No Gambling between officer/enlisted. Have you ever participated in a sports bracket?

But the officers are the ones with all the money!  I feel like I should be the one taking it!  ;-)

Anything that blurs the lines between the O corps and the enlisted workforce has the potential to wreck careers in both worlds. Such activity creates an environment of undue familiarity which is contrary to the good order and discipline of the unit. Bad idea.

Because it is generally a paltry, meaningless sum that hurts no one and builds morale. It gives people skin in the game when you talk football.

I like what Dick Winters had to say about gambling between officers and enlisted men.  

"Never put yourself in a position to take from these men, ever"

Whoa! How's an enlisted man supposed to make ends meet? On his meager military salary? PULEEZE

<div>I'll throw in the dissenting opinion. First, you all are absolutely right regarding the potential for this to get out of hand, and it is incumbent upon us as leaders to maintain good order and discipline, and to recognize the "danger signs". Just like so many other things of this nature, it cannot and should not happen unless everyone can handle the situation, officers and enlisted alike (Privilege vs Right doesn't sound right, but you get the picture).</div><div><br></div>That being said, there is something to be said with participating in group activities, whether it is the unit sports event, brackets, or the battalion raffle. However, I would never willingly put myself in a position to take from my Soldiers (or any Soldier for that matter).<div><br></div><div>My answer for stuff like that is to throw back into the pot... so if I ever win, it just inflates the kitty for the next guy to win more money, or the unit fund to do that much more, whether it is supporting a Soldier in need, hosting a nicer event, or buying that much more coffee creamer.</div><div><br></div><div>Remember, morale is absolutely a force multiplier.</div>

'Trash talking' can get out of hand and careers can be impacted.<br><br>There is not good coming from enlisted and officers playing fantasy football or office pools...stick with enlisted vs enlisted and officers vs officers; not sure what our warrnts will do. &nbsp;;)

Pools for football games, while illegal in most venues, is part of our society today. Prior to the Super Bowl you will see board ranging from a dollar a square to much, much more depending on the business. I know where I worked we had a Super Bowl pool with squares going for $2 per square and my wife's work had one for $5 per square. She is much luckier than I am and has won several times. Our society has accepted gambling as a form of recreation. We have two lotteries that are in most states and many states have an individual lottery. Others have casino gambling either by statute or in the form of American Indians running casinos. There is a big down side to gambling. Casinos stay in business because odds favor the house and many people go away losers. Problems arise when that person has a gambling addiction and loses more than they can afford. I have seen people outside casinos in my community crying because they lost the family's paycheck and now do not have the money to feed their kids. I have no problem with gambling as long as it is in moderation, the same as other potential addictions. When it becomes and obsession, then it is a problem.

You answered you own question.  No you cannot.  What you can do is play poker but not for money.

I've never done a sports bracket for money with troops