FAQs
Competition Questions
What is Ultimate Sports Punter?
Ultimate Sports Punter is an online sports tipping competition where entrants are asked at the start of the year to predict the winners of 59 different sporting events (from 22 different sports) that are all scheduled to conclude in 2024. Points are awarded for predictions that win or finish second or third and the entrant with the most points at the end of the year is crowned the Ultimate Sports Punter and wins $2,500 AUD.
So say goodbye to the office footy tipping competition and get on board with USP in 2024.
Check the Terms & Conditions for more details.
What sporting events are covered in the competition?
There are 59 sporting events in total from 22 different sports. The full list of sports are listed on the calendar in finishing date order.
Is it free to enter?
Yes, it is completely free to enter Ultimate Sports Punter, however there is only one entry permitted per person (and email address).
When must entries be submitted?
The Entry Form must be submitted no later than 11:59pm on Wednesday 20 March 2024 AEDT.
Who can enter Ultimate Sports Punter and how do I verify my age?
A punter must be over the age of 18 years old prior to the entry deadline (20 March 2024). The winner of Ultimate Sports Punter must provide proof of age prior to the distribution of prizemoney. Failure to provide proof of age will see the Punter eliminated from the competition.
Why can’t I submit a late entry, even if that means I get zero points for the events I’ve missed?
So simply there are no late entries accepted.
How do I access the Terms and Conditions and the Privacy Policy?
The Terms & Conditions can be found here - www.ultimatesportspunter.com.au/terms-and-conditions
The Privacy Policy can be found here - www.ultimatesportspunter.com.au/privacy
Entry Form Questions
I know that you can use any device to enter the competition, but what is the best?
You can use a mobile phone, tablet or computer to access the entry form.
As with any online registration process, the desktop option offers the best experience simply because the screen is bigger, however it’s super easy to use a mobile phone or tablet device.
When using mobile devices, note that Apple and Android devices display the Entry Form slightly different, but they have the exact same lists and functionality. As mentioned, they are just displayed differently - you may have to “scroll sideways” on an Android device while you may have to “scroll up and down” on an Apple device.
We are here to help, so if you’ve got any issues, please email us at admin@ultimatesportspunter.com.au
There’s no login and password details, how do I save my entry form if I need more time?
We all have enough login details to try and remember already so we’ve streamlined the experience to keep it simple. Once you start compiling your entry form, there’s a “save” button on the bottom right corner of each page of the entry form. Once you press save, we’ll send you an email with a link so you can resume entering your selections at another time.
It’s important though that you press “submit” before the entry deadline, otherwise you won’t be in the competition. No late entries will be accepted.
I’ve pressed submit, but why is it taking me back to the Event Selection page?
If you’ve pressed submit and it takes you back to another page, it means that you’ve missed entering a selection for an event. Simply scroll down the page until you see an error message for an event. After making a valid selection for that event/s, scroll down to the bottom of the page to click “next” until you get to the submit button. Press Submit and you’ll be directed to an overview of your selections, at which stage you’ll finished.
I’ve submitted my entry form, but what if I want to change some selections before the deadline?
You’ll need to submit a new entry form, obviously prior to the deadline. As per the terms and conditions of the competition, there’s only one entry per person permitted, so the last entry form you submit will be your official entry. All previous entries will be deemed void.
Why are some events showing a drop-down list while other lists are in a different format?
There are two types of event lists:
-
Events that have a confirmed and official participant list, which means that we know exactly who is competing in those events.
For example, we know that there are only 18 teams in the AFL, 17 teams in the NRL, 20 teams in the EPL, etc. -
Events that are yet to confirm the participant list, which means we have an idea on who might be competing in these events, but there could be others and some options in the list might not compete.
For example, we don’t know who will start in the French Open Women’s Singles event, so we provide a list of the top 100 ranked female tennis players as options, but also provide the opportunity for Punters to type in a player who sits outside the rankings. -
So the confirmed participant lists are drop down lists.
But the events where the participants aren’t confirmed, they also provide an option to type the selection name, so they function differently.
Referral Promotion Questions
How does the referral promotion work?
Firstly, tell your family and friends about Ultimate Sports Punter and how they could win $2,500.
Then ask them when they are completing their entry form to enter your name and email address in the “Referral” section of the entry form. If you refer two new entrants (i.e. those that didn't enter in 2023) and then you win USP in 2024, you'll win a $1,000 cash bonus to go with your $2,500 prizemoney.
There’s a catch though – you and at least two new entrants you referred must have a valid entry form to be eligible and you can’t refer each other.
Check the Terms & Conditions for further details.
Competition Questions
With the two Lifelines, what’s the difference between the “Wildcard” and the “Joker”?
“The Wildcard” - This Lifeline gives the Punter the maximum score (5 points) for this event, regardless of the outcome of this event. Each punter has one allocated Wildcard at their discretion to use. It is likely to be used by a punter which has no idea on the outcome of the event or by a punter who thinks an underdog might win.
“The Joker” - This Lifeline gives the Punter the opportunity to receive double points (10 points) for the event, although they must pick the winner of the event. Zero points are awarded for second and third placed selections. It is likely that Punters will use their one allocated Joker on what they consider to be a certainty.
The Wildcard and the Joker cannot be used on the same event.
How do the “Gamblers” work?
Five head-to-head events have been nominated as "Gamblers".
A punter may choose to wager 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 points on the result in an attempt to win these points. However, the punter will have those points deducted from their score if the selection is wrong.
A punter may choose to "pass" and not make a selection and they will neither win nor lose points.
Each Gambler can be changed from one week prior to the start of each event, by completing the form on the website.
So if a punter chose “Queensland (wagering 4 points)” to win the State of Origin Series, and Queensland wins the Series, the punter will have 4 points added to their score. However, if New South Wales were to win the Series, the punter would have 4 points deducted from their score.
It’s a gamble. Obviously.
How do I change my Gambler?
In the week leading up to each Gambler event, you will be able to access an online form via the homepage of the USP website. You’ll be able to change your selection (team, points wagered or “pass”) up until the day before the event starts. The deadline for change will be listed on the website.
A punter may choose not to change their Gambler.
Scoring
How does the scoring system work?
Each punter selects who they think will win each event from a list of 59 sporting events to be held in 2024. Picking the winning selection is worth 5 (five) points, 3 (three) points for second and 1 (one) point for third with more rules in place for tied placings.
For knockout events like the tennis majors, AFL and NRL Finals, the winner will be awarded 5 points, the runner up (second place) will be awarded 3 points and the losing players/teams of a semi-final will each be awarded 1 point.
If there is a tie in an event, the points will be adjusted as follows:
- In a 2-way tie for 1st place, 5 points will be awardeded for both 1st place getters and 1 point will be award for the 3rd place getter(s). No other points will be awarded.
- In a 3-or-more-way tie for 1st place, 5 points will be awarded for all 1st place getters. No other points will be awarded.
- In a 2-or-more-way tie for 2nd place - 3 points will be awarded for all 2nd place getters. Points will be awarded as normal for 1st place and no other points will be awarded.
- In a 2-or-more-way tie for 3rd place - 1 point will be awarded for all 3rd place getters. Points will be awarded as normal for 1st and 2nd places.
The person with the most points at the end of the year is crowned the "Ultimate Sports Punter".
See also “How are Punters on the same score ranked?”
How are punters on the same score ranked?
In addition to scoring points, punters entries also accrue a Degree of Difficulty (DD) score that is used in the final USP rankings to differentiate between equal point scores.
The aim of DD is to create a secondary scoring system to differentiate entries at the end the season on the same number of points. It does this by rewarding punters who make scoring selections that differ from other punters. In this vein it is similar to "Percentage" in the AFL or "Goal Difference" in many major Association Football leagues.
Consider the following example for the NBA last season when the Warriors beat the Celtics:
| Team | No. of Selections | Percentage Breakdown | DD Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden State Warriors | 2620 | 53% | 47 |
| Boston Celtics | 1170 | 24% | 76 |
| Brooklyn Nets | 530 | 11% | 89 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 450 | 9% | 91 |
| Denver Nuggets | 120 | 2% | 98 |
| Wildcard | 40 | 1% | 0 |
| Atlanta Hawks | 20 | 1% | 99 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 10 | 1% | 99 |
- Punters that selected the Warriors, who finished 1st would receive 5 points and have 47 (100-53) credited to their DD.
- Punters that selected the Celtics, who finished 2nd would receive 3 points and have 76 (100-24) credited to their DD.
- Punters that selected the Bucks, who finished equal 3rd would receive 1 point and have 91 (100-9) credited to their DD.
- Zero DD points are allocated to the Wildcard choice.
While DD may be displayed on the USP website during the season, DD is only used as a secondary ranking method. DD is never added together with points to create a "total score”; however it used in the event of punters on equal points to determine the official placings.
Can you explain how DD works for the Joker, Wildcard and the Gamblers?
Yes, we can, and we will.
Joker - calculated as normal, so the “Joker” DD does not double.
Wildcard - does not accrue DD points so you receive 0 (zero) DD points when using the Wildcard. The percentage breakdown for Wildcard selections remains valid with regards to how DD points are allocated among the other ‘normal’ selections in that event.
Gamblers - Teams selections as normal, however “pass” selections receive 0 (zero) DD points. Like Wildcards, the percentage breakdown for “pass” selections remains valid with regards to how DD points are allocated among the other ‘normal’ selections in that event.
Only 0.4% of punters have the same selection as me, why is the DD calculated at 99 and not 99.6?
The DD points (not percentage breakdown) are rounded to the nearest number:
- rounded down between .001 to .499, and
- rounded up between .5 to .999
However, the maximum DD allocation for one event is 99. If one punter has a unique selection, the DD is rounded to 99, it can never be 100.
If every punter has the same selection, the DD is 0 (zero).
Can I change my selections?
No. Once entries close, all selections are final, except for the “Gamblers”.
See also “I’ve submitted my entry form, but what if I want to change some selections before the deadline??”
See also “How do the Gamblers work?”
Can I see everyone’s selections in the competition?
Yes, you will be able to view absolutely everyone’s selections for each event, but only once an event begins!
So when the first game of the AFL Season starts, you’ll be able to see each punters selections for the AFL Premiers, Brownlow and Coleman Medallists.
Until the event begins, the selection will be blank.
Prior to the event starting, you will be able to see all the selections that have been chosen for each event and what percentage selected each one, but you won’t be able to see which punter picked them until the event starts.
When you submit your entry form, we will issue you an email with all your selections listed, as well as a PDF copy attached to the email. Keep these for your records so you have a copy of all your selections until they are all live.
Event Disruption Questions
So what if Covid rears its ugly head again?
As per all events, the results for USP events are determined by the official governing body of the specific event and points are awarded as per their rulings. Should a result not be finalised by 11:59pm 30 December 2024, the event will be withdrawn from the competition and zero points will be awarded for those specific events.
What happens if an event is cancelled or postponed?
If an event is postponed, it will remain as part of the competition, and points will be awarded as normal, if it is completed (or an official winner announced by the presiding body) before the final scheduled USP event ends. If it is not completed before this date, the Event will be considered "abandoned" and no points will be awarded for the event, provided it does not fall into the special circumstances as listed in the terms and conditions.If an Event is abandoned, all Jokers and Wildcards will be forfeited for said Event.
What happens if an event is cancelled or postponed?
If an event is abandoned in the concluding (point determining) stages of a multi-event sport (such as the ICC World Cup Final) due to special circumstances (i.e. severe weather, unsafe conditions, terrorist attack, etc) and the event is not rescheduled to be finished, or is rescheduled to be finished after the final listed USP event, the judges reserve the right to declare the event a “tie” and award winning points to both competitors if, in the opinion of the judges, it is clear and fair that both teams be awarded equal standing.
In these circumstances, a decision will be made after first considering the stance of the presiding sporting body.
Drugs are still a thing in sport, what happens then?
In the event of disqualification (e.g. drug taking in the Tour de France), the point allocation will be amended to reflect the presiding body's official results, provided that these results are amended before the conclusion of the final scheduled USP event.
The official results at the conclusion of the final scheduled USP event are deemed the official Ultimate Sports Punter results and will not be amended after this date. For example, if the winner of the Tour de France is disqualified in January 2025, no changes to the USP results will be made.