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Both office pools and sports boards are classified as social gambling, in that there is a 100% payout. In bookie gambling there are many variables: sports betting lines or betting odds and what is called "juice." When someone places a bet with a sports bookmaker, it is typical to have to wager 10% over the value of the potential winning. Bookmarkers set odds in such a way that bets fall on both sides of a contest, so the losers pay the winners and the bookies keep the 10% ... theoretically. This style of sports betting is illegal in most states while social gambling is legal in many. (For more information, check our FAQ page.)
Office pools and sports boards differ from sports betting not on the events to which they are affiliated, but the knowledge needed to play or run them and the targeted audience. Sports boards (as their name indicates( are centered on sports (football boards, baseball boards, basketball boards, hockey boards, soccer boards). Office pools are more versatile: they are created for sports (football, basketball, soccer), Hollywood (Oscars, Emmys), birth of a baby and television (American Idol, Survivor).
Sports boards require the selection of the square and the random draw of the sports board numbers. There is absolutely no skill or knowledge needed in participating on a sports board, it is complete luck. An office NFL Confidence Pool on the other hand, is more of an educated guess. Some knowledge of what is likely to happen is helpful, not certain of course but helpful.
Sports boards typically target sports fans, while this group is enormous, and every effort should be made to emphasize the luck involved, no sports knowledge necessary. Office pools have the versatility through selection, first find out what is popular at work or at the local hang-out place and match the pool to it.
