Official Rules

Entry fee: $10, due to me in cash next time I see you.  Or by mail if you prefer.

Numbers of celebrities: 30 (up 5 from last year, so we’ll have more points going around)

List due to me: no later than January 30.  Preferably in an Excel sheet.

Start date: February 1

End Date: December 31

Payout: Winner: 70% of pool, 2nd: 20%; 3rd: 10%.  Ties will be spread out over these percentages (for example, if the top two are tied, they’ll each get 45%, but this is very unlikely).  If there is a surge in interest before January 30 this may change slightly.

If someone happens to die after you’ve submitted your list but before February 1, you can pick another name (sorry no points!).

Points are awarded as 100-[age at death]. So, if a 78 year-old dies you get 22 points.  If a 101 year old dies, you get -1 point.  Please keep this in mind, Hags.  Also, if you choose someone who is already dead, you’ll win a No-Research Award.  Hags already has 3 (a regular, Platinum, and Diamond) so maybe someone can top him this year?

For reference, of 10 playes last year, three scored 0.  The winner had 100, and the other player’s scored ranged from 10-88.  I’m hoping for some smarter picks this year for higher point totals (not due to lots of deaths of course, just good predictions)!  A scoreboard will be kept on the sidebar as well, easier to find than last year.

Once I get all the lists I will post them on Zoho or Google Docs or some such and link to them in the sidebar.  There will be a one week probationary period where you may challenge the “Celebrity Status” of anyone else’s picks.  We’ll all vote on this blog and the pick either stand, or need to be replaced.

Once the game starts I’ll put together an informational list like last year.

If you are found to have any involvement in the death of one of your pics you will be disqualified.

If you have any questions, e-mail me or comment below (they are fixed now).  And I will now stop picking on Hags for his 2008 picks.  Just be careful in ‘09.