Conducting a 'multiple competitor' pool
By Rick Ask, Administrator, Gambling Control Division,
and John Oberweiser, Investigations Supervisor
NASCAR season is upon us and many establishments have asked how to legally conduct NASCAR sports pools.
The only authorized sports pool on which NASCAR events may be offered is a Multiple Competitor Sports Pool, described in Mont. Admin. R. § 23.16.1705 (3) (g).
A sports pool on a NASCAR event must be run separately from any other NASCAR event. You cannot conduct a “series sports pool” and combine individual NASCAR events. By rule, a “series” sports pool must be conducted on a sports pool card containing Master Square (25, 50 or 100 space board), and there is no way to offer NASCAR pools on a Master Square.
Fortunately, Multiple Competitior Sports Pools are the easiest to understand. A NASCAR race has 43 competitors each week. Therefore, the number of participants in a NASCAR sports pool is limited to 43.
All of the participants (your customers) pay their entry fee, usually $1 but never more than $5. Only after all 43 participants have paid and their names are recorded in a vertical column on the sports pool card, the competitors in the race are randomly assigned to the participants.
The winners are determined by the score or placement of the drivers.
All money paid by participants to enter must be paid out in prizes, which in this case may not be more than $215 (43 participants multiplied by the maximum entry fee of $5). This type of sports pool is also used for golf tournaments and rodeo events.
A Multiple Competitor Sports Pool board is shown here with an example of how winning places might be paid out to participants.
The card on which the pool is offered still must contain all of the information required by Rule 23.16.1702 [ARM], including:
(2) A sports pool card used to conduct an authorized sports pool must be of adequate size to be easily read by participants and observers.
(3) The sports pool card shall, in advance of any sale of any chance, clearly indicate:
(a) rules for conducting the sports pool;
(b) name of the sports event or series of events covered by the card;
(c) name of the competitors in the sports event or series of events, if known;
(d) date of the sports event or dates of the series of sports events;
(e) total number of chances available in the pool;
(f) cost to the participant for each chance;
(g) total amount to be paid to each winner;
(h) intervals that a pay-out will be made and the amount of each pay-out;
(i) name of the person conducting the sports pool;
(j) name or initials of participants who have purchased chances in the pool;
(k) amount or value of each individual prize and the total value of all prizes; and
(l) name of the competitors and the date of a sports event that will be substituted for the original sports event if it is cancelled.
(4) After each prize is awarded, the names of the winners of each prize must be prominently displayed on each card.
(5) A sports pool card must be retained by the person conducting the sports pool until all prizes are awarded or for 30 days after the event or last event in a series of events, whichever occurs first.
Other things to remember: an establishment may offer as many sports pools as they'd like, however the boards or pools may not be combined in any manner. Unsold chances must be purchased by the establishment. Sports pools may not limit the number of drivers to fewer than actual number of drivers in the event.
If you have questions about any sports pool you'd like to offer, first consult your Administrative Rule Book to see what variations of sports pools are allowed, or you may contact the Department of Justice Gambling Investigation Bureau.