Rules · Ballumo

How to play

1
Choose a match or Event
Play one match, or enter an Event with 1–10 matches.
2
Make your predictions
For every match: a scoreline, result chances and a few match questions.
3
Submit, then follow the action
Submit the whole card before its entry deadline. Most points wins.

Predictions lock 60 minutes before kickoff.

They reveal to other players at the same time. All deadlines use your time zone.

Entering and editing

A draft doesn’t enter you. Submit a complete prediction for every match before the first deadline.
After entering, you can edit each later match until its own lock. An unfinished edit leaves your last complete submission in place.
The same match uses one prediction across every Event or Duel you enter. Saving a change updates it everywhere you’ve entered.
Entering another contest is always your choice. It never happens automatically.

Find rated matches under Today. Enter to play against people and bots.

Today’s pick and your teams

Today’s pick: a highlighted Event or match. It’s the same contest wherever you find it.

Your teams: choose teams in Settings to find their upcoming matches. Anyone can play.

One match. Ten points.

The points are split into three equal parts.

Scoreline

Exact is best. Close earns less.

Result chances

Back the result that happens.

Match questions

Points for each correct answer.

Every match is worth the same. A five-match Event offers 50 points.

How to set your result chances

Drag the two handles to share 100% between a home win, draw and away win. Give your predicted result the highest chance.

Example: you predict a 2–1 home win

Home 60%Draw 25%Away 15%

A confident correct call earns more. A confident wrong call earns less. All three percentages affect your points.

90 minutes, including stoppage time.

Scorelines, result chances and stats exclude extra time and penalties.

Live scores, missing results and corrections

Live points are estimates. Final points and Rating follow confirmed results.
If required results or stats are still missing 48 hours after the card’s original expected finish, that match is removed for everyone.
Removed matches earn no points. If all matches are removed, the contest is void and Rating stays unchanged.
Final match data can be corrected for 72 hours after we first publish it. Later data corrections do not change settled points, Rating or achievements.

Answer the match questions

Choose the home team, away team or equal for each question.

Possession
Who has more of the ball?
Shots
Who takes more shots? All attempts count.
Fouls
Who commits more fouls?

A knockout decider adds one team choice.

Who advances? Or, in a final, who wins the trophy? Extra time and penalties count for this answer.

How question points are shared

All questions share one third of the match’s points equally: about 1.11 each with three questions, or 0.83 each with four. A first leg has the usual three questions. The questions shown on your card are the ones that count.

Your Rating and Football DNA

800

Everyone starts here

Your Rating and leaderboard place are visible immediately.

Rated results move your Rating up or down. Your points margin, opponents’ Ratings and number of matches all matter.

Which games affect your Rating?
Where you play	Rating
Public matches & Events	Rated
Human & bot Duels	You choose Rated or Unrated
Private Groups	Host chooses

DNA shows your strengths

Six scores describe how you read results, scorelines, chances, possession, shots and fouls. They start at 50 and develop through rated play. They don’t change your points or Rating.

A little more about Rating and DNA

Rating updates when the whole contest is settled. Beating stronger opponents generally earns more; a bigger card carries more weight.
Events compare you with eligible entrants, including bots in public Events. A rated Duel compares its two opponents. With no valid opponent, Rating stays unchanged.
DNA counts each rated match once. Fifty is a starting estimate, not 50% accuracy. Recent results gradually matter more.
Unrated Duels, unrated Groups and historical practice don’t change official DNA.

Duels

One card. Two players. Most points wins; equal points means a draw.

Choose an open Event or 1–10 matches, then invite a person or a bot.
A human opponent reviews the mode and must accept, and both players must submit complete entries before the deadline.
Start and accept unlimited human Duels for free, Rated or Unrated.
Choose Rated or Unrated against a person or bot. Rated play counts toward Rating, official DNA and eligible achievements; Unrated is points only. The mode cannot change after creation.

For casual play, choose Play unrated on a match page and pick a bot. Private practice is retired; your existing private calls and share links remain available in My predictions.

Invitations, rematches and missed entries

Each accepted Duel must include at least one match you haven’t already used in an accepted Duel with that opponent, across Rated and Unrated.
A forfeit or unanswered invitation doesn’t change Rating or earn a skill achievement.
If a bot misses its prediction, we show the miss.

Groups

A private place to play with your people. A Premium host creates Events; everyone can join and play free.

Rated: People only. Results affect your global Rating and DNA.
Unrated: Play for points. The host can add bots, including research opponents.

The host chooses the mode when creating the Group. It stays fixed.

Privacy and Group standings

Join by invitation or code. Group predictions and contest details stay private.
Rated Groups rank members by global Rating. Joining never resets it.
Unrated Groups offer total points, average points and Events won. Each match counts once toward points and averages; tied values share a place.
The host’s Premium covers Group bots. Bot choices apply to future Events.

Friends

Find a player and send a request, or share a private friend link. Friendship starts when the other person accepts.

Friend links and blocking

Friend links last seven days. Anyone with your link can connect with you.
Manage friends and requests in your Friends tab. You can challenge recent opponents without becoming friends.
Joining a Group doesn’t make its members your friends.
Blocking stops new requests, invitations and Duels. Past results remain.

Achievements

Earn trophies for memorable calls and results in rated play. Open a trophy in You → Achievements to see its goal and your progress.

When trophies count

Bullseye marks your first exact score. It and Believe are lifetime awards; the other eleven can be earned each August–July season.
Some trophies need a full card of at least five matches, enough opponents or a particular contest type. Each trophy explains its requirements.
Forfeits don’t earn skill trophies. Corrected results can remove an award.
Trophies don’t change points or Rating. Proof from private play stays private.

Bots

Eight house bots are free. Premium adds Statto, the Professor, Gaffer and Scout. Each has its own approach and earned Rating.

How bots play

Bots are run by Ballumo and can play supported upcoming matches.
They accept Duels immediately and predict before kickoff. Their calls reveal at the normal lock.
A bot makes one fixed prediction per match, shared across its Events and Duels. No rerolls.
Research can inform a call; it can’t guarantee a result. Missing predictions stay missing.

Premium

Premium bot Duels: Challenge Statto, the Professor, Gaffer and Scout.
Private Group and competition hosting: Create Groups and publish your own Events. Invited players participate free.
Premium match previews: Deeper research and football context before kickoff.
Exclusive avatar outfits: Choose three exclusive outfits. Keep your saved look after Premium ends.
Deeper performance analysis: Understand patterns across your predictions.

Human Duels, public Events, eight house bots, Rating, DNA, achievements, basic performance summaries and your predictions/results stay free. Invited Group players participate free. Compare plans.

If Premium ends

You can still join and play in existing Groups. Your saved Premium outfit and background remain usable and editable. After you replace either item, choosing a Premium replacement requires Premium.

Fair play

One account per person. Don’t impersonate players or coordinate accounts to inflate Rating.

Manipulation can lead to corrected results or account suspension. We explain why and offer a review. See the Terms.

Something doesn’t look right?

Write to contact@ballumo.com. See also our Privacy policy.