A pool with no agreed scoring rule or lock time fails the moment the first envelope opens, because nobody can say who is winning. Print one blank ballot for everyone, agree on the points and the tie-breaker before anyone writes a pick, and collect every ballot before the 99th Oscars start on Sunday, March 14, 2027 at 7 p.m. ET on ABC.
An Oscar pool sheet is a blank ballot listing every Oscar category, on which each player writes one pick per category before the ceremony. The 99th Oscars rules list 24 regular categories, from Best Picture to Live Action Short Film; nominations are announced on January 21, 2027, so the ballot stays blank until then. Pick a scoring rule (flat, weighted or confidence points), set a tie-breaker and lock ballots before the broadcast. The PDF below is ready to print.
This guide gives you the ballot, three scoring rules with their maximum scores, a tie-breaker order and a six-step plan for hosting at home. Picks are yours: nothing here predicts a winner.
| Input or item | Typical value or source | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Ceremony | Sunday, March 14, 2027, 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT, ABC (Academy and ABC, April 7, 2026) | Sets the lock time and the party start |
| Nominations announced | Thursday, January 21, 2027 (same source) | First day players can write in picks |
| Categories on the ballot | 24 regular categories, 99th Oscars rules, Rule One | Sets the number of rows and the maximum score |
| Nominees per category | Up to 5; Best Picture 10 (Rule Five) | Sets the odds of a lucky guess in each row |
| Scoring rule | Flat 24 points, weighted 42 or confidence 300 (our suggested systems) | Decides how much the big categories count |
| Tie-breaker | Best Picture pick first, then a written tie-break question (our suggestion) | Prevents an argument at the end of the night |
| Lock time | Before the broadcast starts | Stops late changes once winners are known |
All dates are subject to change, according to the Academy; check its announcement before printing invitations.
What goes on an Oscar pool ballot?
An Oscar pool ballot needs one row for each category the Academy will present, in a fixed order, plus columns for the pick and the points. The 99th Oscars rules (published May 2026) list 24 regular competitive categories in Rule One. A 25th, original musical, is in the rules but “may not be given every year,” so it belongs on the ballot only if the Academy announces nominees for it.
| Group | Categories in the 99th Oscars rules |
|---|---|
| Picture and directing | Best Picture; Directing |
| Acting | Actor in a Leading Role; Actor in a Supporting Role; Actress in a Leading Role; Actress in a Supporting Role |
| Writing | Adapted Screenplay; Original Screenplay |
| Feature categories | Animated Feature Film; Documentary Feature Film; International Feature Film |
| Short films | Animated Short Film; Documentary Short Film; Live Action Short Film |
| Crafts | Casting; Cinematography; Costume Design; Film Editing; Makeup and Hairstyling; Production Design; Sound; Visual Effects |
| Music | Original Score; Original Song |
Source: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, 99th Oscars Complete Rules, Rule One. The count of 24 is ours.
Every category except Best Picture has at most five nominees; Best Picture has ten. That spread matters for scoring: a blind guess in a five-nominee category is right one time in five, while a blind Best Picture guess is right one time in ten. If you want to know how the nominees are chosen in the first place, our explainer on how Oscar and Emmy voting differ walks through the branch rules.
Takeaway: Build the ballot from the Academy’s category list, not from a news story’s highlights, so short films and crafts are not left out.
The printable Oscar pool ballot
The ballot below is the same as the one-page printable Oscar pool ballot (PDF). It is blank by design: write in picks after nominations are announced on January 21, 2027. The points column shows the weighted rule described in the next section. For flat scoring, count 1 for every correct row; for confidence scoring, write your own ranks from 24 down to 1 in that column, using each number once. Fill in the maximum score on the total line (24, 42 or 300) before handing the ballot out.
| # | Category | Your pick | Weighted points | Correct? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Best Picture | 5 | ☐ | |
| 2 | Directing | 3 | ☐ | |
| 3 | Actor in a Leading Role | 3 | ☐ | |
| 4 | Actress in a Leading Role | 3 | ☐ | |
| 5 | Actor in a Supporting Role | 3 | ☐ | |
| 6 | Actress in a Supporting Role | 3 | ☐ | |
| 7 | Original Screenplay | 2 | ☐ | |
| 8 | Adapted Screenplay | 2 | ☐ | |
| 9 | International Feature Film | 2 | ☐ | |
| 10 | Animated Feature Film | 2 | ☐ | |
| 11 | Documentary Feature Film | 1 | ☐ | |
| 12 | Animated Short Film | 1 | ☐ | |
| 13 | Documentary Short Film | 1 | ☐ | |
| 14 | Live Action Short Film | 1 | ☐ | |
| 15 | Casting | 1 | ☐ | |
| 16 | Cinematography | 1 | ☐ | |
| 17 | Costume Design | 1 | ☐ | |
| 18 | Film Editing | 1 | ☐ | |
| 19 | Makeup and Hairstyling | 1 | ☐ | |
| 20 | Production Design | 1 | ☐ | |
| 21 | Sound | 1 | ☐ | |
| 22 | Visual Effects | 1 | ☐ | |
| 23 | Original Score | 1 | ☐ | |
| 24 | Original Song | 1 | ☐ | |
| Tie-breaker question (written by the host) | ||||
| Tie-breaker answer | ||||
| Total | ___ of ___ |
The rows are grouped for easy scanning, not in the order the awards will be presented on the night; the broadcast order is not published in advance in the rules. For picks, read our guide to which precursor awards are worth checking before you fill in the ballot.
Common mistake: Printing a ballot from last year’s ceremony. The category list changes over time, so check the current rules before printing.
Takeaway: One identical sheet for every player is the single most important fairness rule.
How should an Oscar pool be scored? Three rules
For a casual party, score 1 point per correct pick; for a group that follows the headline races, use weighted points; for experienced players, use confidence points. Choose one before anyone fills in a ballot and write it on the invitation. The three below are our suggested systems; none is official, and each rewards a different kind of player.
| Scoring rule | How points work | Maximum score | Who it favors | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flat | 1 point per correct pick | 24 | Players who know short films and crafts | Groups that want every category to count |
| Weighted | Best Picture 5; Directing and the four acting categories 3 each; the two screenplays, International Feature and Animated Feature 2 each; all others 1 | 42 | Players who follow the headline races | Casual parties where most guests skip the crafts |
| Confidence | Rank your 24 picks: give 24 points to the pick you are surest of, down to 1 for the least sure; score the points of correct picks | 300 | Players who judge their own certainty well | Experienced pools that want certainty to count |
Maximum scores are simple sums: 5 + 3 + (4 x 3) + (4 x 2) + (14 x 1) = 42 for the weighted rule, and 1 + 2 + … + 24 = 300 for confidence points.
Example, assumed picks: a player who gets Best Picture, two acting categories and five crafts right scores 8 under flat scoring and 5 + 3 + 3 + 5 = 16 under the weighted rule. The same eight correct picks under confidence scoring could be worth anywhere from 36 to 164 points, depending on how the player ranked them. Confidence points therefore combine the picks with each player’s own ranking of certainty; you still need a tie-breaker.
Takeaway: Flat scoring is easiest to explain; confidence scoring rewards knowing how sure you are.
How do you break a tie in an Oscar pool?
Break ties in this order: the Best Picture pick, then the short-film picks, then a written question, then ballot order. Print the order and the question on the ballot before the lock, because a rule chosen after the scores are known will look unfair to someone.
| Order | Tie-breaker (our suggestion) | Purpose (our choice) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Correct Best Picture pick | Starts with the category that has the most nominees |
| 2 | Most correct picks in the three short-film categories | Brings three more categories into play, with equal weight |
| 3 | Closest answer to a written question decided on the night, such as the number of awards won by the Best Picture winner | Produces a single answer that can be checked after the show |
| 4 | Earliest ballot handed in, by the number the host wrote on it at collection | Rewards committing early; if two ballots share a number or time, declare a shared win |
Takeaway: Print the tie-breaker order and the question on the ballot, and number ballots as you collect them.
When should Oscar pool ballots lock?
Ballots should lock before the broadcast starts, after which no pick can change. The Academy’s announced calendar gives you three useful dates for planning, and all of them are, in the Academy’s words, subject to change.
| Date (Pacific time where given) | What happens | What to do for your pool |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday, January 21, 2027 | Nominations announced | Send the blank ballot and the scoring rule |
| Thursday, February 25, 9 a.m. PT, to Thursday, March 4, 5 p.m. PT, 2027 | Final voting by active and life Academy members | Remind players to finish their picks |
| Sunday, March 14, 2027, 4 p.m. PT / 7 p.m. ET | 99th Oscars broadcast on ABC | Lock ballots before the show begins |
Source: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and ABC, April 7, 2026.
Final voting itself is only open to Academy members; your pool has no connection to it. Under the 99th rules, Academy voters must have seen all the nominated films in a category to vote in it; your pool sets its own rules.
Common mistake: Locking at the first award instead of the start of the broadcast. One cutoff before the show is the easiest time for the host to check against every entry, whether it arrived on paper or by message.
Takeaway: Lock ballots before the broadcast begins, not at the first envelope.
How to host an Oscars party at home: six steps
Hosting an Oscars party at home comes down to six decisions, in this order: when, where people watch, how picks are collected, how they are scored, how results are tracked and how the winner is announced. Each step below has one output.
| Step | Decision | Output |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Set the date and start time | Party starts before 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT on March 14, 2027 | Invitation with a lock time |
| 2. Choose the screen and seating | One main screen every guest can see; sound loud enough to hear presenters | A tested setup on the day before |
| 3. Send ballots | PDF ballot and scoring rule sent after January 21, 2027 | Every guest has the same sheet |
| 4. Collect at the lock | Sealed paper ballots or messages to the host before the broadcast; the host numbers each entry as it arrives | A complete, numbered set of entries |
| 5. Score live | One person marks winners on a tally sheet as each award is announced | Running totals the room can see |
| 6. Announce and keep the results | Winner named after the final award; tie-breakers applied in order | A final scoreboard to keep for next year |
Step 2 is easy to overlook: during the test, sit in the side seats and check the picture and sound from there. If you are wondering whether a commercial display is worth buying for parties, our comparison of commercial and consumer TVs for home use sets out what each is built for.
If guests ask why one category is decided by a ranked count and the rest by most votes, point them to our explainer on how the Oscars count Best Picture votes; it makes a good mid-show talking point.
Takeaway: Decide the lock time and the scorer before the guests arrive.
Oscars party checklist
Use this checklist to make sure nothing is left until the broadcast starts. Each item is tied to a step above.
| Item | When | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Printed ballots (one per guest, plus spares) | Week of the party | Late guests can still play before the lock |
| Pencils or pens | Day of the party | Ballots are filled in by hand |
| Scoring rule and tie-breaker written on the invitation | With the ballot, after January 21 | Nobody can argue the rules afterwards |
| Tally sheet or whiteboard | Before guests arrive | Shows running totals during the show |
| Screen, sound and input tested on ABC | Day before | Avoids missing the opening awards |
| Envelope or box for sealed ballots | Before the lock | Keeps picks secret until the show starts |
| Snacks and drinks within reach of seating | Before the broadcast | Guests stay in the room for the short films and crafts |
| A place to keep the final scoreboard | After the final award | Lets you seed next year’s pool |
Takeaway: Print spares, pick a scorer and test the screen the day before.
When this does not apply
This guide is built on the 99th Oscars rules and the dates the Academy and ABC announced on April 7, 2026. If the Academy changes a date or adds a category such as original musical, update the ballot before sending it. Before January 21, 2027 the ballot can only list categories, not nominees.
The guide does not cover cash prizes or the legal questions they raise. It also does not tell you who will win; for that, start with our method guide to reading the precursor awards, and browse the rest of our awards-season explainers. This site is independent and has no connection to the Academy or ABC (about this site).
Takeaway: Re-check the category list and the broadcast time against the Academy’s latest announcement before printing.
Method and sources
We compiled the category list from Rule One of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 99th Oscars Complete Rules (published May 2026) and the dates from the Academy and ABC announcement of April 7, 2026, both read on October 7, 2026. The scoring rules, maximum scores, tie-breaker order, lock time and party steps are this site’s suggestions, not Academy rules; the scoring example uses assumed picks. The PDF ballot carries the same 24 rows and weights as the table on this page.
Related reading
Pick the next page by your next job: making picks, understanding the voting or setting up the room.
- How to predict Oscar winners — Use it to decide your picks from the precursor awards before the lock.
- Emmy nomination categories explained — See how Oscar branch voting compares with Emmy peer groups.
- Commercial TV vs consumer TV — Check what kind of screen suits a home viewing room.
- All articles — Browse every guide on this site.
