SmugLeague

Scoring rules

Every prediction is scored against the result at the end of the match (including extra time in knockout games — the score when the trophy-relevant whistle blows is the score we use). One scale, no exceptions, locked for the whole tournament:

You got…Points
The exact score 😏3
The correct goal margin (but not the exact score)2
The correct result (win/draw/lose only)1
It wrong0

Worked example

France beat Brazil 2–1. Four players predicted:

A 1–1 prediction would have scored 0 — a draw is the wrong result here, and no, "I was nearly right" has never won anyone a league.

Why this scale?

It rewards bravery. Safe 1–0 predictions collect steady single points, but exact-score calls are where leagues are won — three points for calling a 3–2 thriller is what separates the genuinely smug from the merely lucky. Over a tournament, the table sorts out which is which.

Bracket picks (predicting who advances through each knockout round) earn bonus points that scale by round — 2 for a right call in the round of 32 up to 16 for naming the champion. Bracket picks open before the round of 32 and lock when it kicks off.

Predictions lock 5 minutes before kickoff and scoring is automatic — usually on the table within minutes of full time. Ready to test the system? Call some scores.