With the intoduction of a new feature it is only natural that there will be a bit of confusion regarding exactly how the feature works and what it involves. Here I am going to explain how PickerPoints will change the way you the "Pickers" play FootyPicks.com and hopefully in the process creates an excitement that equals ours over the PickerPoints process. I have broken this document down into different sections so it can be used as a guide for future reference and allows ease of navigation, the sections are as below (note. each section is a link to jump straight to that part of the document).

1. The Birth of PickerPoints
2. How PickerPoints are accumulated
- 2.1. Overview
- 2.2. Point for Point
- 2.3. PickerPoints as Prizes
- - 2.3.1. PickerPoints Competition Prize Equation
- 2.4. Promotional PickerPoints
3. How to claim prizes using PickerPoints (Footypicks.com Shop)

1. The Birth of PickerPoints

The Birth of PickerPoints could even be stated as the reason for using the system was basically a long discussion amoungst the administration at Footypicks.com on how and if we were going to take the site further and increase its participants. It was decided that we needed to provide something different to the mass of online tipping competitions. Brain-storming and ideas were thrown around until the concept of a points based system that would allow users to accumulate points that they could then use to spend on items within a "Footypicks.com Shop". Alas, the birth of PickerPoints.

The decision was then made that PickerPoints would replace the current prize system and then winners could choose the prize they wanted from their PickerPoints accumulated. This now offers a unique way of rewarding competitors or as we refer to them as "Pickers" for competing in Footypicks.com tipping competitions. (top)

2. How PickerPoints are accumulated

2.1. Overview
The biggest question, maybe appart from how do you spend the PickerPoints, is how are PickerPoints accumulated. Simply put, there are three ways in which PickerPoints can be accumulated and they are as follows. Point for point with the competitions, PickerPoints as prizes and Promotional PickerPoints. All three of these options have been explained in detail below. (top)

2.2. Point for Point
For every point you accumulate within every single one of the Footypicks.com competitions you recieve 1 PickerPoint. Every competition uses the 321 points structure which means that the most points you can get out of a single match is 3 which usually coincides with an exact score or margin. So you can see that PickerPoints can be accumulated quite quickly within the competitions themselves. For example within the NRL 2007 competition there is 25 rounds of competition with 7 matches in each round, this creates a possible 525 points. This will become the backbone of constantly earned points, although the big PickerPoints earners are in the prizes. (top)

2.3. PickerPoints as Prizes
The big PickerPoints earner is definately in the prizes. All Footypicks.com competitions now give away PickerPoints as prizes for finishing in overall first, second and third and now also gives away PickerPoints for "Picker of the Week". How many PickerPoints are given away in each circumstance depends on the size of the competition in regards to competing "Pickers". We have worked out an equation that is based on the amount of "Pickers" in the competition and divides the points up over the three placings. Simarlirly the "Picker of the Week" PickerPoints amount depends on the number of "Pickers" and the number of rounds in the competition. (top)

2.3.1. PickerPoints Competition Prize Equation
For each and every competition the equation used to calculate the amount of PickerPoints allocated for Overall First, Second and Third places and Picker of the Week is as follows:

prizevalue = pickers * 20

First place = prizevalue / 2
Second place = prizevalue / 3
Third place = prizevalue / 6

Picker of the Week = prize value / number of rounds

example

The NRL 2007 competition has 100 Pickers competing over 25 rounds.

prizevalue = 2000 (pickers * 20)

First place = 1000PickerPoints (prizevalue / 2)
Second place = 666PickerPoints (prizevalue / 3)
Third place = 333PickerPoints (prizevalue / 6)

Picker of the Week = 80PickerPoints (prizevalue = number of rounds)
(top)

2.4. Promotional PickerPoints
Pickers will be able to gain extra PickerPoints through promotions that will be run periodically on the site. There will eventually be a couple of ongoing promotions that will allow Pickers to increase their PickerPoints. The above equation outlines how the number of Pickers in each competition directly relates to how many PickerPoints can be won throughout a season, so it is the best interest of you the users to increase the amount of participants on Footpicks.com. This leads into our first ongoing PickerPoints promotion, referals. (top)

The referal system, which is still in development, will allow existing Pickers to invite family and friends to join Footypicks.com, this will not go un-rewarded. Other promotions may be run throughout the year, for example, double PickerPoints rounds or even a reward for completing a servey. Regardless there options are endless for promotion based PickerPoints and the team at Footypicks.com will do our best to generate regular interesting promotions. (top)

3. How to claim prizes using PickerPoints (Footypicks.com Shop)
Finally the most important part of the whole PickerPoints system, using them to claim great prizes. The Footypicks.com Shop will allow you to choose the item from our selection that you are interested in, as long as you have enough PickerPoints and we'll send it on its way. We are actively sourcing prizes to fill our shop so make sure you check it regularly and watch it grow. (top)