How to Run a Spot the Ball Competition
How to run a compliant, skill-based Spot the Ball competition: coordinate judging, entry limits, scheduling, winner settlement and prize fulfilment.
Spot the Ball is one of the oldest and most durable skill competitions in sport. Entrants study an image with the ball removed and predict its exact coordinates; the closest guess wins. Run correctly, it's a game of skill rather than a lottery — which is exactly why the details matter.
Skill, not chance
The single most important design decision is that the outcome is determined by judgement against a defined answer, not by random chance. You set the winning coordinate when you upload the image, and every entry is measured by its distance from that point. This is what supports positioning the competition as skill-based in the UK and similar jurisdictions. Always confirm your specific setup with a gambling-law adviser.
Capturing precise guesses
Entrants need to place a marker precisely, so a zoomable image and a clear crosshair are essential. Showing the guess as a percentage from the left and top gives entrants confidence their input was recorded exactly. Small UX details here directly affect perceived fairness.
Entry limits and scheduling
Set a per-user entry cap, a total cap if you need one, a price per entry, and clear open and close windows. Scheduling lets you run one-off competitions, weekly rounds, or a continuous series — each format drives a different engagement pattern.
Judging and settlement
When the competition closes, rank every entry by its distance from the winning coordinate and determine the winner automatically. Keep an auditable record of the result: the answer, every entry, and the ranking. This transparency protects you in disputes and reinforces the skill-based framing.
Fulfilling the prize
Winners expect prompt, reliable delivery. Physical prizes should flow into an inventory and fulfilment workflow, with the winner notified automatically at settlement.
Launch it faster
Fairway runs exactly this flow as a live golf Spot the Ball game on PackOS — coordinate judging, entry limits, leaderboards and prize fulfilment, all configured rather than coded. If you own an audience and imagery, you can launch a competition without building the judging engine yourself.