18+/21+ only · Play for entertainment. No purchase necessary. Play responsibly

Sweep Pool Calculator: Split the Pot for 1st, 2nd and 3rd

Running an office sweep for the Melbourne Cup, the Grand National, the Super Bowl or the World Cup? Enter the entries and the ticket price, choose how to split the pot and the calculator shows what each place wins, including the awkward cents.

Free · No sign-up · Last updated

A sweep pot is entries × price. A $5 sweep with 24 entries is $120; at the usual 60/30/10 split that pays $72, $36 and $12. Change the numbers below for your own pool.

Sweep pool payout calculator

Total pot
$0.00
Shared between places
$0.00
PlaceSharePayout
Enter your entries and price to begin.

How to use the sweep pool calculator

  • Enter the number of entries (tickets, horses or teams) and the price of each.
  • Or type the total pot directly if it is already collected.
  • Choose a split: winner takes all, 1st/2nd/3rd at 60/30/10 or 50/30/20, or set your own percentages.
  • Optionally hold back a fixed amount (a last-place prize or a charity cut).
  • Read the payout for each place and the leftover cents.

The common splits

There is no rule, but these are the splits most office sweeps use. Percentages apply to the pot after any hold-back.

Split1st2nd3rdWhen to use it
Winner takes all100%——Small pots under about $20
60 / 30 / 1060%30%10%The default for a 24-runner Melbourne Cup sweep
50 / 30 / 2050%30%20%Flatter payouts for bigger groups
70 / 20 / 1070%20%10%Top-heavy, with a token prize for third
50 / 25 / 15 / 1050%25%15%Four places, or 10% for last place

Worked examples

$5 sweep, 24 horses, 60/30/10. The pot is $120. First wins $72, second $36, third $12.

$1 sweep, 20 entries, 50/30/20. The pot is $20. First $10, second $6, third $4.

$50 pot, 70/20/10. First $35, second $10, third $5.

$2 sweep, 15 entries, winner takes all. The pot is $30 and the winner takes $30.

When a percentage does not divide evenly, the calculator rounds each prize down to the cent and shows the leftover so you can add it to first place or buy the biscuits.

Sweeps vs sweepstakes casinos

An office sweep is a private pool where everyone pays in and the pot is shared out. A sweepstakes casino is something else: an online site where you play with virtual coins and can redeem Sweeps Coins for prizes without buying anything. If you were looking for the value of your Sweeps Coins balance, use the Sweeps Coins calculator instead.

Frequently asked questions

With 20 entries at $1 the pot is $20. A 60/30/10 split pays $12, $6 and $2. A 50/30/20 split pays $10, $6 and $4. For a small pot, winner takes all is simplest.

It depends on the number of entries and the split. With 24 entries the pot is $120: a 60/30/10 split pays $72 to first, $36 to second and $12 to third. Winner takes all pays $120.

Most offices use 60/30/10 across 24 runners, sometimes with a small prize for last place. There is no official rule; agree the split before the draw.

Round each prize down and add the remainder to first place, or put it toward the next sweep. The calculator shows the leftover so nothing goes missing.

Small private sweeps among colleagues are generally treated as social gaming, but rules differ by country and state, and workplaces may have their own policies. Keep it to entry fees only, with the whole pot paid out as prizes.

This tool is for information and entertainment planning only. Figures are estimates based on what you enter. Casino rates, fees and rules change, so always confirm in the casino’s terms. 18+/21+ depending on state. Play responsibly.