Why the office pool is different
At the office, you get everyone: the die-hard who knows AHL prospects, and the colleague who joins "for fun" without knowing who plays in Ottawa. The pool has to be simple, quick and fair so everyone stays in it until April.
The ideal format
- Cumulative, with classic scoring (goal 1, assist 1, win 2, shutout 2).
- Small rosters if there are many of you: 8 forwards, 4 defencemen and 1 goalie, for example.
- Little management: a few free-agent adds per week, trades optional.
- For a very large group, a playoff pool with bracket predictions is unbeatable: 10 minutes and you're done.
The office draft
Three options depending on your reality:
- The lunch-hour draft in the meeting room, on the big screen. The most fun.
- A live online draft, everyone at their desk or on their phone, with a clock and an auto-pick for those stuck in meetings.
- The list prepared in advance: everyone fills their queue; if someone's in a meeting when their turn comes, the auto-pick takes the first available player in their queue.
The office pool, without the spreadsheet
An online draft with a big-screen board, standings updated during games, a pool wall and chat: Yetii Pool does the math for you, for free.
What about money?
Lots of office pools have a small pot, but it's not required, and it can make things awkward. Many teams prefer a symbolic prize: a trophy that travels, lunch paid by last place, a day off offered by the boss (good luck). On Yetii Pool, the platform never handles money: no bets, no payments. If there's a pot, that's between you.
Keeping everyone engaged until April
- A weekly recap: leader, biggest climb, player of the week.
- Mid-season prizes: best November, best team at Christmas.
- A discussion wall for the chirping (in moderation, it's the office…).
- Results by email every morning for those who want them: even people who never visit the site follow the standings.
Write down the rules
Even among co-workers, write the rules down. Our rules template copies in one click and covers everything: scoring, lineup, draft, trades, tiebreakers.
Frequently asked questions
How do you run an office hockey pool?
Pick a cumulative format with simple scoring, smaller rosters if there are many of you, a lunch-hour or online draft, and a site that calculates points automatically.
How many people can be in an office pool?
On Yetii Pool, up to 30 teams per pool. Beyond that, several pools or a playoff pool with bracket predictions work better.
Should an office pool involve money?
No. A symbolic prize works great. Yetii Pool never handles bets or payments.