How to Run Football Squares at Your Bar: A Game Day Playbook
October 14, 2026 · 2 min read
Squares is one of the easiest ways to give people a reason to stay for the whole game. Nobody has to know football, everyone has something to cheer for on every score, and the board gives customers a reason to come back for the next game.
Before game day
- Pick the game. Prime time games (Thursday, Sunday and Monday night) fill fastest. Playoffs and the Super Bowl are the biggest nights.
- Open the board early. Make the board two to three days ahead so regulars can claim squares when they visit.
- Choose prizes that suit a bar. Many venues play for bragging rights, a drink special, a bar tab credit or a gift card. Whatever you choose, check the laws and licensing rules for your venue.
Making it easy for customers
- One permanent link. With SquaresBets Pro your page (for example, yourbar.squaresbets.com) always lists your open boards, so you only ever give out one address.
- QR codes on tables. Download your QR code from your settings and print it on table tents, menus or the door.
- Staff can help. Hosts can add a name to any square, so a bartender can fill one in for a customer who does not want to use their phone.
On game day
- Draw the numbers once the board is full, before kickoff, and announce it. People like the moment.
- Put the board on a TV, or let customers follow it on their phones.
- With live scoring on an NFL board, the score, each quarter's winner and a list of scoring plays update by themselves, so nobody on staff has to type anything in.
- Announce each quarter's winner. A short announcement keeps everyone watching.
After the game
Use Run it again the next day. It copies the board's title, size and price, suggests the next game and points everyone from the old board to the new one, so regulars see "the next board is up" the next time they open their link.
What it costs
SquaresBets Pro is $10 a month with no setup fee. It includes unlimited boards with live scoring, your own page, logo and brand color, and a staff code that keeps board making with your team.
Ready to try it? See SquaresBets for bars or watch the live scoring demo.
More from the blog
Ready to run your own pool?
It takes about a minute, and your friends don't need an account.