The hottest Competitions Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Sports Topics

March Media Madness: Determining America's Worst Podcaster

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 2269 implied HN points • 20 Mar 26
🎙 Podcasts Competitions
  1. It's a satirical bracket-style tournament that pits podcasters against each other so the most wrong or awful one advances, culminating in a live championship.
  2. Readers can help decide outcomes and submit terrible podcast pitches for a $1000 prize, with runners-up receiving merch prizes.
  3. The contest deliberately rewards sensationalism, mistakes, and cancel-culture theatrics, treating outrage and bad ideas as the event's main draw.

The vibes and the noise

benn.substack • 1227 implied HN points • 12 Dec 25
🎾 Sports Competitions
  1. Recent gymnastics scoring disputes highlight how rules and judging can be complex and sometimes unfair. In a case, a gymnast lost her medal due to a timing issue with a protest about her score.
  2. There’s a growing trend away from data-driven decision making, and instead, more emphasis is placed on intuition and 'vibes.' Companies are shifting their focus to how things feel rather than just relying on numbers.
  3. AI is becoming more integrated in sports and decision-making processes, as it can better interpret performances and judge routines. This represents a potential shift in how we evaluate things like gymnastics, moving towards a more feels-based approach.

I Hated Novak Djokovic. Now I’m Rooting for Him.

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 2805 implied HN points • 23 Aug 25
🎾 Sports Competitions
  1. Many tennis fans initially disliked Novak Djokovic because he was too good, often overshadowing other favorites like Roger Federer. It's common for people to root against someone who's very successful.
  2. Watching Djokovic's matches can be intense, especially when he's up against beloved players like Federer. His skills often leave fans with mixed feelings during critical moments in the game.
  3. Over time, some fans realize they appreciate Djokovic's talent and resilience, leading to a change of heart about his place in tennis history. People can grow to support players they once disliked.

Playing your best, up to the end

The Leap • 339 implied HN points • 19 Jul 24
🎾 Sports Competitions
  1. Playing your best is important, even when things look tough. It helps you learn and grow, no matter the outcome.
  2. Tracking your progress can give you valuable insights, especially when it comes to unexpected results. It’s a great way to see where you stand.
  3. Life can be like poker; sometimes you don't win, but that doesn’t mean you didn’t play well or that you can’t improve for next time.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Where have the International Math Olympiad Gold Medallists Ended Up? Part One of Three

Neeloy’s Substack • 119 implied HN points • 24 Jul 24
🚌 Education Competitions
  1. Many International Math Olympiad gold medalists end up pursuing careers in different fields, not just in finance or academia. It's interesting to see how their paths vary after such early success.
  2. Data collection on these medalists shows a clear trend where China dominates in terms of gold medals, with a majority of their students achieving this top honor. This highlights the competitive environment in math education in that country.
  3. The dataset used to track these medalists has its limitations, particularly due to language and cultural barriers in finding information. However, the findings still provide valuable insights into the outcomes of these talented individuals.

"Be Ready for Anything"

Range Widely • 1611 implied HN points • 07 Sep 23
🎾 Sports Competitions
  1. Flexible mindset is key to success in unpredictable situations.
  2. Expect the unexpected and be prepared for things to go wrong.
  3. Adopting adaptability helps in navigating high-pressure scenarios.

$800 -> $85k in 72 Hours: Reflections on Luck and Skill from the Part Time Poker Grind

The Hobbyist • 77 HN points • 22 Jul 24
🎾 Sports Competitions
  1. Poker is a game where luck is a big part of winning. Even skilled players can lose because the odds are often against them.
  2. The process of playing poker matters more than just the results. Understanding how to play well shows true skill, not just winning a tournament once.
  3. To improve in poker, players should focus on getting more experience. Playing online or teaming up with other players helps in gaining more practice and learning better strategies.

You can't spell VEGAS POKER without E-V and R-A-K-E

Matt’s Five Points • 99 implied HN points • 26 Jun 24
🎾 Sports Competitions
  1. Public poker tournaments can be tougher to profit from than home games because of the rake. The rake is a cut the casino takes, making it harder for players to win money.
  2. Expected value (EV) is important in poker. Good players can have positive EV, while many players in public games are actually losing players due to the rake.
  3. Starting a home poker game can be a better option for recreational players. Without the rake, more players can win, making it a more enjoyable experience.

to kaggle, or not to kaggle

Mindful Modeler • 379 implied HN points • 13 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Competitions
  1. There are conflicting views on Kaggle - some see it as a playground while others believe it produces top machine learning results.
  2. Participating in Kaggle competitions can be beneficial to learn core supervised machine learning concepts.
  3. The decision to focus on Kaggle competitions should depend on how much daily tasks align with Kaggle-style work.

Maths Olympiad Update

By Reason Alone • 114 implied HN points • 08 Nov 25
🚌 Education Competitions
  1. Stripe is now the main sponsor of the Irish Maths Olympiad, helping secure funding for the next three years. This is a huge boost for promoting maths in Ireland.
  2. More training camps and classes for students are being created, which means more young people will have opportunities to excel in maths. This includes new centres for junior maths enrichment across several locations.
  3. Ireland performed exceptionally well in the International Maths Olympiad this year, achieving its best results ever. This shows the positive impact of the recent support and funding.

I have all the answers!⏱

The Lap Count • 589 implied HN points • 15 Feb 23
🎾 Sports Competitions
  1. The Millrose Games provide historical context and insight into the world of track and field events.
  2. Transitioning from being an elite athlete to a coach requires a shift in perspective and empathy for athletes.
  3. There is a need for better incentives and prioritization to encourage top athletes to participate in key events like the USATF Indoor Meet and World Cross Country Championships.

Town Square #3: World Athletics to stress test US sprinter's contaminated-oxtail defence

Honest Sport • 19 implied HN points • 16 Aug 24
🎾 Sports Competitions
  1. Erriyon Knighton, a US sprinter, tested positive for a banned steroid but argued it was from contaminated oxtail. He provided evidence that the meat had been purchased for someone else.
  2. The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has appealed against Knighton's ruling. If they win, he could be disqualified from the Paris Olympics.
  3. The case is different from another sprinter, Alex Wilson, who had a more dubious defense. Knighton's situation highlighted how contamination can happen with meat raised with growth hormones.

Apply to the Moku Guild Boost Program now!

Ronin’s Newsletter • 24 implied HN points • 06 Jan 26
🔮 Crypto Competitions
  1. Moku's Guild Boost Program offers grants (up to $50,000 per applicant) to help guilds prepare for Grand Arena Season 1.
  2. Any guild with at least 10 members can apply (competitive experience is optional), and applications are open until two weeks after Season 1 launches or until funds run out.
  3. Guild leaders apply via the online form, wait for approval, add @hantao on Discord, and receive grant funds to buy gems, cards, packs, or contest entries.

Business is BOOMING⏱

The Lap Count • 334 implied HN points • 22 Feb 23
🎾 Sports Competitions
  1. Business is booming at thelapcount.substack.com
  2. VELOUS footwear brand launched new styles for active recovery
  3. Exciting highlights from World Cross Country Championships, Fred Kerley's ASICS signing, and USATF Championships

My plan to fix the NBA All-Star game

Silver Bulletin • 249 implied HN points • 19 Feb 25
🎾 Sports Competitions
  1. The NBA All-Star Game has seen declining competitive play, with fewer fouls and lower stakes making it less exciting for fans.
  2. A proposed 3-on-3 tournament features All-Stars lined up by their NBA teams to create chemistry and pride, potentially improving game intensity.
  3. Changing the format to emphasize personal pride and fun might make the All-Star event more enjoyable and engaging for both players and fans.

2023 Kaggle AI Report

Bojan’s Newsletter • 196 implied HN points • 10 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Competitions
  1. Kaggle is a valuable platform for data science and ML career development
  2. Kaggle solutions often offer innovative insights ahead of research and industry trends
  3. Tabular data ML remains an important area in the field of machine learning

The Origins S11 Postseason is LIVE!

The Lunacian • 276 implied HN points • 08 Jan 25
🎾 Sports Competitions
  1. The Origins Postseason has started, with players now competing for top prizes. Aremzy is leading the leaderboard and will face off against others in the Elite 8.
  2. The Elite 8 Tournament offers a prize pool of 3,000 AXS, and it takes place on January 8th. It's a big event for the best players in the game.
  3. Morph Tickets are new items that let players change axie parts easily. They will be given out during the tournament and are a helpful addition to the game.

Big Super Bowl Prizes!

House of Strauss • 5 implied HN points • 05 Feb 26
🎾 Sports Competitions
  1. It’s Super Bowl week with related festivities and in-person meetups among sports people.
  2. SportsPredict is hosting a zero-risk pick'em contest tied to the game where participants make picks and the top three finishers will receive prizes.
  3. The newsletter is reader-supported and encourages readers to subscribe, offering both free and paid subscription options.