He wants to organise a contest that involves guessing who will win ina football match

Is it permissible to organise a contest basedon guessing the outcome
of football matches, predicting whowill win and what the score will be
in return for prizes such as money,coupons or gifts? Participation in
the contest will be free and there will be no fees. Is this halaal or
haraam?.
Praise be to Allaah.
It is not permissible to organise contests for cash prizes or other
prizes in which the contestants guess who will win a football match,
and the prize is given to the one who guesses right. That is for a
number of reasons, including the following:
1.
This does not come under the heading of the kinds of contests that are
permitted in Islam; rather it comes under the heading of the kinds of
contests that are forbidden, because of the report narrated by Abu
Dawood(2574), at-Tirmidhi (1700) – and he classed itas hasan – and Ibn
Maajah (2878) from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), that
the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "There
should be no (money) prizes for racing except races with camels and
horses, and archery contests." Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in
Saheeh Abi Dawood, andothers.
The "(money) prize" is a payment or prize that is given to the one who
wins the race or contest. Ibn al-Atheer said in an-Nihaayah (2/844):
It is money that is set asideas a pledge for the winner. End quote.
As-Sindi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Al-Khattaabi said: i.e., it is not permissible to accept money for
racing except in two cases: camel racing and horse racing. And added
to that are similar things such as use of weapons, because offering
prizes for these things is encouraging jihad.
End quote from Haashiyat as-Sindi 'ala Sunan Ibn Maajah, 2/206
So it is not permissible togive prizes for such contests, whether the
money comes from one of the two contestants or from another party.
2.
Predicting the outcome and saying that such-and-such team will win and
the score will be such-and-such is speculation that has no foundation.
How does one know that the score will be as he is predicting?
3.
Holding such contests is a kind of cooperating in sin and
transgression. In fact, competing in football itself only leads to
corruption and there is no benefit in it. What should be done is
prohibiting it, not organizing contests and offering prizes that
support it.
The scholars of the (Standing) Committee said:
Football matches for money or other prizes are haraam, because that is
gambling. It is notpermissible to receive prizes for anything except
that which is permitted in sharee'ah, which is horse and camel racing
and archery. Based on that, attending matches is also haraam, as is
watching them, for the one who knows that the match is being played
for money, because attending it is showing approval of it. But if the
match is not for prizes and it will not distract from what Allah has
enjoined of prayer and other duties, and it doesnot involve anything
haraam such as uncovering the 'awrah, or mixing of men and women, or
musical instruments, then there is nothing wrong with it or with
watching it.
End quote from Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah, 15/239
If this is the ruling on watching it, what wouldthe ruling be on
helping in it and allocating prizes for that?
Based on that, it is not permissible to organize the contest mentioned
in the question. The Muslim should keep himself busy with that which
concerns him of both worldly and spiritual matters.