How It Works

1. What is AFL Survival Pool?

AFL Survival Pool is an online competition where you test your AFL knowledge against other fans across the country. The concept is simple: each round of the AFL season, you pick one team that you believe will win their match. If your team wins, you survive to the next round. If they lose, you are eliminated.

The competition runs across the entire AFL season. The last participant standing takes home the prize pool. If multiple players survive to the final round, the prize is split evenly among them.

It is free to create an account. Entry fees apply when you join a competition, and a portion of every fee goes directly to an Australian charity.

1 Create an Account

Getting started takes less than a minute.

• Click Get Started and fill in your details: name, email, date of birth and state.
• You must be 18 or older and an Australian resident to participate.
• Verify your email address using the 6-digit code sent to your inbox.
• Once verified, your account is active and you can browse competitions immediately.

2 Join a Pool

Browse the Competitions page to find a pool that suits you.

• Each pool has its own entry fee, prize pool, and charity partner.
• Entry fees range from casual pools at lower price points to the annual Main Event.
• Some pools are public (anyone can join) while others are private (invite link required).
• Pay your entry fee securely via Stripe, PayPal, or bank transfer to lock in your spot.

3 Make Your Pick

Each round, you select one AFL team that you believe will win their match that week.

• Head to your competition page and choose your team from the full round fixture.
• All picks close Wednesday 11:59 PM AEST each round, before the first match of the week.
• You can change your pick as many times as you like before the deadline.
• If you do not submit a pick before the deadline, you are automatically eliminated.
• Teams can be reused across rounds — there is no restriction on picking the same team again.

4 Survive or Get Eliminated

After the round is complete, results are processed automatically.

• If your selected team wins, you survive and advance to the next round.
• If your selected team loses or draws, you are eliminated from the competition.
• Some competitions allow re-entry — eliminated players can pay an additional fee to rejoin and continue picking from the current round. Your previous pick history is preserved.
• Check your dashboard to see your status, pick history, and who is still alive in your pool.

5 Win the Prize

The competition continues until one person — or a small group — remains.

• If you are the last person standing, you win the entire prize pool.
• If multiple players survive to the end of the season, the prize pool is split evenly among all survivors.
• Standings are ranked by the number of rounds survived, rewarding those who joined early and stayed alive the longest.
• Winnings are paid out after the competition concludes and identity verification is complete.

7. Entry Fees & Prizes

Every entry fee is split into three transparent components:

The exact split varies by competition. Each pool displays its fee breakdown clearly before you pay. Re-entry fees (where available) cover charity and admin costs only — the prize pool does not increase on re-entry.

All amounts are in Australian Dollars (AUD). Payments are processed securely via Stripe or PayPal. Bank transfer and cash options are also available with admin confirmation.

8. Charity Impact

A portion of every single entry fee is donated to a registered Australian charity. This is not optional — it is built into the structure of every competition.

• Each competition has a designated charity partner, chosen from a list of pre-qualified Australian charities.
• Pool creators can select which charity their competition supports.
• Charity donations are tracked transparently on the Charity Transparency page.
• Even re-entry fees include a charity component, so every dollar spent in the platform contributes to a good cause.

9. Game Types

While Survival is the flagship format, AFL Survival Pool offers several competition types to suit different play styles:

• Survival — Pick one team per round to win. Lose and you are eliminated. Last one standing wins.
• Streak — Pick one team per round and build consecutive winning streaks. A loss resets your streak to zero, but you keep playing all season. Longest streak wins.
• Pick-em — Pick a winner for every match in the round. Score one point per correct pick across the entire season. Most points wins.
• Beat the Tip — Pick every match and score against an AI tipster. You earn bonus points when you are right and the AI is wrong.

For detailed rules on each game type, visit the How to Play page.

10. Create Your Own Pool

You do not have to join someone else's pool. Any registered user can create their own.

• Choose a game type, set the entry fee, and select a charity partner.
• Make it public for anyone to join, or keep it private and share an invite link with friends, family, or workmates.
• Configure re-entry rules, player caps, and other settings to suit your group.
• As the pool admin, you can manage entries, confirm manual payments, and send invitations.

11. Business Pools

AFL Survival Pool offers a corporate upgrade for businesses and organisations that want to run branded competitions.

• Add your company logo and banner to your competition page for a professional look.
• Use domain restrictions to limit entry to employees with a company email address.
• Great for workplace social clubs, team-building events, or client engagement activities.
• Corporate branding is available as an add-on when creating or managing your pool.

12. FAQs

Can I change my pick after submitting?

Yes. You can change your pick as many times as you like before the Wednesday 11:59 PM AEST deadline. Once the deadline passes, your pick is locked in.

What happens if my team draws?

In a Survival competition, a draw counts as a loss. Your team needed to win outright for you to survive.

What if I forget to make a pick?

If you do not submit a pick before the deadline, you are automatically eliminated from that competition. Set a reminder so you do not miss it.

Can I re-enter after being eliminated?

Only if the competition has re-entry enabled. If available, you pay a re-entry fee (charity and admin portions only) and rejoin from the current round. Your previous pick history is kept, and you can reuse any team.

Can I join multiple competitions at once?

Absolutely. You can join as many pools as you like and manage them all from your dashboard.

Is there a mobile app?

AFL Survival Pool is a fully responsive web application that works on any device. There is no separate app to download — just visit the site in your mobile browser.

How are winnings paid out?

Winnings are transferred after the competition ends and identity verification is complete. Payout methods and timing are communicated by the platform administrator.

Where does the charity money go?

Each competition has a designated Australian charity. All charity contributions are tracked and displayed on the Charity Transparency page for full accountability.