It could be a Points Bonanza!

  

Scoring System for the Round of 32

You may be concerned because your playoff bracket is looking busted. Have no fear. The majority of points moving forward will be based on the teams you picked to advance. Previous years have been based solely on who you picked to be World Champion. This year you will receive points for the top 4 teams you have picked. A 4th place finisher will earn you 25 points, a third place finisher will earn you 50 points, a runner-up will earn you 75 points, and a World Cup Champion will earn you 125 points.

The individual matches still count for something. As previously, if you have picked a correct match-up in the Round of 32, you will receive 5 extra points.  A new rule this year allows you to earn points even if you do not have the correct match-up. Take for instance the first match of the Round of 32 between South Africa and Canada. If you picked this match-up, you earn 5 points. If you didn't, you can still earn points based on who wins.  

 

Let us suppose that Canada wins by the score of 1-0. If the team who you picked that qualified in Canada's spot wins, you earn the 5 points for that victory. You deserve something for seeing a little bit into the future. If you pick the team in South Africa's spot to advance, and South Africa advances, you get 5 points. Let's say you only got half the match-up correct. You have Mexico vs Canada, and not South Africa. If you picked South Africa to advance, and Mexico does, that's 5 points for you. If you pick Canada to win, and Canada does, that's also 5 points.

 As before, you still earn Oracle Points regardless of who plays in the match. That's another 2 points for getting one team's score right, and 5 points for getting both teams. And if the match goes to extra time, you get 2 points and 5 points for getting those scores right if you predicted the match would go that far. What about if a match goes to penalties? Your prediction for spot kicks will also earn you 2 or 5 points if you guessed those correctly. 

As a bonus, if you have a correct match-up, as in this case South Africa and Canada, and you pick the correct team to advance, then you will earn 10 points and not 5. 

Hopefully this all makes sense. Good luck to all as the teams drop quickly, and your picks advancing become more crucial.