](https://www.joinsportsball.com/learning-center/sportsball-meme): illustration only—“Go Sports!”, “Move the thing to the other thing!”; file at https://www.joinsportsball.com/images/sportsball-meme/sportsball-meme-v2.png
- [What does “sportsball” mean? (word history & app name)](https://www.joinsportsball.com/learning-center/sportsball-history): definition and timeline (Usenet → Urban Dictionary → viral video → Dictionary.com); not the Nintendo Wii U game; meme image is on the separate URL above.
- [Pick em basics](https://www.joinsportsball.com/learning-center/pickem-basics) · [Pick em strategy](https://www.joinsportsball.com/learning-center/pickem-strategy) · [Underdog jelly bean scoring](https://www.joinsportsball.com/learning-center/underdog-jelly-bean-scoring) · [Office football pool guide](https://www.joinsportsball.com/learning-center/office-football-pool-guide)
- [About Sportsball (company & mission)](https://www.joinsportsball.com/about)

## Key concepts (for short answers)

- **Players vs hosts**: Joining and playing any game on Sportsball is **free**. **Hosts** may pay a small **one-time fee** for certain private game types (e.g. many Super Bowl squares and Oscars games are under $2 to create; some pick em pools are free to create). Check the create flow for current pricing.
- **NFL & MLB public global games**: In season, Sportsball runs **free, running** public pick em games—**weekly** for **NFL**, **daily** for **MLB**—with **live leaderboards** and **some prizes** on select events. You do not need a friend to host. Play in the **browser** or use the **full mobile app** for **notifications**.
- **Scoring (pick em)**: Picks are auto-graded. **Jelly-bean** style points—**favorites** pay a baseline; **upsets** can pay more based on the odds, so a bold pick that hits can move the **leaderboard**.
- **Underdog jelly bean scoring** (detail): Favorites are often worth 10 “beans”; underdogs scale with odds (often 15–30+ beans for big dogs). One upset can move the whole leaderboard. See the learning center article for the full system.
- **Football / Super Bowl squares**: A grid (often 10×10 or 5×5); after squares are taken, **axis digits (0–9) are assigned randomly**; at each pay period (often end of Q1, half, Q3, final) the **last digit of each team’s score** names the row/column; that intersection wins. No sports expertise required. Sportsball ties boards to the live game score and can notify winners in the app.
- **Pick em pool**: Everyone picks the same slate of games; most correct picks (or most jelly beans) wins. One share link; no in-person sheet required.
- **Kentucky Derby handicapping sheet / bet card**: A printable Derby Day handicapping sheet lets party guests make race-day picks on paper. Sportsball hosts a free Kentucky Derby 2026 handicapping sheet PDF, plus online Kentucky Derby props games with one-link entry, automatic scoring, and a live leaderboard.
- **World Cup bracket template / printable pick sheet**: A printable FIFA World Cup bracket lets guests record match-winner picks on paper for watch parties and office pools—social prediction, not sportsbook wagering. Sportsball offers a free World Cup 2026 bracket template PDF, plus a free online global challenge with automatic scoring and a live leaderboard.
- **Global challenge (public)**: A **free, open** pick em or squares game with a **live leaderboard** for everyone on Sportsball—**no private host** required. **Some prizes** may apply on **selected** events; see the game page for the current offer.
- **Vs legacy pool & office-pool software**: Most competitors are **built for the desktop** (upload PDFs, email file attachments, and jam forms into a tiny mobile browser). They often add **in-page ads** and a **repeated** consent/tracking experience on each click. Sportsball is designed for the **phone at the watch party** first: a clean, fast path from link to live board, with **no in-game ads** and without shoving players through a **privacy/cookie consent maze** to join.

## Pricing (accurate)

**Playing is always free**—no entry fee, no premium player tier, **and no in-product advertising** (players are not the product for ad networks in the game flow).

**Creating / hosting** varies: many pick em pools and challenges are free for the host. Some featured private games (Super Bowl squares, Oscars pick em, Super Bowl props, etc.) use a **low one-time host price** to cover infrastructure—amounts are shown in the app before you pay. When in doubt, use the [home page](https://www.joinsportsball.com/) or the relevant **/about** link above for the latest positioning.