In most NFL survivor pools, a tie usually does not count as a clean win, and what happens next depends on the specific rules your pool is using.

Core answer: what happens in a tie?

There are two separate “tie” situations people ask about:

  1. The NFL game itself ends in a tie (e.g., 20–20).
  2. Multiple survivor pool entries end up tied in the standings at the end.

Both are handled by house rules, not one universal standard.

1. If the NFL game ends in a tie

Common setups:

  • Ties count as a loss
    • This is the default in many modern survivor pools, especially big-money contests like Circa Survivor: if your team’s game ends in a tie, your entry is eliminated.
* Rationale: Survivor is “pick a winner,” and a tie is not a win.
  • Ties count as no win, no loss , or as a “push”
    • Some casual or office pools treat a tie so that you are not eliminated, but you also don’t get credit as a winning pick.
* Practically, you might have to survive one more week than others to finish on top, since everyone else who got wins is one “step” ahead.
  • Ties count as a win
    • Less common, but some commissioners explicitly decide that a tie advances you like a win, just to avoid frustration over a rare outcome.

The key: your pool’s rules or hosting site FAQ will usually say “ties count as a win/loss/push.” If they don’t, ask the commissioner before the season or before you play that week.

2. If entries are tied in the survivor pool standings

This is about what happens when two or more players “finish” in the same position (for example, everyone remaining gets eliminated in the same week, or multiple entries make it to the final week without busting).

Common options leagues use:

  • Split the pot
    • All surviving entries share the prize equally if they go out in the same week or finish the season still alive.
* Very common in friendly office or family pools.
  • Keep playing (extended weeks or playoffs)
    • Everyone who is still alive keeps going into additional weeks (sometimes into the NFL playoffs) until a single winner emerges.
* All surviving entries continue as if they were never eliminated, just with the same pool rules rolling over.
  • Use a stats-based tiebreaker
    • Sites and commissioners may use metrics like:
      • Most weeks survived or wins.
      • Fewest “strikes”/losses.
      • Strength of victory (how strong the teams you picked were; some platforms explicitly use this).
* Example: If all remaining entries lose in the same week, the champion could be the one with the fewest prior losses, and then highest strength of victory if still tied.
  • Special tiebreak contest
    • Some pools use a “closest to the total points” guess on a designated game (like Monday Night Football) to crown a single winner.
* This is popular when people want exactly one champion and don’t want to extend the pool.

Again, there’s no universal rule; it’s whatever the commissioner or the hosting platform has configured.

3. How real pools phrase their rules (quick examples)

  • A printable rules sheet for survivor pools says:
    • Default: tie game → the participant who picked either team is eliminated.
    • Optional variant: tie allows the participant to advance instead.
    • For multiple players tying at the end: split prizes, keep playing, or use a special points-guess tiebreaker.
  • A major hosting site’s rules:
    • Ties can be set to count as a win or a loss depending on league settings.
    • If everyone alive loses in the same week, the winner can be decided by fewest losses and then strength of victory, or all can advance to the next week with new “lives,” depending on configuration.
  • Strategy guides for NFL survivor contests emphasize that many big pools treat ties as losses unless stated otherwise, which matters for risk planning.

4. What you should do in your pool

If you’re currently playing:

  1. Check your pool’s rule page or FAQ
    • Look for sections labeled “Ties,” “Tie games,” “Tiebreakers,” or “No survivors scenarios.”
  1. If nothing is written
    • Ask the commissioner:
      • “If my team’s game ends in a tie, is that a win, loss, or push?”
      • “If multiple people finish tied at the end, do we split or is there a tiebreak?”
  2. For future seasons
    • If you run a pool, make sure you clearly state:
      • How tie games are scored.
      • How you handle multiple winners or everyone losing in the same week.
    • Popular “clean” rule set:
      • Tie game = loss.
      • If all remaining entries lose, everyone advances and keeps playing until there is a single winner or the season ends, then use a pre-announced tiebreak (e.g., fewest strikes, then total points guess if still tied).

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.