What is a football squares board
A football squares board is the classic paper grid people have run on game day for generations: a piece of paper taped to the fridge with 10 rows and 10 columns, 100 squares total. Friends and family write their name in a square, and one square wins each quarter based on the score. ClaimMySquare is that same board, just off the paper and onto everyone's phone.
How the 100 squares and the 0 to 9 digits work
The grid has 10 columns and 10 rows. Each column represents a digit 0 through 9 for the away team's score, and each row represents a digit 0 through 9 for the home team's score. Every one of the 100 squares is a unique pairing, like column 7 and row 3. Whoever claims that square owns that pairing for the whole game.
How quarter winners are decided
At the end of each quarter, look at the last digit of each team's score. Say the score is Away 17, Home 24. The last digits are 7 and 4. Find the square where the away column is 7 and the home row is 4. Whoever holds that square wins that quarter.
What a typical payout split looks like
Most hosts split the pot across all four scoring checkpoints so more than one person wins during the game. A common split is:
- 1st quarter15%
- Halftime30%
- 3rd quarter15%
- Final score40%
Hosts can change this split to whatever their group prefers before the board fills, ClaimMySquare just gives you the field to set it.
How numbers stay fair
The 0 through 9 digits along the top and side of the board stay hidden the whole time squares are being claimed. They get randomized by the server automatically once the board fills up, or 5 minutes before kickoff, whichever happens first. Nobody, including the host, can see or pick the digits ahead of time, so no square is worth more than any other.
How to run a board with ClaimMySquare in 3 steps
- Pick your game. Choose a real NFL or college matchup or enter your own, set the price per square and the payout split, then pay the one-time board hosting fee.
- Share one link. Drop it in the group chat. Players tap an open square and type their name, no account needed.
- Let it call the winners. Numbers randomize automatically and quarter winners light up live on the board as the real score comes in.
How players join with no signup
Players open the host's link, tap an open square, and type their name. That is it. No password, no app download, no account to create or remember.
How free boards work
Free boards work exactly like paid boards, they just do not carry a board hosting fee. They are a good way to try ClaimMySquare before your first paid board.
How the money works
ClaimMySquare never handles the pool money. Players settle directly with their host, by cash or whatever payment app the group already uses. ClaimMySquare only charges a small software fee to host the board itself, it is not a gambling operator, it does not accept wagers, hold stakes, or pay out winnings.