Frequently Asked Questions

What is a dietbet and how does it work?

A dietbet is a 4-week game to lose weight among friends. Each player puts money in the pot at the start. Whoever reaches the goal weight by the final weigh-in wins the pot. If more than one player reaches their goal, they split the pot evenly. The amount of money each player has to bet and the amount of weight each player has to lose (4% or 8 pounds) are stipulated by the game's Organizer.

Who is the Organizer and what does this person do?

The Organizer is the host, secretary, and referee of their game. The Organizer invites people to play, oversees the weigh-ins, and enters weight data into DietBet's system. If there are disputes, the Organizer has the (sole) authority to arbitrate. Organizers may also collect, hold, and disburse the pot, or may sanction DietBet to do this on his or her behalf. Organizers may play in their own game, or they may organize without playing. The Organizer may transfer their officiating duties to a third-party referee, for example, when the Organizer is also playing, to avoid a conflict of interest.

Is there a minimum or maximum number of players in a dietbet?

Dietbets must have at least 2 players and up to 50 players. If you require a bigger game, please contact us.

How long do games last?

Our games always last 4 weeks. We designed them this way to give you manageable milestones and opportunities for quick wins. We feel that this makes losing weight easier and more fun. But we’re not against dietbetting for longer periods! To make your game last longer, just string together a few dietbets in a row. It ends up being the same as a multi-month game, only you get more positive reinforcement along the way, and more opportunities for redemption.

How do you make sure people don't cheat?

Each dietbetting group polices itself, with the Organizer in charge. To help with this, we provide detailed rules on what to wear and how to conduct weigh-ins, which are preferably held with all the players together. There is an unavoidable degree of trust involved, however, and we recommend that you dietbet with people you know and with an Organizer you trust. DietBet isn't there to verify weights and so we rely on what the Organizer tells us; as a result, we can't (and don’t) arbitrate disputes. If you are concerned about this, we suggest appointing a third-party referee to officiate at weigh-ins and ratify final results.

How can a dietbet be fair when players have different sizes, ages, and genders?

We offer a 4% challenge, wherein all players have to lose 4% of their starting weight in 4 weeks. It’s not perfect, but it helps level the playing field.

What if my Organizer is playing? Isn't that a clear conflict of interest?

Normally this is not a problem since all the players gather together for weigh-ins and the group can thus police itself. In such cases, the Organizer is really the game's secretary, entering everyone's weight data into our database. That said, it can still be a conflict of interest if the Organizer has a supervisory role and a player role at the same time. If you're not comfortable with this, don't play in a game where the Organizer is also competing or insist on having a third-party referee to officiate.

What if my Organizer doesn't report the results correctly?

The Organizer's single most important duty is to report weight data into our system. If they don't do this correctly, the results of the game may be affected. That’s a risk. If you're concerned about this, cross-check the Organizer's data. The Organizer has the sole authority to ratify official results at the end of the game and it is the group's responsibility to ensure that this is done properly (this authority may be transferred to a referee). When DietBet holds the pot, we rely on official results, as reported to us by the Organizer, to pay out the winners. Be sure they're correct! By using our site, you agree that DietBet cannot be held responsible for Organizer errors, or the consequences arising from such errors.

What happens if we can't get everyone together for a final weigh-in on Day 28?

Sometimes Day 28 falls on a holiday or participants simply can't make it to a weigh-in. The Organizer has the sole right and responsibility to set the time and place of the weigh-ins and he or she may choose an alternate day. If you are concerned that you might not be able to make it to the final weigh-in, raise this with your Organizer before you start playing. Missing either of the mandatory weigh-ins will disqualify you, even if you might have otherwise won. Read our rules for tolerances around arriving late! In the end, it's the Organizer's responsibility to set the time and location of the weigh-ins and it’s your responsibility to show up on time!

Could I get disqualified or ejected from the game? How? Why?

You may be disqualified for a few reasons, including: unsportsmanlike behavior or missing a mandatory weigh-in. Disqualifications occur at the sole discretion of the game's Organizer. Please do not appeal to us as we can’t arbitrate disputes! You can also be disqualified upon the final weigh-in if you've lost more than double your goal weight. This is designed to keep players from going overboard and/or from using bariatric surgeries, liposuction, and the like to win their dietbet.

What happens to my bet if I get disqualified?

You are not entitled to a refund if you're disqualified or ejected.

What if I get sick, pregnant, or otherwise have a legitimate reason for exiting?

Under rare circumstances, your Organizer may allow you to exit your game without losing your bet. If DietBet is holding your pot, the Organizer should contact DietBet's customer service department to arrange this. We suggest you use a local “softball league test”. If your pitcher gets sick or pregnant before the big final game and can’t play, would you postpone the game or make other special accommodations?

What are DietBetter Points?

You get points for engaging in certain activities in the game.

What can I get with my DietBetter Points?

Bragging rights and the satisfaction of knowing that the more points you accrue, the more likely you are to win because you’re actively engaged in playing.

My friend says dietbetting was invented by Pope Pius III in the 15th century. Is he correct?

No. Dietbetting, especially online, is a new activity that couples financial incentives with social media. The social technology that enables dietbetting was not available to anyone living in the 15th century.

Is there a fee to play on dietbet.com?

No. Dietbetting at dietbet.com is free. The only cost is if you have us collect the bets for you, in which case we charge a processing fee for collecting and holding the pot. If you collect the bets yourself (or if you don't dietbet for money), it's entirely free.

How much do you charge for collecting bets?

If you sanction us to collect the bets for you, we charge 5% with a minimum of $5 per player. As a launch promotion through January 15, 2012, we're waiving the $5 minimum. We call this feature DietBet's Safe.

If we use DietBet's Safe and our bet is $100, how much do we end up paying?

If your bet is $100, you pay $100. We would take our $5 fee out of the pot.

How do I get paid when I win?

We send winnings via Paypal. In certain cases, we will also mail out paper checks.

Do you charge players to collect their winnings?

We don’t. Paypal may charge a nominal commission for transferring money but we don't charge you to receive your winnings. In rare cases where someone requires a paper check, we charge $5 to cover the cost of writing and mailing the check.

How does DietBet make money?

We are ad-supported and we sell products. We also charge a small premium over what credit cards charge us in terms of processing fees when we collect bets. See more here.

How much should we bet?

Enough to motivate you and enough to hurt if you lose, but not more than you can comfortably afford to lose. The Organizer of your game sets the bet amount for all the players so talk to the Organizer if you want to have a say in the bet size.

Is there a betting limit?

If you’re using DietBet to manage the pot for you, you can bet from $0 to $500. If you’re managing the pot yourselves, we impose no limit.

Can I bet with another currency besides dollars?

You can bet in any currency you want but our interface shows bets in US dollars.

Do I have to bet money?

No, but your chances are succeeding in your weigh-loss challenge are higher if you have your own money on the line. See this academic research as to why financial incentives work.

What are Bonus Stakes?

Bonus Stakes are non-monetary prizes or punishments that the Organizer can add to make the dietbet more fun and motivational, such as winners get extra vacation days or losers must clean the office refrigerator.

Who holds the money in the pot?

If you use DietBet's Safe, we do. Otherwise, your Organizer is responsible for collecting and holding the bets in the pot. We recommend that players all place their bets in advance of the game starting since it’s a pain to chase down people to pay up after the fact, and putting your money on the line up front makes it feel real.

What if I bet more (or less) than other people in my dietbet?

You can't. Everyone must bet the same amount.

Will you pay me my body weight in dollars, just for fun?

No.

What does DietBet offer to help me lose the weight?

We don't make or market our own diet products or programs. And since everyone's different, we suggest you explore healthy weight-loss options that fit your lifestyle. We propose various approaches in our Daily Carrot newsletter. Our role is to supply you with the motivation that kickstarts healthy new habits. And we aim to inspire you and your dietbetting friends to make positive changes that you can all sustain even after your dietbet's over.

What's a pound? Can't we play in kilograms?

We realize that most of the world uses kilograms and although our website defaults to pounds, you can set up your game up in kilograms. The Organizer chooses which measurement system is used in your game.

What happens if more than one dietbetter crosses the finish line?

When multiple dietbetters achieve their goal, they’re all declared winners and split the pot evenly. By design, there is no extra credit for crossing the finish line first or for losing the most weight. It's not winner-take-all like The Biggest Loser TV show.

What happens if nobody reaches their target weight?

When nobody crosses the finish line by the end, the winner is the person who has lost the most weight, as a percentage of their total goal, by the final weigh-in. For example, suppose the challenge is to lose 4% in 4 weeks and the two frontrunners are Joe and Sally. Joe had to lose 10 pounds to reach the finish line. Sally had to lose 6 pounds to reach the finish line. By the final weigh-in, Joe had lost 5 pounds, or half his total goal. He's at 50%. Sally had lost 4 pounds, 67% of her total goal. Sally wins.

What happens if nobody in my game loses any weight at all?

You can decide in advance what happens in this scenario: either the pot is donated to a good cause that has been set forth before the game starts, or the pot is returned to all the players. DietBet never keeps the pot (unless you designate DietBet as your good cause!). If you've used DietBet's Safe, we will, however, retain our standard cut of the pot, which offsets the credit card and Paypal processing fees we incur.

What happens if I reach my target weight on Day 24 (but not on Day 28)?

Too bad for you. The only weigh-ins that count (when determining official results) are the group weigh-ins at the outset and end of the game. If you reach your goal early, it's your responsibility to maintain your weight-loss until the end.

Most normal scales are not very precise. How do we deal with this problem?

We recognize that most scales are not precision instruments and for this reason we have a few policies and recommendations. First, use the best scale you can get your hands on, preferably a doctor's scale (the kind with sliders that can be calibrated easily). Second, whenever possible, use the same scale for all the players, and at the starting and ending weigh-ins. Third, because we know that scales are inexact, our system automatically rounds to the nearest pound (and, in kilos, the nearest tenth), using the half-up rounding method (i.e, 122.5 is rounded up to 123). Finally, set your expectations accordingly and plan to cross the finish line with a little room to spare! You don’t want to lose because of rounding error or scale imprecision.

Do we have to conduct the weigh-ins at a particular time of day?

We recommend the first thing in the morning but there is no requirement to do so. Because weights fluctuate during the day, the Organizer should note the time of the starting weigh-in and try to conduct the final weigh-in at approximately the same time of day. If your Organizer can’t gather everyone together (i.e., in dietbets where the players are geographically spread out), the Organizer should insist that players all weigh-in first thing in the morning, or at least at the same time of day.

Can we set up the challenge to be different from 4% or 8 pounds (3.6 kilos)?

To keep things simple, we limit the choices to 8 pounds (3.6 kilos) or 4% in 4 weeks. We think these options work for most people.

Does it have to be a game about weight? What about fat loss or muscle gain?

Since most people don't have access to accurate advanced body measurement tools, we decided to base our game on pure weight-loss, which, while not perfect, offers substantial challenges as well as significant health benefits for most people.

How often do I have to weigh-in?

Only the starting and ending weigh-ins are mandatory, but we encourage dietbetters to self-report their weight to the site (unofficially) throughout the game. By posting unofficial weights, the game becomes more exciting as the leaderboard comes to life.

Will other players see my actual weight?

Not if you don't want them to. We offer the option of hiding your weight, so people only see your relative weight. The Organizer (and referee, if you have one) will see your true weight since it’s germane to their roles.

What if we use different scales? Isn’t that a problem?

Your Organizer will try to use the same scale throughout. If there's a problem with that scale, at least everyone will be exposed to it. That said, scale flaws are inevitable environmental hazards in dietbetting and, in the end, if you decide to play, you have to accept the inexact results of imperfect scales.

Why is my weight is showing up as XXX?

If you have chosen to hide your actual weight, we replace it with XXX. You can change this setting at any time.

Do I have to get naked for weigh-ins?

No, we use "airport security attire", as defined in our rules. Our view is that so long as you're wearing substantially the same clothing at the starting weigh-in and at the final weigh-in, it’s sufficient to assess your weight loss. Your Organizer may elect to apply a more stringent standard.

Can I play outside the US?

People dietbet all over the world. If you want to use our DietBet Safe to manage your pot and are having trouble paying with your credit card, try using Paypal.

Is this illegal gambling?

No, at least not in the US, because the outcome of your dietbet is based on skill, not luck. Unless your refrigerator has been retrofitted to work like a slot machine, your weight is under your control. See more here.

Do you have to be human to play?

No. You can organize a game among dogs or any other animal you can get to stand still on a scale.

Can't I just play? I don't want to have to organize my friends to play with me.

The great thing about dietbetting is that it’s a social game, so it's not something you can do by yourself. What makes it so effective at motivating you to lose weight is that you're competing with others for money and/or bragging rights. If you’re not in a position to organize a local game with friends, there are still a few options for you: you can organize a game among friends or family who don't live near you, like your Facebook friends. As long as players trust each other to self-report weights, this is a viable option. Some dietbetters use meetup.com, craigslist, and community/office message boards to round up players. It's a great way to make friends near you and the semi-anonymous aspect of competition is appealing to many dietbetters. Finally, there may be professional DietBet Organizers in your area, such as personal trainers or gyms, who are happy to set up and manage games among strangers. Email us at support@dietbet.com to inquire, or to offer your services as a local Organizer.

I lost and now I want my money back. Who should I complain to?

Who do you normally complain about stuff to? We suggest going to that person.