How to use it
- Type the Games in the season, for example 162 for a Major League Baseball season.
- Type the Wins of the team and the Losses of the rival it must stay ahead of.
- Read the Magic number. Each further win by the team, or loss by the rival, lowers it by one.
- When the Clinched? box is green, the place cannot be lost to that rival.
How the magic number is worked out
The National Hockey League defines the magic number on its Devils playoff page as the number of points a team gains combined with the points its rival loses, from now until the rival can no longer pass it. A league decided by wins and losses counts the same thing in games.
The standard formula for that count, with no tied games, is the games in the season plus one, minus the wins of the team, minus the losses of the rival. When the result is zero or less, the rival cannot reach as many wins as the team already has, so the place is clinched.
Magic number = games in the season + 1 − wins of the team − losses of the rival
Example: 162 + 1 − 90 − 60 = 13What the number does not show
- Who the rival is. The figure is for one rival; a place in a playoff group can depend on several teams, and each needs its own number.
- Tied games and the tie-break order. The formula assumes a winner in every game. Leagues that score points for draws need a count in points.
- Games between the team and its rival. A win by the team over that rival also adds a loss to the rival, so the number falls by two in one game, and the place can be clinched sooner than the arithmetic of the remaining schedule suggests.
Worked example: a 162-game season
A team on 90 wins, whose nearest rival has 60 losses, in a 162-game season: 162 + 1 − 90 − 60 = 13. The team needs 13 more results of the kind that count: wins for the team or losses for the rival, in any mix.
If the rival then loses 3 more games and the team wins 2, the magic number is 8. At 100 wins against 63 losses it is 0, and the place is clinched.
Frequently asked questions
What is a magic number?
It is the number of wins a team still needs, added to the losses of its nearest rival, to be sure of finishing ahead of that rival. When it reaches zero the team has clinched the place.
Why does a rival's loss count the same as a win by the team?
Each game the rival loses gives the team one step closer to clinching, as each win by the team does. The magic number shrinks by one for either result.
Which rival should I enter for a playoff place?
Enter the team just outside the places you want to be sure of, because it is the one that can take the place away. For first place, enter the team in second.
Can the calculator be used for a league with points and draws?
Not with this formula. A league that scores points for draws needs a count in points, as the NHL's definition works in points gained and lost.
Is the magic number an exact forecast?
No. It shows only the arithmetic of the standings; it does not predict results or the order of the games that remain.
Sources
Figures and text last checked on Wednesday, November 11, 2026.