It's that time of year again, and the beginning of the football betting season signifies the beginning of office pools across North America. Whether you are playing for cold, hard cash, or just looking to wrap up office bragging rights for the next year, it is always good to do your research before setting up your pool. Here is a few suggestions on how you can make your pool the envy of all your friends.

Make sure you have the right amount of people.
This is a tricky thing to gauge, because you do not want to have too many people in your fantasy pool, as more people will make it more difficult to get good players. However, if you have too few players, then there are fewer head-to-head match-ups, which is what makes the pool interesting. Remember, it is not only a competition thing, but a camaraderie thing as well.

Give a hand to those who are not up to speed on the game.
This goes along with the camaraderie aspect, as some people in your office may not be up to date when it comes to football, for example. No one likes to get beaten every week because they are not familiar with the players, so do not be afraid to help out a less knowledgeable player. Show them sites with betting trends, statistics, and any online betting sites you can think of to push them in the right direction.

Make sure you make the rules clear from the outset.
No one likes a football pool where the rules seem to be constantly changing, especially if it is in the favor the person who started the pool. Ensure there is no ambiguity among the rules to the players, or you will have players dropping out by the third week.

Make it a social event.
Again, using the example of football betting, what better way is there to keep track of your picks by watching football matchups? Try to get a few of your co-workers together outside of the office to catch a game or two, and this will also aid the players that would like to learn more about sports betting statistics.

Offer an incentive.
Why? Because let's face it: people like free stuff. Even if it is just a small gift certificate from a local sports-themed store or bar, that would give players more incentive to research their picks. Not to mention, if the prize is good, people will be lining up to sign up for any pools you put together.