Here's a fun little exercise, just for bragging rights.

It's a game-within-a-game. Even though this is kind of a support group for sports betters, I thought we might have a friendly little competition.

The competition is called the gamblingchitchat.com Playoff Challenge. The challenge entails all of us making our picks every week of the playoffs in this forum against the same line. (Today's Bodog for this week.) I add a couple of rules to spice things up, and we keep track of who does the best throughout the playoffs. Here are the rules.

1. We all pick against the same line, set by me (Village Idiot) at some point in the week leading up to that set of games.

2. Everyone must pick every game, wagering imaginary units on the outcome of said game.

3. For Week 1 (wildcard week), you must "double-down" on one of the four games and make a single play on the other three. That means one of the four games is worth double the units of each of the others. This means five (instead of four) units would be at stake in week one.

4. For Week 2 (divisional playoffs), you must double-down on one of the four games and make a single play on the other three. (Basically, this is just like week one.) This means five units would be at stake in week two.

5. For Week 3 (NFC and AFC championships), you double-down on one of the games and triple-down on the other. Once again, five units will be at stake this week, though only on two games.

6. Finally, for Week 4 (The Super Bowl), the game is worth 5 units by itself.

7. Therefore, there are four weeks, each worth 5 units apiece. 20 units can be "wagered". Whoever is up the most units, wins. The winner wins nothing, of course, but the satisfaction of knowing he's the gamblingchitchat.com playoff champ.

8. If there's a tie, maybe it's decided by a pick on the Pro Bowl or something.

That's it. For those interested, simply post your picks in reply to this thread. I'll keep a running total. Obviously, find better lines if you can find them and (by all means) keep posting your real bets in this forum. But for the sake of fairness, everyone must abide by the same lines on this thread.

Here are my picks, which also are a fair indication of my wagers for the week.

Patriots -7 1/2
Redskins +3
Bengals +3
Giants -3 (DOUBLE DOWN on the GIANTS)

Sounds good to me.

Washington +3
Jax +7 1/2
Carolina +3 - Double down on the Panthers.
Cincinatti +3 (Changed my mind, I like the bengals here.)

Skins +3
Pats -7 1/2 (Double Down on the Pats)
Bengals +3
Giants -3

__________________
"Lord, give me chastity-but not yet."--Saint Augustine

skins +3
pats -7.5
caro +3
Pitt -3 double down on pitt:

Steelers -3
Redskins +3 (double down on Skins)
Patriots -7.5
Panthers +3

Coolio

Pats - 7.5

Skins +3

Giants - 3 Double

Bengals +3

PS - can anyone remember having less confidence in their First Round picks?

All correct except the Giants......they will lose their lunch!!!

looks like eugene and i are tied this week (4-0) with both having won the double down. good week!

good pickin wizard of koz!
i really did double down on pitt today, man did i sweat the 1st half!!!!!

Village Idiot asked me to post this, as he has tried to get onto the site from three different computers and has been unable.

First off, here are the standings to this point:

Eugene--5 units
Kozmo--5 units
Mike Griffin--4 units
Bowlby--3 units
Mighty Azathoth--3 units
Asron--2 units
Village Idiot--2 units

Remember, you will wager 5 units in round 2, as well. Basically, it's just lie last week, and you'll "double down" on one of the games.

Here's the line:
Colts -9 1/2 vs. Steelers
Seahawks - 9 1/2 vs. Redskins
Bears -3 vs. Panthers
Broncos -3 vs. Patriots

Here are the picks from Village Idiot:

COLTS -9 1/2 (DOUBLE)
REDSKINS +9 1/2
BEARS -3
PATRIOTS +3

And here are the picks from The Mighty Azathoth:
Colts -9 1/2
Seahawks -9 1/2
Bears -3
Patriots +3 (Double)

__________________
"Lord, give me chastity-but not yet."--Saint Augustine