Since there is a large enough number of football fans on GOG, I thought we could start our score prediction competition. You get points for correctly predicting score matches and whoever get the most points after the tournament is over wins.

RULES:

1. You will need to create an account on
https://worldcupfootballpredictor.co.uk/
It's a quick and simple process. Note though that the site displays your full name (what you put under first and last names), so please use your GOG nicks for those. It would also make it easier for me to track out who is who.

2. In general, you get 3 points for correctly predicting the score and 1 point for correctly predicting the result. There are also jokers for double points and extra points for correctly predicting the overall winner. For full details on how points are calculated, check the website.

3. Members with forum activity are welcome to join. I reserver the right to reject any application, even after the tournament started.

4. The final winner will receive a 10$ game, the runner-up will receive a 6$ game. This could be a base price or a discounted game, as long as I can buy it for that amount in Ireland.
Depending on how it looks when the tournament ends, I might increase the prizes and/or number of winners.

5. You may participate even if you don't want the prize. In that case if you win you still get bragging rights and the prize will go to the next person in the leaderboard. Or since I'm not putting any restrictions on what you do with the prize, you can claim and gift it yourself or donate to a GA. So please don't let a "I'm not interested in a game" prevent you from entering. Also, Blues, please feel free to join too.

6. I'll be entering myself, and I'm going for the prize (if I win, I buy myself a game).

INSTRUCTIONS

After creating an account, click here to join a league and select "GOG League" from the list. It's a private league so you will need a password to join; please PM me for it.
https://worldcupfootballpredictor.co.uk/Pools/Join

Those wanting to join, besides PMing me please drop a post in this thread too. Makes it easier to track.

After that, you can start entering your predictions here:
https://worldcupfootballpredictor.co.uk/Predictions/

Remember to set your overall winner in your profile for extra points. Also, setting your profile to private means it won't be visible to anyone outside the GOG competition.

Any questions, please let me know.

Competition is open now.

General World Cup discussion thread:
https://www.gog.com/forum/general/the_2018_world_cup_thread

Leaderboard:
https://worldcupfootballpredictor.co.uk/Leaderboards?poolid=1458

Current participants:

1. ZFR
2. Linko90
3. stuart9001
4. lolplatypus
5. PoppyAppletree
6. zlaywal
7. VeTrack
8. RWarehall
9. Accatone
10. Stooner
11. nicohvc
12. Lazy Dude

Final score

My predictions

They will kick a ball
there will be some complaints about Russia
someone will win
it will all be very boring

Those wanting to join, besides PMing me please drop a post in this thread too. Makes it easier to track (if you already joined no need to do it).

bump. Come on, no one else wants to join?

Hmmm... I've thought we'd have more people, but maybe some will still joing before the world cup starts.

If not, I'd be happy to play it with just the four of us, but if we do, I'll change the prize structure with the winner getting a 10$ game and nothing for the runner up.

I locked in all of my predictions now, including the finals. I know nothing about football and want to see how random predictions fare. :D

We played this for the last world cup, and included a random non-human player whose predictions came from random.org (using a good weighted system: scores like 1-1 or 2-0 had a bigger chance of appearing, and the highest random score possible was I think 4-0 with something like 2% chance of appearing). The random "guy" came predictably last, though it was off to a good start.

But we also included another non-human "lazy" player, who'd just predict 0-0 on every match, and that one came... tied on points with the winner. Looks like humans understimate the 0-0 score - in my prediction games this is the score that comes least often on predictions percentage-wise to how often it actually appears in games.
Anyway, that's a strategy if anyone's not familiar with football and wants to try it.

That's very interesting, none of my predictions were 0-0. I think most were 2-0, 2-1, and 1-0.

I'm interested even though my football knowledge is far below my FM playing days. But I'm not clear if we have to fill our full bracket now March Madness style or take it per matchday basis?

You can fill any match any time you want before it starts.

*bump*