What is a Survivor pool?
A Survivor pool is a football pool where each entry tries to last as long as possible. Every week, you choose one team to win its game. If that team wins, your entry survives to the next week. If that team loses, your entry is eliminated.
- You pick: one team each week.
- You advance: when your pick wins.
- You are out: when your pick loses, unless your pool allows special rules.
Related
Still choosing a format for your group? Compare Survivor with Pick'em, Confidence, and Squares before you invite everyone.
The one-team rule
Most Survivor pools include a key twist: once you use a team, you cannot use that same team again later in the season. That means the best choice is not always the biggest favorite. You have to balance this week's safety with future value.
Quick example
If you pick Philadelphia in Week 1 and they win, you survive. But in many Survivor pools, Philadelphia is no longer available for that entry later in the season.
Why people love Survivor pools
- They are easy to join: players only make one pick per week.
- They create pressure: every pick matters because one bad result can end an entry.
- They reward planning: saving strong teams for later can be just as important as surviving this week.
- They are great for groups: friends, families, coworkers, and tailgate crews can all understand the format quickly.
Rules commissioners should set first
Before the season starts, commissioners should make the important rules clear. Survivor pools are simple, but unclear rules can cause headaches once eliminations begin.
- Pick deadline: decide whether picks lock at the first game of the week or at each selected team's kickoff.
- Team reuse: decide whether teams can only be used once per entry.
- Ties: decide whether a tie counts as a loss, a push, or a survival.
- Multiple entries: decide whether each player gets one entry or can manage more than one.
- Winner rules: decide what happens if multiple entries are still alive at the end of the season.
For more preseason setup help, see our guide to pool rules to set before Week 1.
Single-entry vs multi-entry Survivor
A classic Survivor pool gives each player one entry. That creates maximum pressure: one wrong pick and the season is over. Multi-entry Survivor gives each player more than one path through the season, which can keep larger pools active and give competitive groups more strategy.
PickTheGame supports both approaches. Read more about multiple Survivor entries if your group wants extra entries per player.
How Survivor compares to other pool formats
Survivor is an elimination game. That makes it different from Pick'em pools, where players usually make picks for many games each week and keep scoring all season. It is also different from Confidence pools, where players assign point values to their picks.
If your group wants a simple weekly routine with high stakes, Survivor is a strong choice. If your group wants everyone active all season regardless of a bad week, Pick'em or Confidence may be a better fit.
Beginner tips
- Do not save every favorite: you still have to survive the current week.
- Look ahead: check future matchups before using one of the strongest teams.
- Respect deadlines: a missed pick can be just as costly as a losing pick.
- Know your pool's tie rule: ties are rare, but they matter when they happen.
Ready to run Survivor with your group?