Pool Tournament Payouts: How Many Places to Pay and How to Split the Pot
Nothing causes more arguments at the end of the night than a payout nobody explained. The fix is simple: decide the payout before the first break and post it at the desk. Here is a common approach that most players find fair.
How many places to pay
A popular rule of thumb is to pay about one place for every eight players, and at least two places for any field.
| Players | Places paid | Example split of the pot |
|---|---|---|
| 8 or fewer | 2 | 1st 70% · 2nd 30% |
| 9–16 | 3 | 1st 50% · 2nd 30% · 3rd 20% |
| 17–24 | 4 | 1st 45% · 2nd 25% · 3rd 15% · 4th 15% |
| 25–32 | 4–6 | 1st 40% · 2nd 24% · 3rd 14% · 4th 10% · 5th–6th 6% each |
| 33–64 | 6–8 | 1st 32% · 2nd 20% · 3rd 13% · 4th 10% · 5th–6th 7.5% each · 7th–8th 5% each |
These are examples, not rules. Many rooms pay more to first place on small fields and spread money deeper when there is added money.
What goes in the pot
- Entry fees, minus any greens fee the room keeps for table time.
- Added money from the room or a sponsor goes straight into the pot.
- Announce any director's fee up front. Hidden cuts are the fastest way to lose your players.
Ties in a double-elimination bracket
In double elimination, players who lose on the losers side in the same round finish tied (for example, two players tie for 5th–6th). Split those places evenly.
Splitting in the final
Finalists sometimes agree to split first and second and stop playing. That is up to the players and the director — just make sure the room's rules allow it.