Football squares numbers 0 through 9, digit by digit
Every football score is built from 7s, 3s, 6s, 8s, and 2s, so the last digit of a score is nowhere near random. Here is what each number from 0 to 9 needs in order to show up, and how good a square holding it really is. The digits are assigned at random after the squares are claimed, so none of this affects which square you buy; it only tells you how to feel once the numbers are drawn.
The ten digits, ranked
Best to worst, over a full NFL game: 0, 7, 3, 4, then 1, 6, then 8, 9, and at the bottom 5, 2. The top four cover most scores you will ever see; the bottom two need a safety, a two-point try, or a missed kick in a specific order.
What each number needs
- 0: Scoreless (0), a touchdown and a field goal (10), two touchdowns and two field goals (20), or 30. Every team also starts at 0, which is why this digit wins so many first quarters. Elite. The best digit in the game, strongest early.
- 1: Three touchdowns (21), a touchdown with a two-point conversion plus a field goal (11), four touchdowns and a field goal (31). Middle of the pack. Better late in the game and better in college.
- 2: A safety on its own (2), two field goals and a touchdown with a missed extra point (12), two touchdowns plus a touchdown with a two-point conversion (22). The worst digit, with 5. Needs a safety, a missed kick, or a two-point try.
- 3: A field goal (3), a touchdown and two field goals (13), two touchdowns and three field goals (23), 33. Field goals happen constantly, so 3 is live from the first drive. Top tier. Third-best digit, strong in every quarter.
- 4: Two touchdowns (14), three touchdowns and a field goal (24), four touchdowns and two field goals (34). Fourteen is one of the most common halftime scores in football. Top tier. Fourth-best digit, peaks from the second quarter on.
- 5: A field goal and a safety (5), a touchdown plus a touchdown with a two-point conversion (15), two touchdowns, a two-point touchdown, and a field goal (25), five touchdowns (35). The worst digit, with 2. A long shot that occasionally pays on the final score.
- 6: A touchdown with a missed extra point (6), a touchdown and three field goals (16), two touchdowns and four field goals (26), 36. Middle. More common than it used to be since the longer extra point.
- 7: A touchdown (7), two touchdowns and a field goal (17), three touchdowns and two field goals (27), 37. Seventeen is the classic football score. Elite. Tied with 0 for the best digit in the game.
- 8: A touchdown with a two-point conversion (8), a touchdown, a two-point touchdown, and a field goal (18), four touchdowns (28), 38. Below average. Needs a two-point conversion or a four-touchdown day.
- 9: Three field goals or a touchdown and a safety (9), a touchdown, a six-point touchdown, and two field goals (19), three touchdowns and a two-point touchdown (29). Below average. Rare early, more common in high-scoring games.
How the digits move by quarter
First quarter: 0, 3, and 7 own it, because most teams have scored once or not at all. Halftime: 0, 7, 3, 4, and 1 (10, 14, 17, 21 are the common halftime numbers). Third quarter: the same with more 4s and 1s. Final: the widest spread of the game, where 6, 8, 9, and even 5 get their best chance. That is why many groups put the biggest payout on the final score. The odds guide goes deeper.
College football shifts everything up
College scores run higher and include more two-point conversions, so 1, 4, 6, 8, and 9 come up far more often than in the NFL and the gap between a great square and a bad one shrinks. A 5-9 square is a joke in an NFL board and a real contender in a 45 to 38 college game. See college football squares.
Why you cannot pick your numbers
In a proper pool the digits are drawn after the board is full, so every square costs the same because every square has the same chance when you buy it. The draw guide explains why that order protects everyone. Once the numbers are drawn, Boxpick shows a live win probability on every square as the game moves, so you know exactly how alive your digits are.
What do the numbers mean in football squares?
Each row and column gets one digit from 0 to 9, drawn at random after the squares are claimed. Your square is the pair where your row and column meet. At the end of each quarter, take the last digit of each team's score; the square where those two digits meet wins.
What are the best numbers in football squares?
Zero and seven, then three and four. They come from the most common scores: field goals (3), touchdowns with the extra point (7), and the combinations that land on 10, 14, 17, 20, and 24. A 0-7 or 7-0 square is the one everyone wants.
What are the worst numbers in football squares?
Two and five. A score ending in 2 or 5 needs a safety, a two-point conversion, or a missed extra point in a specific combination, so those endings are rare. Eight and nine are the next least common.
Do the numbers change for college football?
The digits are the same 0 through 9, but college scores run higher and include more two-point tries, so 1, 4, 6, 8, and 9 show up more often than in the NFL. The gap between the best and worst digits is smaller in a college board.
See every square's live odds
Boxpick shows win probability on each square as the score moves, so your 2-5 square gets its moment of hope.
