League Prize Payout Structure (1 Viewer)

[Illegal Pants Downfield]

When you participate in a league, do you generally prefer a league payout structure that gives you more chances to win, or a bigger pot for fewer winners?

For example, using a typical 12-team redraft/keeper league where entry fee costs 100 cheerios (gambling is illegal ), would you prefer

A top-heavy payout structure, something like this:

1st Place: 750

2nd Place: 350

3rd Place: 100

Or a more widely distributed payout structure, but with a smaller potential payday at the top, something like this:
1st Place: 600

2nd Place: 250

3rd Place: 150

4th Place: 100

Total Points: 100

Does your opinion change one way or the other if it's a dynasty league where the majority of your roster is carried over year-to-year as opposed to a redraft/keeper?Does your opinion change if it's a higher-stakes league, say a 1,000 cheerios entry instead of a 100 cheerios?

The figures above are just examples, of course -- I know some leagues use small weekly incentive payouts for highest score for the week, etc. But generally speaking, do you want more opportunities to win something, or do you want to know that if you DO win, it's a bigger jackpot?

 

[donkshow]

Top heavy.

 

[solorca]

I like a structure that rewards the champion and the points champ heavily. Something like... 1st - 5002nd - 1503rd - 100Points - 250

 

[JPeso]

In the 14 team dynasty league I commish, it's a $125 buy in with weekly payouts of $50 through week 17. I find this makes things quite a bit more interesting and keeps everyone involved until the end. It's also a natural tanking deterrent as anyone can legitimately win $50 any given week. I wish more of my leagues went with the structure. We then pay for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and full year total pts, but obviously a lot less with $850 of $1750 being paid weekly.

 

[Quibbler]

I like something more distributed, I guess. I prefer fewer teams making the playoffs, and all of them getting something. Also a bunus for most points. I feel like that better reflects who did well over the whole season rather than who got hot in the playoffs. I might feel different in high states leagues though. For example, in one league (12 team, redraft, 4 teams ake the playoffs, league dues = x) we have:1st: 4x2nd: 3x3rd: 2x4th: 1xPTs: 2xIn other words, the most anyone can win is half the pot, and every playoff team at least gets its league dues back.

 

[scrumptrulescent]

Leagues that put all their cash into playoff outcomes are stupid. I played in one for the first time this year and hated it....won't be back in that league. The team who drafted one of the worst teams but hovered over the waiver wire won that SB out of dumb luck. I think he ended up something like 6th out of 12 for total points.I'm in a league that pays out decently for weekly overall points, pays well toward the SB and runner up, and pays out the most to the top 3 in points. I like that league a lot. Everyone stays interested, even in week 17.

 

[snogger]

Next year we will hit Year 10 of our league and after many different changes to the the payouts we've been set with this payout for the past 4 years( FYI, 10 teams, $30 entry fee):Regular Season Pay-outs - based on how the teams are ranked for the Playoffs1st Place - $602nd Place - $403rd Place - $30Playoff pay-outs:Champion - $1002nd Place - $403rd Place - $30

 

[mozzy84]

Leagues that put all their cash into playoff outcomes are stupid. I played in one for the first time this year and hated it....won't be back in that league. The team who drafted one of the worst teams but hovered over the waiver wire won that SB out of dumb luck. I think he ended up something like 6th out of 12 for total points.

I'm in a league that pays out decently for weekly overall points, pays well toward the SB and runner up, and pays out the most to the top 3 in points. I like that league a lot. Everyone stays interested, even in week 17.

whats decently?

 

[Spin]

10 team dynasty $50 for league fee7.50 - High points week 1-13250 - 1st100 - 2nd50 - 3rdI wish we would drop it to 200 for 1st, and 50 for high points overall as well, but everyone is really happy with the setup and it's going on year 5. So I don't foresee anything from changing.

 

[Shutout]

I like a structure that rewards the champion and the points champ heavily. Something like... 1st - 5002nd - 1503rd - 100Points - 250

I'm in the camp of something like this. Paying out some money each week or rewarding a points champ or, in general, something that balances payouts with performances in the regular season makes the most sense to me. We all know you can roll out of bed dopey and lucky and win a random playoff game or two. But to be a top team for the FIRST 3-4 Months of the season reflects more skill, IMO.