Ranked Payouts

Payouts for ranked contests such as Gross Score Rank or Net Score Rank are determined using the following rules:

• Top 3 ranks only for Gross Score and Net Score

• Winning a rank contest in Gross Score automatically disqualifies you from winning in Net Score rank contest, sliding all other players up a slot

• Ties will "absorb" the winnings from places below them

• Winnings for ties are split evenly across all those who tied, possibly bumping up the award amount by $1 to make it an even dollar payout for all players who tied

• No rank payout will ever pay less than a minimum (typically $2), regardless of how many ties exist at that rank

Scenarios

For all the scenarios we investigate below, let's assume the following:

• 1st place award is $12

• 2nd place award is $8

• 3rd place award is $6

• Rules outlined above are followed

Scenario 1: No Ties

In this case, there is a unique score for each of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd top scores.

• 1st place winner: $12

• 2nd place winner: $8

• 3rd place winner: $6

Scenario 2: Two-way tie for 1st place

In this case, there are 2 winners with equal claim to the 1st place winnings because they scored the same. Therefore, the 1st place award of $12 is combined with the 2nd place award of $8 for a total of $20. That $20 is distributed evenly between the two first place players. The 2nd place winner is awarded the 3rd place award, since the 2nd place award was already consumed by the tied 1st place winners.

• 1st place winner #1: $10 (which is (12 + 8) / 2)

• 1st place winner #2: $10 (which is (12 + 8) / 2)

• 2nd place winner: $6

• 3rd place winner(s): $0

This means 3rd place, which is actually the 4th best score, is awarded no payout because they are not in the top 3 scores.

 Scenario 3: Two-way tie for 2nd place

In this case there is a single 1st place winner, a two-way tie for 2nd place, and one or more 3rd place winners. The 2nd place award ($8) will be combined with the 3rd place award ($6) and that summed to $14 and split evenly across the two 2nd place winners.

• 1st place winner: $12

• 2nd place winner #1: $7 (which is (8 + 6) / 2)

• 2nd place winner #2: $7 (which is (8 + 6) / 2)

• 3rd place winner(s) : $0

This means 3rd place, which is actually the 4th best score, is awarded no payout because they are not in the top 3 scores.

Scenario 4: Two-way tie for 3rd place

In this case there is a single 1st place winner, and single 2nd place winner, and a two-way tie for 3rd place. 1st place will get the standard $12, 2nd place will get the standard $8, and the 3rd place winners will get the standard 3rd place award of $6 split evenly across them, yielding $3 for each 3rd place winner.

• 1st place winner: $12

• 2nd place winner: $8

• 3rd place winner #1: $3 (which is 6 / 2)

• 3rd place winner #2: $3 (which is 6 / 2)

Scenario 5: Two-way tie for 1st place and a two-way tie for 2nd place

In this case the 1st place winners are paid out of the 1st place award + 2nd place award which is (12 + 8 = 20). 2nd place winners are then paid out of the 3rd place award only which is 6. 3rd place winners get no payout as they are not in the top 3 scores (the top 4 just happen to tie in two different cases).

• 1st place winner #1: $10 (which is (12 + 8) / 2)

• 1st place winner #2: $10 (which is (12 + 8) / 2)

• 2nd place winner #1: $3 (which is 6 / 2)

• 2nd place winner #2: $3 (which is 6 / 2)

• 3rd place winner(s): $0

This means 3rd place, which is actually the 4th best score, is awarded no payout because they are not in the top 3 scores.

Scenario 6: Three-way tie for 1st place

In this case, the best score was shared by 3 people. This means 1st place will be paid out as 1st place award + 2nd place award + 3rd place award ($12 + $8 + $6 = $26). No 2nd or 3rd place winners will receive a payout since those funds were diverted to the 1st place tied winners.

• 1st place winner #1: $9 (which is (12 + 8 + 6) / 3 = 8.66 rounded up to 9)

• 1st place winner #2: $9

• 1st place winner #3: $9

• 2nd place winner(s): $0

• 3rd place winner(s): $0 

Scenario 7: Three-way tie for 3rd place

In this case, there were outright winners for 1st and 2nd place, but a three-way tie for 3rd place. This means 1st and 2nd will be paid out normally but 3rd place will need to share the 3rd place award amongst those 3rd place winners.

• 1st place winner: $12

• 2nd place winner: $8

• 3rd place winner #1: $2 (which is 6 / 3 = 2)

• 3rd place winner #2: $2 

• 3rd place winner #3: $2

Scenario 8: Four-way tie for 3rd place

In this case, there were outright winners for 1st and 2nd place, but a four-way tie for 3rd place. This means 1st and 2nd will be paid out normally but 3rd place will need to share the 3rd place award amongst those 3rd place winners.

• 1st place winner: $12

• 2nd place winner: $8

• 3rd place winner #1: $2 (which is 6 / 4 = 1.5, less than the minimum of $2)

• 3rd place winner #2: $2 

• 3rd place winner #3: $2

• 3rd place winner #4: $2

The 3rd place winnings are $2 to each player because the minimum payout amount is defined as being $2, not because of rounding. Suppose 20 people tied for 3rd place -- all of them would still be paid $2 each to meet the minimum.