2025 Death Pool Underway!

Around the world, people with a variety of traditions, like the Death Pool ceremony, gather on Thanksgiving Day.  We love starting the new Death Pool year reflecting on past picks and planning for the upcoming year. 

A heartfelt congratulations to Kevin Luther who selected the 2024 winner, Hamas leader, Yahaya Sinwar, aged 61.  Points 39. 

Sinwar was killed on October 16, 2024, during a firefight with the Israeli military.

As for this year, one would be hard-pressed to find a more thoughtful roster of 2025 Death Pool picks whose depth and breadth of selections leaves nothing on the table!  

2025 Death Pool

Name	2025 Pick
Aaron Lehmann	Macauly Culkin
Aaron Veum	Andy Dick
Abby Behling	Frankie Valli
Abby Zoladkiewicz	Chevy Chase
Adam Bechem	Nicholas Cage
Alex Milsap	Dennis Rodman
Alyza Johnsen	Ghislaine Maxwell
Amanda Veum	Shirley Maclaine
Ann Miller	Richard Branson
Ava Lehmann	Elton John
Barb Luther	Johnny Depp
Beth Bremer	Keith Richards
Bob Zerneke	Maxine Waters
Brad Milsap	Bob Uecker
Chad Ulrich	Bill Cosby
Donna Hommen	William Shatner
Duane Rue	Cher
Ellen Joyce	Sean P Diddy
Gary Evenson	Barry Manilow
Gary Zibell	Harvey Weinstein
Gary Zmania	Dick VanDyke
Gillian Ulrich	Shia LaBeouf
Grace Leto	Sally Field
Greg Luther	Matt Gatez
James Imhoff	Bam Magera
Jan Jarlsberg	Warren Beatty
Joe Leto	Tina Louise
Joe Luther	Guy Fieri
Karen Day	Whoopi Goldberg
Katie Luther	Benjamin Netanyahu
Kevin Luther	Elon Musk
Kia Kienitz	Travis Barker
Laura Zibell	Sam Waterston
Leah Zoladkiewicz	Britney Spears
Margie Ulrich	Robert Downey, Jr.
Marti Kojis	Jerry Jones
Mike Johnson	Prince Andrew
Mike Zoladkiewicz	Jelly Roll
Monica Veum	Al Sharpton
Mya Lehmann	Mike Tyson
Nancy Borchert	Bob Dylan
Pam Ziarnik	Chris Rock
Randy Johnson	Travis Scott
Renee Johnson	Carol Brunette
Rob Fed	Jay-Z
Robby Zibell	Kanye West
Roman Leto	Sylvester Stallone
Ryan Behling	Clint Eastwood
Laura Zibell	Sam Waterston
Sam Jefferson	Arnold Schwarzenegger
Stef Fed	Corey Feldman
Tara Luther	Paula Abdul
Tom Luther	Bret Bielema
Travis Ulrich	Donald Trump
Trevor Leto	Dick Cheney

2025 Rules -The rules are simple and here they are: 1. The person must be a celebrity "now" and not become a celebrity because of their death.   2. The celebrity cannot be a death row inmate, even in states that don't execute death row inmates.   3. The you cannot kill anyone on your list.   4. The celebrity cannot be dead before you post your picks.   5. The celebrity must be human (no animals).   6. The celebrity cannot already be diagnosed with a terminal illness.     7. Points are awarded by subtracting the age of the dead celebrity from 100. 8. All selections and entry fees must be submitted by noon on Thanksgiving Day.   9. In the event of a roll-over and you don't have a bet for the previous year entry fee will      include current and previous year and you only get 1 pick.   10. You must be able to verbalize your pick.   11. You must be paid up to win.   12. Current owners of the pick have 'right of first refusal' to keep that pick, even if someone dies.

Winners Circle

Year	Winner	Pick	Age	Points
2009	Zib	Michael Jackson	50	50
2010	Gillian Ulrich	Amy Weinhouse	27	73
2011	Zib	Steve Jobs	56	44
2012	Shut-Out No Winner	-	-	N/A
2013	Sarah West	Joan Rivers	81	19
2014	Shut-Out No Winner	-	-	N/A
2015	Shut-Out No Winner	-	-	N/A
2016	Shut-Out No Winner	-	-	N/A
2017	Grace Leto	Mary Tyler Moore	80	20
2018	Zib	Burt Reynolds	82	18
2019	Joe Leto	Ginger Baker	80	20
2020	Ava Lehman	Hugh Downs	99	1
2021	Trevor Leto	Larry King	87	13
2022	Roman Leto	Queen Elizabeth	96	4
2023	Leah Zoladkiewicz	Matthew Perry	54	46
2024	Kevin Luther	Yahya Sinwar	61	39
2025	Your Name Here

Kevin Luther's "Ruthless" Pick Yahya Sinwar Aged 61 

Born in a Gaza refugee camp on October 29, 1962 and killed by Israeli soldiers on October 16, 2024 (aged 61), Yahya Sinwar is now the youngest Family Death Pool celebrity to hit the leader board.  Kevin Luther's knowledge of international politics and world 'bad guys" has set him on a path for a victory this year!

It is widely speculated that a well orchestrated 'golf outing" earlier this summer was the cover for directing the strike killing Yahya. 

Golf Outing or Strategy Meeting?

Yahya Sinwar

Until the October strike, Andrew Veum's (RIP) pick of Richard Simmons had a narrow lead over Roman Leto's pick of OJ Simpson.  The news of Yahya's death puts Kevin clearly in the lead to win this years Family Death Pool.  

Leader Board as of October 19, 2024:

Yahya Sinwar (Kevin Luther's pick): Aged 61.  Score:  39

Richard Simmons (Andrew Veum’s pick):  Aged 76.  One day after his 76^th birthday.  Score:  24.

OJ Simpson (Roman Leto's pick):  Aged 76. 9 months after his 76^th birthday.  Score:  24.

Bill Cosby  (Chad Ulrich's pick):  Aged 87.  Score:  13.

Kris Kristofferson (Mike Ziarnik's pick):  Aged 88. Score: 12.

Bob Newhart (Laura Zibell's pick): Aged 91.   Score: 6.

Continued picks on the watch list.  In an already active year, United States President, Joe Biden, a Former President and GOP candidate, Donald Trump are in the pool, alongside Russian President, Vladimir Putin.

       Amanda Parisi selected the ailing current president, Joe Biden.

    Travis Ulrich selected the former president and current Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump.

    Mike Johnson selected Vladimir Putin.   

 

 THIS YEARS LINE-UP WITH A $315 PURSE (63 players x $5)

Points Leader

Dead but not a winner

On the watch list

 

Name	Celeb 2024 Pic
Aaron Lehmann	Macaulay Culkin
Aaron Veum	Andy Dick
Abby Zoladkiewicz	Mike Tyson
Adam Bechem	Kevin Spacey
Alyza Johnsen	Ghislaine Maxwell
Amanda Parisi	Joe Biden
Amanda Veum	Shirley Maclaine
Andrew Veum (RIP)	Richard Simmons
Ava Lehmann	Elton John
Barb Luther	Al Roker
Ben Kojis	Taylor Swift
Beth Bremer	Keith Richards
Bob Zerneke	Maxiene Waters
Brad Milsap	Bob Uecker
Carrie Neumann	Ian McKellen
Chad Ulrich	Bill Cosby
Chris Zerneke	Madonna
Colin	Johnny Depp
Donna Hommen	William Shatner
Duane Rue	Cher
Ellen Joyce	Donny Osmund
Eric Zerneke	Steve Tyler
Gary Zibell	Harvey Weinstein
Gary Zmania	Jay Leno
Gillian Ulrich	Shia LaBeouf
Grace Leto	Sally Field
Greg Luther	Rudy Giuliani
James Imhoff	Bam Magera
Jan Jarlsberg	Sophia Loren
Jen Luther	Ndamukong Ngwa Suh
Joan Zerneke	Nancy Sinatra, Jr
Joe Leto	Tina Louise
Joe Luther	Richard Engel
Karen Day	Tom Cruise
Katie Luther	Rowan Atkinson
Kevin Luther	Yahya Sinwar
Kia Kienitz	Travis Barker
Kristie (Joe Leto's friend)	Ozzy Osbourne
Laura Zibell	Bob Newhart
Leah Zoladkiewicz	Bobby Brown
Lee Gjermo	Richard Gere
Lisa Zibell	Chris Christie
Marcus	Chevy Chase
Margie Ulrich	Robert Downey, Jr.
Marti Kojis	Britney Spears
Max Neumann	YG
Mike Johnson	Vladimir Putin
Mike Ziarnik	Kris Kristofferson
Mike Zoladkiewicz	Tekashi69
Monica Veum	Al Sharpton
Mya Lehmann	Carole King
Nancy Borchert	Paul Pelosi
Pam Ziarnik	Chris Rock
Randy Johnson	Travis Scott
Renee Johnson	Carol Brunette
Robby Zibell	Kanye West
Roman Leto	OJ Simpson
Sam Jefferson	Arnold Schwarzenegger
Tara Luther	Paula Abdul
Tom Luther	Bret Bielema
Travis Ulrich	Donald Trump
Trevor Leto	Dick Cheney

 

2024 Rules -The rules are simple and here they are:

1. The person must be a celebrity "now" and not become a celebrity because of their death.
2. The celebrity cannot be a death row inmate, even in states that don't execute death row inmates (e.g., California).
3. The you cannot kill anyone on your list.
4. The celebrity cannot be dead before you post your picks.
5. The celebrity must be human (no animals).
6. The celebrity cannot be diagnosed with a terminal illness.  

 

ü  Clarification in 2018:  Aids will be recognized as a terminal illness. You cannot pick someone diagnosed with Aids. If you already have a pick with Aids, they're grandfathered in.  You can keep them. 

ü  2023 ruling:  Dementia was recognized as a ‘life limiting or terminal’ illness and continued support of recognizing the diagnosis of Aids as a terminal illness.

7. Points are awarded by subtracting the age of the dead celebrity from 100 (50 year old gets you 50 points, 80 year old gets you 20 points, etc.).
8. All selections and entry fees must be submitted by noon on Thanksgiving Day.
9. NEW in 2018:  In the event of a roll-over and you don't have a bet for the previous year entry fee will include current and previous year and you only get 1 pick.
10. NEW in 2018:  You must be able to verbalize your pick. So you cannot make a bet for an unborn baby or someone in a coma.
11. NEW in 2018:  You must be paid up to win.
12. NEW in 2018:  Current owners of the pick have 'right of first refusal' to keep that pick, even if someone dies.
13. NEW in 2023:  Andrew Veum (RIP) gets to keep his last pick of Richard Simmons indefinitely.  Exemption to rule #10.