How to Play Crystal Ball Picks
Crystal Ball Picks is a free, multi-sport pick'em app. No gambling, just picks, leaderboards, and bragging rights. Here is every way to play, how scoring works, and a guide for each game.
Start here
- 1Get the appFree on iPhone, Android, and the web.
- 2Pick your sportsNFL, college football, NBA, NHL, MLB, WNBA, college basketball, soccer, and NASCAR, in season.
- 3Make your picksPick winners before games start. Feeling sure? Call your shot for +6.
- 4Climb the leaderboardPoints add up daily, weekly, monthly, and all season. Champions go in the Vault.
Ways to play
Pick the games you like. Every mode is free, and every one has its own leaderboard.
✅ Pick'em
Pick the winner of every game, every day or every week, across 10 sports. Each correct pick is worth a point.
🎯 Call Your Shot
Feeling sure? Call your shot on a pick: get it right for +6, miss it for −5. Big swings, big bragging rights.
🎲 Daily Mix
A fresh daily slate of games across multiple sports. Make your picks, earn points, and see how you rank against the community.
🔮 Crystal Ball Daily
One featured game every day. Predict the final score, not just the winner. Nail it exactly for 100 points and climb the monthly leaderboard.
🛡️ Survivor Pools
Pick one team each period and never reuse a team. A losing pick costs you a life. Outlast everyone in Classic or Forced Pick format.
+ MLB survivor strategy📈 Confidence Races
Rank your picks by how sure you are. The more confident the pick, the more it is worth when you get it right.
🟪 Bingo
A personalized bingo card built around real NFL and college football outcomes. Fill squares and lines as results come in.
🏆 Brackets & Playoff Contests
Bracket challenges for NASCAR and the World Cup, plus playoff survivor and full-bracket contests for the NBA and NHL.
+ The 2026 NASCAR Chase explainedCompete head to head
Picks are better when someone is on the other side of them.
⚔️ Challenges
Challenge a friend, or Crystal Ball AI, to a picks matchup across one or more sports. Challenge picks lock once submitted.
🥊 Player Tournaments
A tournament bracket where every round is a head-to-head showdown with another player. Win to advance, keep winning to claim the title.
👥 Private Groups
Start a league with your friends, family, or office and run your own leaderboard all season.
How scoring works
| Mode | Right | Wrong |
|---|---|---|
| Pick'em | +1 | 0 |
| Call Your Shot | +6 | −5 |
| Daily Mix, Bingo, and other modes | +1 | 0 |
| Crystal Ball Daily | Up to 100 for an exact score | 0 for the wrong winner |
Hall of Fame
🏛️ The Vault of Visions
Crystal Ball Picks' hall of fame. Monthly and season-long champions are enshrined here, along with the picking runs that earned them lasting bragging rights.
Visit the Vault →FAQ
Is Crystal Ball Picks free?+
Yes. Every game mode is free to play on iPhone, Android, and the web.
Does Crystal Ball Picks involve gambling?+
No. The app is focused on competition, leaderboards, strategy, and bragging rights rather than real-money wagering.
Which sports can I pick?+
NFL, college football, NBA, NHL, MLB, WNBA, men's and women's college basketball, soccer, and NASCAR. Sports appear in the app when they are in season.
How does scoring work?+
A correct pick is worth 1 point. Call Your Shot picks are worth +6 when you are right and −5 when you are wrong. Daily Mix, Bingo, and the other modes award 1 point per correct pick. Crystal Ball Daily is scored on how close your score prediction is, up to 100 points for an exact score.
Can I use Crystal Ball Picks on my phone?+
Yes. Crystal Ball Picks is available on iPhone, Android, and the web, with the mobile apps offering the most polished experience.