allboardgames.com
Paydirt box art
1970 Ranked #4,780

Paydirt

A statistical football simulation where players use team charts to recreate each squad’s historical strengths and weaknesses. The game’s appeal lies in how data-driven results turn every play into a reflection of the chosen team’s identity.

Thematic Games Dice Sports Simulation Dice Rolling

Players

1-2

Play time

60-90 min

Age

11+

Complexity

2.25/5

Rating

7.01

Harder to teach Highly interactive Deep strategy

Overview

At a glance

Is this game right for my group?

ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.

Teachability 2.3/5

Harder to teach

Replay value 3.9/5

High replayability

Interaction 3.7/5

Highly interactive

Player scaling 4.0/5

Scales well

Strategic depth 4.5/5

Deep strategy

See all 5 specifications

How it plays

How does it play?

Paydirt uses Team Charts patterned after every NFL team. These charts are statistically designed to reflect the strengths and weaknesses that characterized that team.

Core mechanisms

Key systems that shape the decisions players make.

Read the full game description

Paydirt uses Team Charts patterned after every NFL team. These charts are statistically designed to reflect the strengths and weaknesses that characterized that team. Though the teams from the era it was published come in the box there is the ability to purchase teams from any era, and even more recent teams. With Avalon Hill's demise this is not the case for the most recent years.* Originally called Sports Illustrated Pro Football published by Time, Inc. Then became Paydirt by Avalon Hill. Chart designer Dr. Thomas R. Nicely, a mathematician with published articles on the subject of random and statistical probabilities. Rights to create charts reverted to Dr. Nicely when Avalon Hill folded and was absorbed by Hasbro. He then granted the privilege and rights of producing charts to one Matt Floray, who released updated (and previous) charts for a few years before his death in 2011. New and updated charts are now made by several different fans. In addition to its boardgame version, Data-Driven Football offers a computer game. Since 2007, DDF's methodology includes the result and description of every play from every NFL game, and information from each play's video.

Browse all classifications

Shopping

Where to buy

No verified retailer offers are available yet. The references below may still help you continue your search.

Unverified shopping references

Editions

Language and publisher variants currently recorded in the catalog.

Edition Year Language Publisher / Region
No editions imported yet.

Player resources

Rulebooks, player aids, FAQs, and solo resources.

No files imported yet.

Game and edition data

All specifications (5)

Play and group

Players
1–2
Best with
1–2
Play time
60–90 min
Age
11+
Complexity
2.3/5
Credits and catalog connections

Credits

Designers

2
David S. Neft Dr. Thomas Nicely

Publishers

3
(Self-Published) The Avalon Hill Game Co Sports Illustrated