Reverse and touching squares: bonus winners explained
Updated July 8, 2026
Reverse squares and touching squares are optional bonus winners. “Reverse” also pays the square with the two digits swapped (so a 17–10 score — digits 7 and 0 — also pays the 0-and-7 square). “Touching” pays the squares next to the winner a small prize. Both add more winners by splitting the same prize fund into smaller slices — they don't make it bigger.
What are reverse squares?
A reverse (or “flip”) winner is the square whose two digits are the swap of the winning digits. If the score is 17–10, the winning digits are 7 and 0 — so besides the 7-and-0 square, the 0-and-7 square also wins a share. It's a simple way to double the winners for each score.
What are touching squares?
Touching squares pays a small consolation to the squares immediately around the winning square — the up-to-eight neighbors. It spreads a little of the prize to nearby players so more people win something.
Do bonus winners cost more?
No — reverse and touching don't grow the prize fund. They split the same fund into more, smaller prizes. More winners, smaller slices.
Should you use them?
It's the organizer's call. Bonus winners make more people feel like they won, which is great for engagement — at the cost of smaller top prizes. Many raffles turn on reverse for a bit of extra fun and leave touching off to keep the main prizes meaningful.
Frequently asked questions
What does “reverse” mean in football squares?
The reverse winner is the square with the winning digits swapped — for a 17–10 score (digits 7 and 0), both the 7-and-0 square and the 0-and-7 square win a share.
What are touching squares?
The squares immediately around the winning square — its up-to-eight neighbors — which each get a small consolation prize.
Do reverse and touching squares increase the prize fund?
No. They split the same prize fund into more, smaller prizes rather than adding money — more winners, smaller slices.
Keep reading
- 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.
- 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.
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