Games & Recreation Tipping Comps - Starts vs Scratch

[Caesar]

It's the age-old debate - which is the better way to run a tipping comp? Just straight tip-the-winner, or by giving the underdogs a certain number of points head start?

Our comps at work are always run using the latter system - the betting odds on Thursday are used to generate a handicap margin of X points. It's run through OzTips so I don't know exactly how they work it out, but it seems to work pretty well. I've always thought it's a great system - there's never any guaranteed points, and it really rewards people who know what's happening with each team's list week-in, week-out (and therefore when the odds are wrong).

I have mates though who complain it makes the comp too much of a crapshoot. It's definitely possible to follow the sport reasonably well and still tip below 50% in a week with a couple of upsets.

 

[grimface_87]

Plus in theory it should eliminate any draws which is always nice!

My office still live in the 20th century so we tip on cards

 

[Quivorir]

Tip the winner for me, why should someone get more points for a lucky guess (tigers beating hawks for example..)

 

[Caesar]

I think you misunderstand what I mean by a start. It's like... if Hawks played GWS, the start might be 70.5 points. Which means that you either pick Hawks to win by 71+, or GWS to lose by 70 or less (or win, obviously).

The idea is to make every match difficult to pick. In terms of the tipping leaderboard you still get only 1 point per correct match.

 

[kickazz]

I've always wanted to be in a 'starts' tipping comp. Tried starting one once, not enough interest.

There is nothing worse than really analysing something and picking an underdog for it to only lose by 3 points. The nitwit who just blindly went the favourite get rewarded and you cop it.

I've seen more complicated ones too, where you get points to distribute over games etc - not for me, if you are going to take it this far just open a betting account and do it that way. But a simple 'cover the spread' tipping comp is a really good idea IMO, it makes each game (in theory) just as hard to pick as the other.

 

[Quivorir]

I think you misunderstand what I mean by a start. It's like... if Hawks played GWS, the start might be 70.5 points. Which means that you either pick Hawks to win by 71+, or GWS to lose by 70 or less (or win, obviously).

The idea is to make every match difficult to pick. In terms of the tipping leaderboard you still get only 1 point per correct match.

Then yes I miss understood what you meant. Your way is good

 

[grimface_87]

I misunderstood as well! I think this site actually has the 'odds' tipping i was talking about (e.g. Hawthorn 1.75 points or Sydney 2.68 points)

 

[Ochre]

Tip the winner for me, why should someone get more points for a lucky guess (tigers beating hawks for example..)

Because picking the right upsets is harder than just picking the favorites.

 

[Ochre]

Odds tipping > start > scratch imo

 

[Bunk Moreland]

I misunderstood as well! I think this site actually has the 'odds' tipping i was talking about (e.g. Hawthorn 1.75 points or Sydney 2.68 points)

Been in a few footy and soccer tipping comps, reckon this is the best way. You get points for a win based on the final head to head odds.

Plus with soccer there’s the draw outcome as well, which makes things interesting.