Sports Overtime Rules, Ranked

Every sport has a different way of dealing with a game that ends in a tie. Some overtimes are wonderful and compelling, while others are boring and lame. Here’s Deadspin’s non-exhaustive ranking of sports overtime rules.

  1. Baseball
  2. Basketball
  3. Hockey (full strength, 20-minute periods)
  4. Tie
  5. NCAA Football
  6. Hockey (3 vs. 3)
  7. Golf (sudden death holes)
  8. Soccer (golden goal)
  9. Replaying the whole game
  10. Soccer (30 extra minutes followed by penalty kicks if still tied)
  11. Hockey (4 vs. 4)
  12. NFL (each team gets a possession unless the first team scores a TD)
  13. Boxing and other judged sports (no overtime)
  14. Tennis (tiebreaker)
  15. Being hit by a zamboni
  16. NFL (first team to score wins)

Photo via AP


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