31.   Johnston said office pools have become a popular draw for those hoping to take home the prize.

32.   Many corporate bosses have long tolerated office pools on sporting events and award shows as harmless diversions.

33.   Many people find themselves in an office pool or in a friendly bet with a friend.

34.   Massachusetts and Rhode Island, according to Stoddart, are the only two Northeast states that have outlawed office pools.

35.   March is when everyone talks about brackets and office pools.

36.   Most critics concede, however, that cracking down on Internet gambling is as futile as trying to break up office March Madness pools.

37.   Not everyone who places a bet in an office pool or seems to enjoy playing the slot machines at the casino is a problem gambler.

38.   Office pools throughout the land were about to collapse into debris piles of tiny black lines.

39.   Office pools are everywhere, and point spreads and odds on games are published in newspapers, including The Chronicle, and aired on TV and radio stations.

40.   Perhaps the most overlooked type of interest-free loan is the office football pool.