Best Numbers in Football Squares
The best numbers in football squares are 0, 7 and 3. In 1,359 NFL regular season games from the 2021 to 2025 seasons, those 3 digits ended about 65% of all team scores at the 4 checkpoints. This page shows the full numbers for every digit and every square.
What are the best numbers in football squares?
The best numbers are 0, 7, 3 and 4, in that order. Across all 4 checkpoints, 0 ended 26.3% of team scores, 7 ended 21.5%, 3 ended 16.9% and 4 ended 10.8%. The worst numbers are 5, 2 and 8. Each of those ended fewer than 3% of scores.
| Digit | 1st quarter | Halftime | 3rd quarter | Final score | All 4 checkpoints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 41.0% | 25.2% | 20.7% | 18.3% | 26.3% |
| 7 | 29.6% | 21.7% | 19.1% | 15.5% | 21.5% |
| 3 | 20.3% | 19.7% | 16.1% | 11.4% | 16.9% |
| 4 | 4.5% | 12.9% | 13.2% | 12.7% | 10.8% |
| 6 | 3.2% | 9.4% | 10.4% | 9.4% | 8.1% |
| 1 | 0.4% | 4.5% | 7.5% | 9.1% | 5.3% |
| 9 | 0.2% | 3.0% | 4.4% | 7.2% | 3.7% |
| 8 | 0.2% | 1.3% | 3.8% | 6.4% | 2.9% |
| 2 | 0.4% | 1.4% | 2.8% | 5.4% | 2.5% |
| 5 | 0.1% | 1.0% | 2.0% | 4.6% | 1.9% |
How to read it: after the 1st quarter, 41.0% of team scores ended in 0.
Which squares win most often?
The best squares pair 2 strong digits. A square with 0 and 7 won 27 checkpoints for every 100 games, almost 7 times the average. The 0 and 0 square was level with it, followed by 0 and 3, then 7 and 7. The average square wins 4 checkpoints per 100 games.
| Square | Wins per 100 games | 1st quarter | Halftime | 3rd quarter | Final score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 and 7 | 27.2 | 13.4 | 5.3 | 4.5 | 4.0 |
| 0 and 0 | 27.1 | 14.5 | 6.0 | 4.3 | 2.3 |
| 0 and 3 | 20.5 | 8.8 | 5.4 | 3.5 | 2.8 |
| 7 and 7 | 17.6 | 8.0 | 4.6 | 3.3 | 1.6 |
| 3 and 7 | 14.7 | 5.6 | 4.5 | 2.9 | 1.7 |
| 3 and 3 | 11.3 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 0.8 |
| 0 and 4 | 10.2 | 2.1 | 3.3 | 2.4 | 2.4 |
| 4 and 7 | 9.5 | 1.3 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.6 |
| 0 and 6 | 7.6 | 1.5 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 1.8 |
| 3 and 4 | 5.8 | 0.8 | 2.6 | 1.7 | 0.8 |
Each row covers the square either way round. For example, 0 and 7 means the top team ends in 0 and the side team in 7, or the reverse. The 4 columns on the right show wins per 100 games at each checkpoint.
Do the best numbers change by quarter?
Yes. Early in a game the scores are low, so 0, 7 and 3 ended 91% of team scores after the 1st quarter. The digits spread out as points are added. By the final score, no digit is above 19%, and 4 moves ahead of 3 as the third best number.
What are the worst numbers in football squares?
The worst digits are 5, 2 and 8. The worst square is 2 and 2. In 1,359 games it did not win a single checkpoint. The 8 and 8 square won once, and the 5 and 5 square won 5 times. In total, 74 of the 100 squares win less often than average.
What is the chance for every square at the final score?
This table shows the final score only. Find the top team’s digit across the top and the side team’s digit down the side. Each figure is the chance, in percent, that the square wins the final score.
| Side / Top | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 2.3 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 4.0 | 1.3 | 1.0 |
| 1 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.6 |
| 2 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.6 |
| 3 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 0.8 |
| 4 | 2.4 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 2.6 | 0.9 | 0.8 |
| 5 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.3 |
| 6 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.9 |
| 7 | 4.0 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 1.4 |
| 8 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.3 |
| 9 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.5 |
Why are 0, 7 and 3 the best numbers?
Football points come in set amounts. A touchdown with the extra point is worth 7 and a field goal is worth 3, so most scores are built from 7s and 3s. Zero is common because many teams have no points early, and because totals such as 10, 20 and 30 end in 0.
Can you choose the best numbers?
No. In a fair game the numbers are drawn only after every square is taken, so every square has the same chance before the draw. The figures on this page tell you how strong your square is once the numbers are known. They do not help anyone pick a square.
If you want a change of numbers during the game, use a grid with quarter lines or halftime lines from the printable football squares page. For the full steps of the game, see how to play football squares. The numbers for college games are on the college football squares page.
How were these numbers worked out?
- Games: all 1,359 NFL regular season games played in the 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 seasons.
- Checkpoints: the score at the end of the 1st quarter, at halftime, at the end of the 3rd quarter and at the end of the game. The final score includes overtime, which 84 of the games needed.
- Digits: the last digit of each team’s score at each checkpoint, with both teams counted.
- Squares: each figure averages the 2 ways a pair of digits can land, because the top and side teams are chosen by the host.
- Limits: these are past results from NFL games. They describe what happened and do not predict any future game.
Best Numbers in Football Squares FAQ
What is the best square in football squares?
The square with 0 and 7, either way round. It won about 27 checkpoints for every 100 games. The 0 and 0 square did just as well.
What is the worst square in football squares?
The square with 2 and 2. It did not win a checkpoint in any of the 1,359 games in this study.
Is 0 a good number in football squares?
Yes, it is the best digit. It ended 26.3% of team scores across the 4 checkpoints, and 41.0% after the 1st quarter.
Is 5 a bad number in football squares?
Yes, it is the worst digit. It ended only 1.9% of team scores across the 4 checkpoints.
Are the best numbers the same for the final score?
Mostly. For the final score the order is 0, 7, 4 and 3. The gap between digits is smaller than it is early in the game.
Do these numbers apply to college football?
No. These figures come from NFL games. In college games the best numbers are 0, 7 and 4. The college football squares page has the full table.
Should a good square cost more?
No. Numbers are drawn after the squares are taken, so nobody knows which squares are strong when they choose.
Check your numbers before kickoff
Now you know the best numbers in football squares and how often each square wins. Luck still decides every game, which is what makes it fair. Create a grid online or print a grid, and use the payout calculator to set the prizes.
Football Squares Hub is an independent website. It is not affiliated with the NFL, the NCAA or any team.