Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Last Updated: September 2012

Having run The NFL Picks Page for many years now, I'm constantly getting emailed with some of the same questions over and over. Hopefully, this page has the answers to all your questions. If you need more details, try the About the Site section. If you still have questions or problems with the site, then go ahead and use the Feedback form.

I picked [insert any team name here] and they won the game. How come this game shows up as a loss in my picks?
Remember, your Spread picks should be based on the point spread, not straight up. The team you picked won the game but did not cover the spread, so you get a loss for that game. Check the top of each page and the titles to double-check whether you are making/viewing your Spread picks or your Straight-Up picks.

I just missed the deadline for making a pick and I really wanted to get it in. What can I do?
Use the Feedback form or email me your picks. I'll get your pick posted if your request / excuse is reasonable.

Where's the Player Track feature? I can no longer find it in the menu.
The Player Track feature was retired when I converted the site to a new server over the summer. It took a lot of effort to maintain and there simply weren't enough people using it to justify it. The good news is that you can use the Live Scoreboard feature to see basically the same thing. The pool scoreboard shows how everyone in your pool picked each game and tracks their records LIVE while the games are in progress.

I forgot to pick this week and I have AutoPick set, but the site still shows "No Pick" for the games I missed. What happened?
There are a few things to remember regarding AutoPick. 1) I don't run AutoPick until I do the weekly results (usually Sunday nights after the last game is complete). So, if results haven't been posted yet, then your AutoPicks haven't been made yet. 2) You may be over the AutoPick limit. The About the Site guide describes the AutoPick restrictions. You can only use AutoPick a total of 3 times for the season (where you miss an entire week). If you're not sure when or how many times you've used AutoPick, check your Player Stats page. If your record for a particular week has a computer icon beside it , it means AutoPick made selections for you that week.

I have the Hide Picks option set to "yes" but I still see my picks when I go to my page and my pool scoreboard. Why?
You will always be able to see your own picks while you are logged in. Your picks are only hidden from other players. So if you logged out and went to your picks page, you would see they are hidden. Or ask a friend to log in and try to view them. Trust me, they won't be able to. I promise.

My pool is doing well but it doesn't show up in the pool rankings. Why?
Your pool doesn't have at least 5 players in it who made picks last week. The pool rankings only include pools that have at least 5 members. This prevents small pools from dominating the pool standings.

I created a pool that I don't want or need anymore. How do I delete it?
You can delete the pool yourself. Go to the pool page (use the Pool Rankings links in your stats box on the left side of each page). Then click on the second red arrow link "Access the Poolmaster Menu". Check the Delete box and then click the "Submit Changes" button.

How do I join a pool?
You have to be invited by the Poolmaster to join a private pool. The Poolmaster will send you a link or give you the password to enter on the Join a Pool page. Some pools are public and free for anyone to join. The easiest way to find a public pool to join is to use the Search page. You can scroll through the list of public pools and read the descriptions to find one you like. Remember, everyone is part of the entire site "pool" and you'll be ranked against everybody, regardless of whether you're in a pool or not. Of course, you can always start your own pool and then advertise it on the Bulletin Board.

What does it mean when the spread is "No Line"?
This means that the spread hasn't been set yet, usually because there is an injury to a key player in the game or because the team played in the Monday night game. This also means that I will update the line later in the week. If for some reason (and this happens very rarely) Vegas never sets a line on the game and I can't update it, pick who you think will win the game straight up -- because "No Line" is then equivalent to an "Even" line or "Pick `em" game.

When and how often do you update the spreads?
I post the new schedule and initial spreads after I run the final weekly results (usually early Tuesday morning after Monday Night Football). There are usually a couple of "No Line" games early in the week. I try to update these by Wednesday evening at the latest. If I can't update and make the spreads final by Wednesday, I will post a note on the home page. This means each week I usually make only two spread updates -- the initial posting and the "No Line" updates on Wednesday.

Are my picks scored against the spreads that are posted when I pick or against the final updated spreads?
Your Spread picks are scored against the final spreads not the ones posted when you submit your picks. So, it's to your advantage to check your picks later in the week if you submit your picks Tuesday or Wednesday.

Why do you use 1/2 point spreads?
To prevent "pushes" or "ties versus the spread". In Vegas, if the line is 7 points and the favorite wins by exactly 7 points, it's called a "push", nobody wins or loses, and the bettor gets his or her money back. To make sure there is a winner and loser for each game on The NFL Picks Page, I use 1/2 point spreads so there's no chance for a "push".

Where do you get the point spreads each week?
Vegas Insider. I take an average of the Vegas spreads and round to the nearest half-point. In some cases where there is "No Line" or the line changes during the week, the spread on The NFL Picks Page may be a little different.

What if I don't want to pick against the spread? I wanna pick the games straight up, win/loss.
You're in luck! I added Straight Up picks last season after much popular demand. The Make Picks page and your stats pages all have links at the top to toggle to Straight-Up picks. You can even set Straight-Up as your default view if you only want to pick the games that way.

Can I link to The NFL Picks Page from my web site?
Absolutely! The more, the merrier. You can use the banner image below or just use a text link.