How to use this Help / FAQ
The information below is structured around the $100,000 Slam Dunk Contest main functions. Use the Table of Contents below or the "Find" feature in your browser to locate information. Please also read the Rules.
Having problems with your Password or username? click here.
Table of Contents
To advance to information about each function, click on the link
below:
- Register for FREE
- Log In with Your Username and Password
- Enter/Change Picks
- Standings
- View Picks
- Top/Correct Picks
- My Summary
- Group Membership
- Trash Talk
- Prizes
- Technical Support / Feedback
Register for FREE
[Back to Table of Contents]- Do I need to pay money to play?
No. It's completely free to participate.
- Do I need to be registered to see who else is playing?
No. Click on the "Standings" link to see who's currently leading. People are represented by "usernames" so you won't necessarily know who the people actually are in real life.
- I haven't registered yet. Can I play anyway?
No. You must be registered.
- How do I register?
From any $100,000 Slam Dunk Contest page, click on the "Register for FREE" link. Once at the registration page, enter the relevant information in the fields provided. When you're done click on "Register me!". You should then see a message indicating that your registration was successful. You will then be able to proceed to any of the restricted access pages including "Enter/Change Picks" and "Group Membership".
- I don't have email yet. How do I get a free email account?
You can get free accounts that you can access through your browser from a number of places on the web. Yahoo! Mail and MSN Hotmail are excellent in this regard.
- May I register multiple times and play on more than one account?
No. The rules explicitly limit each contestant to set of picks per Week. However, you may change your picks as often as you like before the deadline.
- What is a "username"?
Your username will be the name used to identify you in the contest standings, and is the name you type in (along with your password) to play $100,000 Slam Dunk Contest when your browser prompts you to log in. We reserve the right to change people's usernames in the event that offensive names are used.
- When I enter my chosen username, I get a message saying that the name has already been taken. Why?
Apparently you've chosen a username that has already been taken. You'll need to select a different username.
- My email address is rejected. Why?
An email address may be rejected because it contains a ! (exclamation mark) or some other character that is not allowed. Also, an email address may only be registered once.
- My husband/wife/son/daughter/sister/brother/friend/enemy and I want to both play using the same
email address but the system won't let us. What should we do?
One of you should get a different email address. See above about getting a free email account through your web browser.
- I type in my username and password, but I get an error message and I'm not allowed to view any
of the restricted access pages, like "My Summary". What should I do?
You may have mistyped your username or password. You may want to try again or see the next question...
- I've forgotten my password/username, what should I do?
Try getting a hint on our Hints page. Also, see the next section for common problems people have when logging in.
- My email address has changed. How can I get my new address in your records?
Please contact Technical Support. Just let us know your original email address as well as your new one and we will update our records for you.
Log In with Your Username and Password
[Back to Table of Contents]-
I'm having problems logging in, what should I do?
Have you registered yet? If not, you must do so before you can log in. See the previous section. If you have registered, and you get a message telling you that "Your username or password does not match our records", then here are some possible reasons:
- Remember that your password is cAsE sEnSiTiVe.
- Typing your ISP username or screen name (e.g. for AOL) instead of your username
- Typing your actual name instead of your username
- Typing your email address instead of your username
- "Logging In" is not the same as "Registering"
You only need to register once for the entire time you play in the contest (see the previous section). Among other things, when you register you will choose a "username" and "password" which will allow you (and only you) to "log in" when you are prompted to do so.
- I've forgotten my password/username, what should I do?
First try the Hints page. If this doesn't help, use the Technical Support page to tell us as much as you can remember about your registration information and what you would like your new password to be.
- I've logged in with the correct username and password, why did it not log me in?
To login to this site you will need to have cookies enabled, if you do not have cookies enabled, you will not be able to play the game. If you do not know how to enable cookies, use the Technical Support page.
- How can I tell if I'm logged in correctly?
Your username appears at the beginning of contest link menu.
- The username on the link menu is not mine. What happened?
Someone else was logged into the contest before you from the same computer. If you click on the "[Change User]" link that appears you will be taken to the login page to switch to your own account.
- How do I switch to another account so that my husband, wife, son, daughter, sister, brother and/or friend can also play from the same computer?
Click on the "[Change User]" link that appears after your username and/or on the link menu.
Enter/Change Picks
[Back to Table of Contents]- How do I enter my picks?
Go to the Enter/Change Picks page and follow the instructions you see there. Once you've submitted your picks AND you see a web page confirming that your picks have been processed, you're officially entered.
- When is the submission deadline for entering my picks?
The submission deadline for entering picks each Week is posted on the Enter/Change Picks page and (usually) on the Schedule page.
- When and how often may I change my picks?
You may change picks as often as you like provided you submit your changes before the applicable pick deadline.
- How do I change my picks?
When you go to the Enter/Change Picks page your picks should be displayed. Change any of your picks and then submit your changes.
- May I see who else has entered picks?
Yes. On the Standings pages you can see who has entered picks. To check who has entered picks in your group(s), you would click on your group name on the Standings page. The list of contestants is updated periodically so you may not see yourself or your friends until after some time has passed.
Standings
[Back to Table of Contents]- How do I see my standings in the contest?
Once you are logged in, go to the "Standings" page and you will automatically show up on all pages of the standings (possibly in the VIP section at the bottom). Standings are updated periodically, so if you don't show up immediately after making your picks, don't worry.
- How are the rankings determined?
You are ranked by your Points. Your rank in a Week is determined by the number of points you earn for that Week. Your rank in each month and overall is determined by the number of total Points you have earned for all Weeks in the applicable period. See the Schedule for the list of Weeks.
- Can there be ties in the Standings?
No. Please see the Rules for a full explanation of how ties are handled.
- How do I see other people's picks?
On the Standings page, click on the pencil & paper icon in the results table for the contestant whose picks you would like to see. You can only view others' picks once the pick deadline has passed.
- How do I see how I'm doing in my group(s)?
On the Standings page at the top of the table there are navigation options for your group(s).
- What is a "VIP" and why do I show up as one when I log in?
VIP stands for "Very Important Person". We think you qualify. As a VIP you always show up on the standings tables if you are logged in.
- What does "Center on You" mean?
This scrolls the standings table up or down so that you show up in the center. This lets you see who is close to you in the standings.
View Picks
[Back to Table of Contents]- How do I view someone else's pick?
- When I try to print my team the names do not show up. How can I print them?
On the Standings page, click on the pencil & paper icon next to the person whose pick you wish to view. Note you can only view other people's picks after the pick deadline has passed. Use the "Find" command to advance the standings to a contestant whose username you know but who does not appear on the first page.
Depending on your browser type and version, you may need to change
your browser Page Setup preferences on the File menu to "print
backgrounds" and/or "print table backgrounds".
Top/Correct Picks
[Back to Table of Contents]- What does the Top/Correct Picks page tell me?
- If a selection shows "0.0%" of the contestants picked it, does that really mean that nobody picked it?
It shows you, for each Week, what percentage of the contestants have picked each possible selection. For example, if the stats show "Team A 25%", then 25% of all contestants who have entered so far for that Week picked Team A.
Not necessarily. Percentages are rounded to tenths of a percent.
My Summary
[Back to Table of Contents]- How do I stop/start getting email sent to me from the contest?
The "My Summary" page has a facility to change your email preference settings.
- Why did you send me a pick reminder after I already picked?
See answer below
- Why did you send me a pick reminder after the pick deadline?
For many reasons beyond anyone's control, email on the Internet sometimes gets delayed. Usually email gets delivered within seconds or minutes of when it was sent. But occasionally it will be delayed for hours or even days. You can usually tell when an email was sent by looking at the mail headers. If mail for you is delayed consistently (including mail not only from the contest) then you should let your service provider know. We try to send out reminders several days before the pick deadline to account for possible delays.
Group Membership
[Back to Table of Contents]- What are groups?
- Are there prizes for groups?
- How do I set up a new group?
- How do I join a group?
- How do I remove myself from a group?
- How do I find out a group's password?
- How many groups may I join?
Groups are like private pools. You can set up your own group and invite friends and co-workers to join. Each group member will still be participating in the larger contest, but will also have access to a special group standings table that only members of that group can see. Plus group members can chat with each other using the Trash Talk feature.
Essentially, groups are collections of people -- friends, colleagues, co-workers, whomever -- who have agreed to have their own private pool within the larger contest. You can compete against the people you choose while also competing in the larger contest simultaneously.
No, though you can always decide to give your own prizes out to your group winners.
Go to the Group Membership page and fill in the "Create a Group"
section. Note that Group Passwords are case-sensitive, and will show
up as *'s when you type them, so remember exactly what you've
typed. Once you've successfully created a group, tell whomever you
wish that they may join the group (see below on how). Don't forget to
tell them the group name and password.
Go to the Group Membership page, and select the group you're
interested in joining. Then type in the group password and click on
the "Join the Group" button.
On the bottom of the Group Membership page, there is a section
called "Remove yourself from a Group". Simply check all groups you
want to remove yourself from, and click on "Remove me from Selected
Groups".
The person who created the group has to tell you what it is. If you
were not invited to join the group, then you won't be able to join.
If you are feeling left out, you can always make your own group and
invite your friends to join :-)
5, including any groups you have created yourself.
Trash Talk
[Back to Table of Contents]- What is Trash Talk?
It's a chat facility that lets you communicate with your fellow group members through the contest. All messages are posted on the Trash Talk page (not through email) and are separated by group. Anyone who is in a group can read all messages in that group, but nobody outside that group can.
- How soon after I post a message does it show up?
Messages are updated as soon as you hit "Send Message". However, anyone who began reading messages before you posted yours will have to reload the page for your message to show up. Same goes for you when reading a new message from someone else.
- How do I change which group I am working in for Trash Talk?
Use the Group links at the top of the Trash Talk page.
- How many messages are saved for my group before they get deleted?
10. Messages are deleted beginning with the oldest first. Once messages are deleted they cannot be retrieved, so if your message needs to be saved, you should use private email instead.
- Is there a limit to how long a message can be?
Yes. Approximately 255 characters. Once this limit is reached any subsequent characters are not posted.
- Can I delete or edit a message myself that I posted earlier?
No.
- Can I reply directly to a message that someone else posted?
No. This facility is a simple bulletin board system. All messages are posted for all to see (within that group).
- Is Trash Talk moderated, or can I say anything I want?
It is not moderated, however you are on your honor to behave in a civil manner towards your fellow group members. You may also wish to review the rules (which you agree to by registering), since they explicitly forbid obscenity, slander, and other objectionable forms of speech within the contest.
Prizes
[Back to Table of Contents]- What prizes are available?
The Prizes page has this information. Please see the Rules for information on prize eligibility and restrictions.
Technical Support / Feedback
[Back to Table of Contents]-
If you've read all of the relevant sections here and are still having problems, or you would simply like to give us some feedback on the contest, please use our Technical Support page.