Football Mania starts this week!

The Lockhart Post-Register is proud to announce the beginning of the latest season of Football Mania.

Beginning this week, interested readers are invited to take part in the weekly contest that boasts a variety of prizes – not the least of which is bragging rights in the community.

One of last year’s biggest winners, Mark Karl, said Monday he is excited to

see the return of the game.

“I love it… I don’t remember how long I’ve been playing,” he said. “I know that my wife sometimes gets annoyed at the amount of time I spend on it… but it’s fun!”

Karl joked that he would not discuss the secret formula that allows him to be successful in picking winning teams every week, but said he hopes to be successful again this year.

As in prior years, the Post-Register has partnered with area businesses for Football Mania. Each partner business listed on Page 4B of this week’s Post-Register will accept gift certificates from the first, second and third place winners. The partner businesses offer a variety of goods and services, from restaurant dining to self storage, from real estate sales and management to exercise programs.

“We have several new partner businesses this year, and we are hoping that will drive Football Mania even more,” said Dana Garrett, the publisher of the Lockhart Post-Register. “When our competitors know that they can get not only a meal, but car repairs, workouts or have their lawn mowed, we hope the competition will get even more fierce.”

That “fierce competition” amounts to hundreds of entrants over the course of the contest, each of whom believes his or her method for determining winning teams is the best.

Only time will tell.

Football Mania entries will be accepted beginning at 4 p.m. each Wednesday, and must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Fridays, prior to the kickoff of the earliest high school football game scheduled for that week. Winners may pick up their gift certificates beginning on Thursday mornings.

For more information on Football Mania, contact the Lockhart Post-Register at (512) 398-4886 or see Page 4B of today’s Post-Register.