When a simple poll has too many answers
Ask a group to pick the best of sixteen films in one poll and the votes scatter. Put the films in pairs and the choice gets easy: this one or that one, round after round.
A bracket vote does exactly that. The contenders meet in pairs, everyone with the link picks a winner in each pair, and when you close the round the winners move on.
Round by round the field halves: quarter-finals, semi-finals, the final. The last contender standing is the group's champion, decided by everyone.
How to run a bracket
Set it up once, then close one round at a time.
Write the question and list the contenders; put the favourites first.
Sign in, create the link and post it in the group chat.
Friends open the link and pick a winner in every pair of the open round.
Open your link and close the round when enough people have voted; repeat until the final.
What the bracket handles
The fiddly parts of a knockout, worked out for you.
- Three to sixteen contenders
- Byes for the top seeds when the count is not 4, 8 or 16
- Seeding that keeps favourites apart until late rounds
- One pick per pair, changeable until the round closes
- Vote shares shown once you have voted
- Ties settled in favour of the higher seed
- Closed rounds listed below, and the champion at the top
- Contenders locked once the first round is closed
Great for
Any “best of” that would be too long as a single poll.
The best film, album or series of all time.
The office's favourite snack or lunch spot.
A class vote on a book or a project theme.
Naming a team, a pet or a band.
Picking a holiday destination from a long list.
How a match is decided
When you close a round, each pair goes to the contender with more votes; a tie goes to the one listed higher. A contender without an opponent goes through on its own.
In the first round, contender 1 meets the last slot, contender 2 the one before it, and so on; later rounds fold the winners the same way, so the top seeds can only meet near the end.
Good to know
Rounds close only when the author closes them; there is no timer.
Once a round is closed, the result stands and the list of contenders can no longer change.
Anyone with the link can vote, once per browser.
Tips
- Eight contenders make a quick bracket: three rounds, one evening.
- Close one round a day to keep the group coming back.
- Put the obvious favourites first so they do not knock each other out early.
Bracket vote questions
What is a bracket vote?
A knockout vote: contenders meet in pairs, the group picks a winner in each pair, and winners advance round by round until one champion remains.
What if I have six or ten contenders?
The first contenders get a bye and skip the opening round, so the next round always has a clean number of pairs.
Who closes a round?
Only you, the author, from the voting page. Close it when enough people have voted.
Who goes through when a pair is tied?
The contender listed higher, the better seed, goes through.
Can voters see the results?
Each pair's vote shares appear once a person has voted in the round; closed rounds and the champion are visible to all.
Do voters need to sign up?
No, they type a name and pick; only the author needs an account.