Poolsbyround's leagues offer the ultimate pick'em game strategy. When using the default settings, the site is designed to balance the value of each pick.

Bracket pools: Picking one round at a time is poolsbyround's signature feature and is recommended for a more engaging, strategic game. Players pick the first round games, then pick the following games once each game's teams are known. If a player has an unlucky first round, they can make adjustments to catch up and not lose interest. Or you can play the traditional way where players pick the whole bracket before the games start. This feature is available for bracket pools (March Magic, NFL Playoffs, NBA Playoffs, MLB Playoffs, NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs and Knockout Stage pools).

Pick which teams will beat the spread instead of picking which teams will win the game. This option uses the point spreads displayed on the picks page to determine the correct pick. This does not apply to bracket pools.

Point spreads, the moneyline or team seed are used to assign the point value of each team. The point values are similar to a moneyline bet. Instead of players dealing with whether or not a team beats the spread, players just pick the winner of each game. The bigger the underdog, the more points the pick is worth. The bigger the favorite, the less points the pick is worth. This setting can be fine tuned to your preference with the off/low/medium/high setting.

Some rounds or games are more important than others. For example, each successive round in a March Magic bracket can be worth more points than the previous round. This setting can be fine tuned to your preference with the off/low/medium/high/custom setting.

Typically, after the 1st round in a brackets pool, players can only pick from one of the teams they picked in the previous round. When picking 1 round at a time, leagues have the option to allow players to start fresh each round and pick any team, regardless of their previous round's picks.

The league commish can select which games league players can pick from each round. This feature is available for most non-bracket pools. For college football, the commish can also select a preferred Power 5 conference, so those conference teams will be emphasized when poolsbyround pre-selects games each week. Regardless of what games are pre-selected, the commish can add or remove any games before making picks available to league players.

The league commish can add league players that are not able to login to the site themselves by just adding a name for each person. The commish must make picks for these "no-login" players. No-login players can still browse to your league leaderboard and see their picks, but can not make picks. Add as many league players as you'd like.

You can upload banner and icon images to customize your league pages to your organization or group's style.

Each week, one game (preselected by poolsbyround) can optionally have it's point values doubled.

Select how many points you want to risk for each game. Some pools include the 'risk' league option, which allows a player to win extra points for a correct pick or lose points for an incorrect pick. When 'risk' is not selected, you do not lose points for an incorrect pick. The risk selection is made per game with options for none/low/high.

NFL, NBA and college football season leagues can use fantasy style match play to determine the winner. Players match up against another league member each week. Whoever gets the most points that week wins the match. The best W/L record at the end of the season wins the league. With match play turned off, the most points wins the league.

NFL football, college football and NBA Weekends pool leagues can include the option to parlay 3 games in a round. Players win extra points if they pick all of the parlay games correctly or lose points otherwise.

NFL football, college football, March Magic, Stanley Cup playoffs and NBA Weekends pool leagues can include over/under selections on their picks page in addition to picking game winners. Players pick whether the total points scored in a game will be over or under the posted number.

Display the last place player on your leaderboard in red. Just a fun option to emphasize who's in last place. It encourages a bit of trash talk and adds incentive for players to keep playing.

If you pick the winner of a series, you win points. If you also pick the correct number of games played in the series, for example Lakers in 5, or Bruins in 6, you get bonus points. This setting can be fine tuned to your preference with the off/low/medium/high setting.

You can combine the points for 2 pools. For example, include Group pool league points on the Knockout pool's league leaderboard. Displays Group, Knockout and combined points columns on your leaderboard.

League commissioners have expanded capabilities, including:

• Select the league options you want.

• Make late picks for tardy league members.

• Adjust league members' game points total. (if you want to play it a bit different)

• See who has or has not made their picks.

• Send league invitations and messages.

• Send emails to all league players.

• Open or close your league to new members as needed.

• League page branding with your own banner and icon pics.

• See the settings icon next to your name on the leaderboard!

League Invitations can be sent by email, which poolsbyround sends for you, or by any type of text or message which includes a provided league join link. If you've hosted a league before, you can easily copy last year's league or selectively import members from any previous league.

• The All Players Picks page shows all league players' picks in one place.

• You can see the results and all members picks of any past league you have been a part of.

• Many more features are included. Don't see what you are looking for? Just ask.