How it works

The game itself — grids, numbers, and how winners are decided.

• How do football squares work?A plain-English guide to football squares: the 10×10 grid, how the numbers are drawn, how winners are decided by the score, and how a squares raffle raises money for a nonprofit.
• Super Bowl squares: rules and how to playHow Super Bowl squares work: claim a square on the 10×10 grid, get your two numbers after the grid fills, and win when the last digits of the score match at the end of each quarter.
• Season-long football squares vs one-game poolsThe difference between a one-game football squares pool and a season-long squares raffle — and why one ticket that plays every week raises more for your cause.
• How to pick football squares numbers fairlyThe fair way to assign football squares numbers: sell the squares first, then draw the row and column digits at random with a method anyone can check.
• Football squares prize structures: how the money is splitHow to split a football squares prize fund across the game — quarter by quarter, with the final worth the most — plus season-long and marquee-game structures, with example tables.
• Reverse and touching squares: bonus winners explainedWhat reverse squares and touching squares mean — two popular ways to add more winners to a football squares game without growing the prize fund.
• How to make a football squares boardHow to set up a football squares board — draw the 10×10 grid, put the two teams on the axes, sell the 100 squares, then assign the numbers at random.

Fundraising

Running a raffle that actually raises money for your cause.

• How to run a football squares fundraiserA step-by-step guide to running a football squares fundraiser for your nonprofit — picking a game or a full season, pricing and selling tickets in person, drawing the numbers fairly, and paying the winners.
• Booster club fundraising ideas that actually workProven booster club fundraising ideas — from the season-long football squares raffle to concessions and spirit nights — and how to pick ones that raise real money without burning out your volunteers.
• Knights of Columbus football raffle: a council's guideHow a Knights of Columbus council runs a season-long football raffle — a proven fundraiser that plays every week, sells ticket books in person, and sends the proceeds to the council's charities.
• Church & parish football fundraiser guideHow a church or parish can run a football squares raffle to fund its ministries — sold in person after services, played all season, with the proceeds going to the cause.
• PTA football fundraiser guideHow a PTA or PTO can run a football squares raffle to fund school programs — a simple, season-long fundraiser volunteers sell in person, with the money going to the school.
• 50/50 raffles: how they work and the rulesHow a 50/50 raffle works — buyers split the money with the cause, half to one winner and half to the charity — plus the rules and how it differs from a squares raffle.

Rules & compliance

Keeping a charitable football raffle on the right side of the law.

• Are football squares legal?Whether a football squares pool is legal depends on how it's run. Here's how football squares work as a charitable raffle — a nonprofit, in-person sales, and no house cut — and why the rules vary by state.
• Do you need a license to run a football squares fundraiser?Whether you need a license or permit to run a football squares raffle depends on your state — some require registration, some let small raffles run license-free, and a few ban paid raffles. Here's how to find out.
• Can you sell raffle tickets online?Whether you can sell raffle tickets online depends on your state — many charitable-raffle laws require in-person sales, while a few allow online sales under specific conditions.
• Are raffle winnings taxable? IRS rules for nonprofit rafflesHow raffle prizes are taxed: winnings are taxable income, and a nonprofit may need to report prizes on Form W-2G and withhold federal tax on large prizes. Here's the IRS framework.
• Raffle rules by state →Registration, in-person-sales, and proceeds rules where you are — with the official source.