2009 Official American Idol Rules *REVISED March 13 to include Payout Info*

*REVISED for clarification March 10*

*REVISED AGAIN March 13 to include Payout Information*
This is how the 2009 American Idol Pool will work:

GENERAL RULES
There are now 13 finalists.

The first performance show containing the 13 finalists airs Tuesday, March 10, and the first elimination show is Wednesday, March 11.

By 3PM EST on Wednesday, March 11th, you MUST email me your picks for the season. Your picks must be ordered from #1 to #12. #1 is your American Idol. #2 is your runner-up.

Simon Cowell said that Wednesday, March 11 will be a double elimination show.


DOUBLE ELIMINATION SCORING
This is how your entries will be scored during a double elimination episode. These are the same rules we used during the double elimination week during Idol Gives Back Week 2007.

There are conceivably two ways the show will kick off two people:

1. The show eliminates two contestants at different points (e.g. - kick somebody off half way through the show and then the 2nd person at the end, or kick somebody off towards the end of the show and have him/her sing his/her song, and then kick out the other to end the show)
2. The show eliminates two people off together simultaneously (e.g. - at the end of the show, there are three people on stage, and the judges tell one person he/she has advanced meaning the other two have been kicked out)


If #1 happens, this is how we score it:
After the first person gets kicked off, you will get 1 point for every contestant who is alive in your top 12. After the second person is kicked off, you will get 2 points for every contestant who is alive in your top 11.

If #2 happens, this is how we score it:
Since it's impossible to tell who would have gotten kicked off first, we will score your sheet as if your lowest selected contestant who was eliminated was voted out first in the round of 12. Then, we will resume normal scoring for the round of 11.

I know that might be confusing, so let me give you an example:
Let's assume that tomorrow the 2 people voted off are the person you left off your entry (#13) as well as your American Idol choice (#1). Let's also assume they were eliminated simultaneously. Since we cannot determine who would have been voted out first, we will give you the benefit of the doubt and award you a full 12 points (as if your American Idol winner was the second contestant eliminated) for the round of 12. Then we would resume normal scoring and give you 2 points for every contestant who is alive in your top 11.




Next Wednesday, March 18, one person is eliminated. Accordingly, for every person you have correct in your top 10, you get 3 points.
The next week, for every person you have correct in your top 9, you get 4 points.
And so on, and so forth, until the finale where, if you named the American Idol correctly, you will get 12 points.

The person with the most points wins!


PAYOUTS FOR FINISHING IN THE TOP 10
The 2009 pool money will be divided out this way:
1st Place - $300
2nd Place - $200
3rd Place - $150
4th Place - $100
5th Place - $50
6th Place - $15
7th Place - $15
8th Place - $15
9th Place - $15
10th Place - $15



TIEBREAKER
If there is a tie in the final standings, this is the tiebreaker we have used for multiple seasons - when looking at two tied entries, the person who had called the most recent elimination correctly will win the tiebreaker.

So, if two people are tied at the end of the season, and person #1 correctly guessed the contestant who went out in Week 6 (when the field goes from 7 contestants to 6), and person #2 correctly named the contestant who went out in Week 3 (when the field goes from 10 contestants to 9), then person #1 hold the tiebreaker. That person called the more recent elimination correctly. Make sense?


SIDE POOL #1 - THE LOSER
To incentivize returners, we award the last place finisher $15.


SIDE POOL #2 - GUESSING THE AMERICAN IDOL RIGHT

There is a side pool of $150 for the person(s) who guess the American Idol correctly. If more than one person correctly guesses the American Idol, the pool $ is split evenly between/among them.

The side pool becomes void if more than 15 people correctly guess a contestant who ends up winning American Idol. This year, the pool is active for all the people who guessed anyone but Danny or Adam as their American Idol.

This is no small feat:
In 2008, 7 of 78 entrants picked David Cook.
In 2007, 0 of 51 entrants picked Jordan Sparks.
In 2006, 1 of 51 entrants picked Taylor Hicks.
In 2005, 2 of 17 entrants picked Carrie Underwood.


That's it.

If you have any questions about scoring, please feel free to comment below or send and email to idolpool@gmail.com.