# No prize for second place?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-prize-for-second-place/384490>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [December 17, 2006, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-prize-for-second-place/384490 "2006-12-17T08:45:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![The\_Controvert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)\
**Post date:** [December 17, 2006, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-prize-for-second-place/384490/1 "2006-12-17T08:45:23Z")

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Is there any professional competitions where the field is greater than 2 and only the top team or individual gets anything out of it? i.e. everybody else leaves with nothing.

If so, has a Tiger Woods or Roger Federer of that sport come around to trounce everybody else?

I think I may have seen a poker tourney where only the top person got something, but my memory is vague.

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**Author:** ![brownie55](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f14d63/32.png) [@brownie55](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brownie55)\
**Post date:** [December 17, 2006, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-prize-for-second-place/384490/2 "2006-12-17T15:29:38Z")

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Sure, the _Top Gun_ trophy. I remember it clearly from the movie.

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**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\
**Post date:** [December 17, 2006, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-prize-for-second-place/384490/3 "2006-12-17T15:58:28Z")

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[QUOTE=The Controvert]  
I think I may have seen a poker tourney where only the top person got something, but my memory is vague.  
[/QUOTE]

There are definitely winner take all poker tournaments. Hads-up games, if no others. There are also tournaments called “shootouts,” in which multiple tables play until only one person is left per table, then the individual table winners compete at a final table. There’s an ongoing shootout tournament series on Fox Sports right now called “Poker Dome Challenge.” Tables of six play down to a winner. Every six winners move on to a semi-final and play down to one. Then the final six of those tables move on to a final table for a million dolaar winner take all grand prize.

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**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\
**Post date:** [December 17, 2006, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-prize-for-second-place/384490/4 "2006-12-17T16:37:29Z")

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[QUOTE=brownie55]  
Sure, the _Top Gun_ trophy. I remember it clearly from the movie.  
[/QUOTE]

That’s right. Remember boys, no points for second place.