1) Pick 15 celebrities. If that person dies within the calendar year, you receive X points, X=100 minus their age. If they are over 100, you get zero points, but you do get credit for a hit, which could become helpful in a tie-breaker. Person with the most points wins 75% of the pot, 15% for second and 10% for third place. The Sultan will break into a four-place payout (70-15-10-5) if we achieve 50 entries.
2) In the event of a non/zero tie, the tie-breaker is the number of hits (deaths). If still tied, the pot is divided evenly.
3) If no one gets any hits, the pot is rolled over to the next year.
4) The contestant will be disqualified and entry fee will not be returned if the contestant is involved in the death of anyone on their list unless it is in the line of military duty or law enforcement.
5) Contest ends at 11:59 pm December 31. Payout is on January 15, to give time for any bodies from the previous year to be
found. Any body found after January 15 that died in the previous year will NOT be counted. Once payment is made to the
winner, all claims are officially settled.
6) If, for example, you select Bin Laden, and his body is found in the year but his death occurred the previous year, you do
NOT get credit.
7) Your list of 15 is due January 1. Along with your list, you must submit three alternates. If you submit your list early, and someone on your list dies before January 1, the first person on your alternate list will take their places. If you have a 4th person on your list die between the time you submit your list and January 1, you will NOT be able to replace them. The alternate person must fit all the same criteria as anyone on your 15 list.
8) The same goes for submitting someone who is already dead. Know your list. Make sure they are indeed alive when you submit
your list. An alternate will be taken to replace the already-deceased.
9) Who is eligible, and who is not:
They must be human.
They must be alive at some point on January 1.
They must be famous or very notable nationally.
They cannot be on death row or scheduled for execution.
Their death, cause of death and/or the existence of foul play or circumstances behind any of the afore mentioned cannot be the sole reason for their celebrity (e.g. Natalee Holloway or Laci Peterson)
Relations to a celebrity cannot be their sole reason for celebrity (e.g. Barry Sanders' father)
Porn Stars, tragic-events survivors (Titanic, Hindenberg), War Criminals (with exceptions for heads of state), marginal corporate leaders, marginal governmental leaders, Guiness record holders not noted for anything else, minor inventors or leaders of industry, background artists (aka "extras"), or minor artists are not eligible. Obscurity goes against the spirit of the Dead Pool. If you are unsure, think of it like this: If you have to debate if they are a celebrity, then they most likely are not.
The Sultan of the Dead Pool alone determines fame and eligibility of a celebrity. His word is final. There are no appeals. The Sultan does not participate, so his judgment is unbiased. If a person is declared "not eligible", he/she will be replaced with the first name on your alternate list.
10) Just because someone was declared eligible one year does NOT guarantee eligibilty in the next, just as someone not eligible one year might wind up being eligible in subsequent years.
The Sultan of the Dead Pool reserves the right to reject any entry.