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Lightning are a lock to go deep, and other lessons from the NHL playoffs prediction contest
Lightning are a lock to go deep, and other lessons from the NHL playoffs prediction contest

New York Times

time5 days ago

  • Entertainment
  • New York Times

Lightning are a lock to go deep, and other lessons from the NHL playoffs prediction contest

And then there were two. And soon, just one winner. No, this isn't a Stanley Cup preview post that accidentally ran a few days early. It's an update on the annual playoff prediction contest, which is already over for almost all of you. We'll get to that in a bit. But first, a refresher. This is the contest that seems simple, because it's only one question: Name as many or as few playoff teams as you'd like based on how many games they'll win, in order from most to least. That's it. We even give you the benefit of the doubt on ties, because we want you to succeed. But you don't. Did I mention that you're not good at this? Because you're not. Advertisement You can find this year's contest post here, and if you entered, you can find your answer by heading to the comment section of that post and using the dropdown to select 'my comments.' But you probably don't want to do that, because spoiler alert, there's a roughly 99.8 percent chance that you're out of the running. Let's get into what happened and why you're bad at this. We had 1,054 entries this year, which is basically the same as the year before. By the way, last year was the first time we tried this, so everyone was flying blind. This time, we at least have something to compare to, as well as (in theory) a strategy that worked once already. Of those thousand or so entries, 79 of you went all out and listed 16 teams. As always, I admire your self-confidence. Also, as always, none of you came close. In fact, every one of those entries was out by the end of the first round. A few were out even sooner because they submitted impossible entries (like having two teams from one matchup both ahead of two teams from another). Just observationally, there seemed to be a very high crossover between those of you with the inflated ego to list 16 teams and those of you who thought Dallas was going to lose to Colorado. Do with that information what you will, Stars fans. I will offer some congratulations to three entries — Adam H., Dan K. and Rubens M. — who submitted 16 teams and at least got the winners of all eight first-round series correct. They still had the order wrong, but going 8 for 8 on matchups is at least mildly impressive. The other 76 of you full-ballot types couldn't even manage that. A further eight of you went with 15 entries, three of you tried 14, and six settled for 13. At the other end of the scale, 10 of you went with just three teams, a dozen of you went with two, and three of you got cute by listing just one team for a guaranteed 'right' answer that was presumably counting on an upset-laded playoffs taking everyone else out while banking enough wins to own the tie-breaker. Of those three, two of you took teams that went out in the first round and the only one who didn't had Toronto, so … yeah, this strategy did not work. Advertisement Not surprisingly, the most common number of entries was eight, which was how many last year's winner used. There are 281 of you with eight entries, edging out the 250 who had six. It's always fun with these contests to try to figure out what your entries might tell us about who you do and don't believe in. In this case, that means running the numbers to see which teams were most often listed first on an entry (implying that lots of you thought they'd go far) and which ones were last (implying that you thought they'd be out early). There's not quite a direct correlation, mind you, because this is a contest where intentionally veering away from the mainstream might be a viable strategy, but it's still interesting. With that in mind, here's how often each team was listed as the first team on an entry: Hm. So our collective top five didn't even make it out of Round 2, including two first-round exits. If anything, my main takeaway here is that the narrative that's already forming around the Panthers — that they were always a playoff-honed sleeping giant and we all knew they'd be dangerous once the games really mattered — is nonsense. Here's how often each team was listed last: This feels a little more reasonable, with the top-six teams all being first-round casualties. But the Lightning stand out, all the way at the bottom of the list. They were out in five games in an opening round that had no sweeps, meaning everyone who picked them here was technically right. But that was only 11 of you, meaning 99 percent of you figured they'd do better than they did. Don't worry, you weren't the only dummies who felt that way. We don't know … yet. But we can narrow it down to two contenders. First things first: For the second straight year of the contest, the magic number for teams is indeed going to be eight. Of the 273 entries that listed nine or more teams, every single on was already dead by the time the conference finals started. Advertisement But three contestants listed eight teams and were still alive. That included two — Matt G. and Gaurav A. — who only had Carolina left on their entry, meaning they were guaranteed a correct answer. Both entries included the Hurricanes, Jets, Capitals, Devils and Habs. But Gaurav's remaining trio of Toronto, Los Angeles and Ottawa produced one more win than Matt's mix of Vegas, St. Louis and Minnesota, giving Gaurav the tie-breaker and leaving Matt with no hope of taking the crown. So who's left to stand in Gaurav's way? That would be Tony D. He also has eight teams listed, but his list included all four conference finalists, meaning he's running away with the tie-breaker … if he can stick the landing. Here's what his entry looks like: Tony D. — Edmonton, Florida, Dallas, Carolina, Vegas, Washington, Minnesota, Ottawa He came into this week already home and cooled out on those last four teams. But he still needed three things to happen: • Edmonton and Florida win their conference finals. Mission accomplished. • Carolina does not win more games than Dallas while losing. Another hit. • And finally, Edmonton has to beat Florida in their Cup final rematch. To be determined. So if the Oilers win the Cup, Tony D. will take the crown and become our second champion. (He'll also set the record for best score ever, narrowly edging out last year's winner, Sean M., who had eight teams and 52 wins. No, not me, we mean the smart Sean M.) If not, Gaurav is our champion. So there you have it … there's something to play for over the weekend and beyond. Well, that and the Stanley Cup — if you're into that sort of thing. (Photo of Nikita Kucherov: Mike Carlson / Getty Images)

Rules for The Sun online polls prize draw TV&SHOWBIZ, July 2025
Rules for The Sun online polls prize draw TV&SHOWBIZ, July 2025

The Sun

time5 days ago

  • Business
  • The Sun

Rules for The Sun online polls prize draw TV&SHOWBIZ, July 2025

THE SUN – TV&SHOWBIZ POLL QUESTION (THE "PROMOTION") ONLINE RULES: By entering the Promotion, you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions (these Terms and Conditions). Completion and submission of an entry form or e-mail will also be deemed acceptance of these Terms and Conditions. Promotional materials relating to the Promotion, including all information on how to enter the Promotion published in publications of the Promoter (defined below) (including social media if applicable) or on the Promoter's websites, also form part of these Terms and Conditions. In the event of any conflict between any terms referred to in such promotional materials and these Terms and Conditions, these Terms and Conditions take precedence. All information submitted in connection with this Promotion will be processed in accordance with the privacy policy accessible at The promoter of this Promotion is News Group Newspapers Ltd (publishers of The Sun and The Sun on Sunday) of 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF (the Promoter). Participation in the Promotion The Promotion is only open to residents of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland only. The following individuals are not eligible to enter the Promotion: employees and agents of the Promoter, News Corp UK & Ireland Limited or other group companies; employees and agents of any organisation directly connected with the operation or fulfilment of the Promotion (including third party promotional partners) and their respective associated, affiliated or subsidiary companies; the immediate families and household members of all such employees and agents referred to in (b) and (c); and individuals under 18 years of age. The Promotion starts at 10:00 am (UK time) on 1 July 2025 and closes at 10.00 am (UK time) on 1 August 2025 (the Promotion Period). Any entries received outside the Promotion Period will be void. Participants may make a maximum of one entry per person during the Promotion Period To enter you must correctly answer the prize question which appears after selected polls on The Sun website during the Promotion Period only, and complete and submit the entry form. Entries received which are not submitted via the official entry method will not be accepted. Use of script, macro or any automated system to enter the Promotion is prohibited and entries made (or which appear to have been made) using any such system may be treated as void. Any illegible, incomplete or fraudulent entries will be rejected. No purchase of any product or service is required to enter into this Promotion. Participants should be aware that they may be subject to data charges at the usual rate depending on their own individual arrangements for Internet access if they enter the Promotion online or by email. Winners and Prizes There will be 1 winner. One prize per winner. The winner will be selected at random from all valid entries for this Promotion received during the Promotion Period by a computer process that produces verifiably random results. The winner will be the first valid entry selected at random by the Promoter. There will be no prizes for any other entrants. The prize is a £100 (One Hundred Pounds) Amazon gift voucher only. Gift voucher is valid at participating Amazon stores in the UK and ROI and at only (the " Partner Website"). Gift voucher subject to gift voucher terms and conditions, found at the Partner Website and/or on the gift voucher. Change not given when using gift voucher. No cash refunds under any circumstances. Gift voucher is non-transferable and cannot be sold to anyone else. If you purchase a product/service which costs more than the voucher value/remaining value left of the voucher then you will need to pay the balance. Prizes are as stated and are non-exchangeable and non-transferable. There is no cash or other alternative to the prize in whole or in part. The winner is responsible for paying all associated costs that are not specifically stated in any Promotional materials or these Terms and Conditions, including (where applicable) transport, accommodation, meal costs, spending money, insurance and all other incidentals. Winners are also personally responsible for any personal or incidental expenses and any VAT, national and/or local tax liabilities incurred in claiming or using the prize. By participating in the Promotion, participants agree that the prize is awarded on an "as is" basis, and that neither the Promoter nor any of its subsidiary or affiliated companies, make any guarantees, representations or warranties of any nature with respect to the prize. In the event that, for reasons beyond the Promoter's reasonable control, the Promoter is unable to award the prize as described in these Terms and Conditions, the Promoter reserves the right to award a prize of a similar nature and an equivalent value, or at its sole discretion, the cash value of the prize. The Promoter also reserves the right to award a prize of a similar nature and an equivalent value, or at its sole discretion, the cash value of the prize if in its reasonable discretion it is appropriate to do so. Winner Announcement and claiming of prize Winners will be notified by email or using the other contact details provided to the Promoter within 14 days after the end of the Promotion Period All reasonable endeavours will be made to contact the winners during the specified time. If a winner cannot be contacted or is not available, the Promoter reserves the right to re-draw another winner from the valid/correct entries that were received during the Promotion Period. Winners may be required to submit valid identification before receiving their prize. Winners will be required to confirm acceptance of the applicable prize within 14 days of having been notified. If the winner has not claimed their prize by the date specified or the winner refuses or is unable to provide an eligible postal address for receipt of their prize, the Promoter reserves the right to award the prize to another participant. The prize will be delivered within a reasonable time and by no later than 28 days after the prize has been accepted. The Promoter proposes to make available a list of winners, subject to any objections from the relevant individuals. For a copy of the list, please send a stamped self-addressed envelope by no later than 28 days after the end of the Promotion Period to News UK, Promotions Department, 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF stating for which Promotion you would like winners' details. If a winner objects to this information being made available, they should inform the Promoter at the earliest opportunity using email help@ Winners acknowledge that the Promoter may still be required to share their details with the Advertising Standards Authority or other regulators. Data Protection and Publicity The Promoter will collect and process participants' personal information in accordance with the privacy policy at The information provided may be shared with the Promoter's agents, affiliates and, if applicable, any third party prize provider (including those outside the UK/European Economic Area) who will process such information in accordance with their own privacy policy. Information provided by participants will only be used for the purpose of conducting this Promotion (including for prizes to be delivered) and other purposes as may be specified or consented to at the time of entry or on promotional materials. If participants do not provide any of the mandatory information requested when participating in the Promotion, their entry will be void. The Promoter is required to either publish or make available information that indicates a valid award took place. As such, the Promoter will publish the surname and county of major prize winner OR send the surname and county of major prize winner to anyone that contacts the Promoter at the address given above by no later than 28 days after the end of the Promotion Period. If a winner objects to any or all of their surname, county and winning entry being published or made available, they should contact the Promoter at the address given above. In such circumstances, the Promoter must still provide the information and winning entry to competent authorities, including the Advertising Standard Authority, on request. General The Promoter's decision is final and binding on the entrants. No correspondence will be entered into. The Promoter reserves the right to require the participants to prove that they are eligible. If a winner is found to be ineligible, the Promoter reserves the right to award their prize to another participant and to require the return of any prize already awarded. Unless otherwise stated in the promotional materials, this Promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, the manufacturer or service provider of the relevant prize. You are providing your information to the Promoter and not to the manufacturer or service provider of the relevant prize (although, if you win, your details may be disclosed to the prize provider in order to provide you with the prize). Entrants must not do anything illegal and/or dangerous and/or that would put themselves or others at any risk. Save where it has been negligent, the Promoter will not be responsible for any damage, loss or injury resulting from participants' entry into the Promotion or their acceptance and/or use of the prize, or for technical, hardware or software failures, lost, faulty or unavailable network connections or difficulties of any kind that may limit or prohibit participant's ability to participate in the Promotion. The Promoter will not be responsible for any lost, damaged, defaced, incomplete, illegible or otherwise unreadable entries. Proof of posting is not proof of receipt by the Promoter of any entries. Without prejudice to an entrant's statutory rights and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the Promoter, its agents or distributors will not be responsible or liable to compensate the winner or accept any liability for any loss, damage, personal injury or death occurring as a result of taking up a prize. Nothing in these Terms and Conditions shall in any way limit or exclude the Promoter's liability for fraudulent misrepresentation, death or personal injury caused by its negligence or for any other matter where liability may not be limited as a matter of law. The Promoter reserves the right at any time to cancel, modify or supersede the Promotion (including altering prizes) if, in its reasonable discretion, it becomes necessary to do so. In the event of a printing or other error resulting in there being more winners than prizes for the Promotion, the Promoter reserves the right to (a) declare as void any claims or entries resulting from such printing or other error; and/or (b) allocate the available prize(s) through a further draw or to divide the prize(s) or the value of the prize(s) between the winners of the Promotion. Any participant who enters or attempts to enter the Promotion in a manner, which in the Promoter's reasonable opinion is contrary to these Terms and Conditions or by its nature is unjust to other entrants (including tampering with the operation of the Promotion, cheating, hacking, deception or any other unfair playing practices such as intending to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other participants or the Promoter and/or any of its agents or representatives) may be rejected from the Promotion at the Promoter's sole discretion. Furthermore, where such actions have significantly impaired the Promotion, the Promoter may, at its sole discretion, add further stages to the Promotion as it deems reasonably necessary in order to resolve any problems arising from such actions. The Promoter reserves the right to amend these Terms and Conditions in its reasonable discretion. Any amendments will be published on the Promoter's website (the Website). These Terms and Conditions are governed by English law. The courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction to hear any dispute or claim arising in association with the Promotion or these Terms and Conditions.

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