In 1994, Steve and Tom Ney wrote a book called The Unofficial Office Pool Handbook: Probably Illegal…But, Oh So Much Fun!. If your workplaces engages in office pools, but you don’t understand how they work, this is a good starting point. On the other hand, if your office doesn’t engage in office pools, but you think that taking the initiative and starting some office pools would be fun, then this book is an even better fit, because it provides clear and step-by-step guides to setting up office betting pools.
The Unofficial Office Pool Handbook is a thin book, only about 150 pages, but it’s packed with information. The book includes chapters on the following subjects:
- Pro Football
- College Football
- Auto Racing
- College Basketball
- Golf
- Triple Crown Horse Racing
- Baseball
- Entertainment
- Classic Office Pools
My favorite section is probably the one about Entertainment pools. I’m a movie junkie, and I’m an especially big fan of the Academy Awards. Their guide to putting together a pool for the Academy Awards is the one I’ve gotten the most use out of over the years. I’ve even used it at my house on Oscar night to make our Oscars party more fun.
Most people will probably be more interested in setting up and participating in office betting pools related to sporting events, though, and they won’t be disappointed. The appendix even includes a schedule of events you can set up betting pools on throughout the year.
Finally, a word about “classic” office pools. When they’re talking about classic office pools, they mean things like baby arrival date pools and lottery pools. Those are fun to participate in.
As far as the legality situation goes…I’m not an attorney, and I don’t think the authors of The Unofficial Office Pool Handbook are attorneys either. So are office betting pools legal? It depends on where you live and what the laws are there.
That being said, I’ve NEVER seen anyone at any of my workplaces get arrested, fined, or ticketed for setting up or participating in an office betting pool.
You can find used copies of this book on Amazon for less than $5, and if you’re not worried about the condition of the book, you can probably get a copy for $4 or so INCLUDING shipping. It’s money well-spent if you’re into this sort of thing.