Judges/Officials Travel and Reimbursement Procedure

Hotels for 2025

Now updated for 2025

Odyssey of the Mind has reserved group blocks in the several hotels for Judges and Odyssey Officials and teams coming from outside the North TX Region.

We ask that you book and pay your own room, whether in a contracted hotel or other, and then submit the receipt for reimbursement. The hotel reservation must be made in the name of the judge, spouse or another OM judge, if sharing.

If you need a special arrangement, you must contact us at statejudge@txodyssey.org by March 8th, 2025. This includes but is not limited to:

• If you have difficulty meeting the pre-payment and you wish to ask for pre-paid arrangements by Odyssey.

• If you are travelling alone and wish to be paired with another judge as roommate in the Judges hotel in order to avoid paying the other half yourself.

• If you are travelling with a team and would prefer to stay closer to the competition for an early start, before the team needs to be there.

• In any of those situations, you still need to submit your travel reimbursement request.

Only trained judges who have judged at Regionals are covered by the reimbursement policy. Substitute judges or untrained judges are not reimbursed but they can provide team credit after arrangement. Our full reimbursement policy and procedure can be downloaded here.

The updated "maximum allowance" for 2025 is: $69.62 per judge or Odyssey official (per qualifying night). This is based on half the contracted room rate (double occupancy) at the more expensive judge hotel ($119 + tax /2). You will be reimbursed the actual cost of your hotel up to the maximum allowance. The hotel reservation should be made in the name of the judge, or spouse, or other judge sharing the room.
Movies and other personal charges are not covered.
The sooner you submit your reimbursement request form, the better. Deadline to submit: March 20th, 2025 in order to get reimbursed on tournament weekend. If you submit your request later, (By April 30, 2025), you will be reimbursed by mail.

You must follow-up with your actual hotel receipt after you check-out. The receipt must be in the name of the judge, a spouse, or another OM judge. A hotel reservation is not a valid document for reimbursement. Hotels paid with points are not subject to reimbursement. You can also bring a printed copy to judge check-in at the tournament or email to statejudge@txodyssey.org.
If you are not checking out on Saturday morning, please specify it in your reimbursement request. You can email/upload the hotel receipt later. You will then receive reimbursement by mail.

Reimb. info

Procedure To submit your Judge or Odyssey official Hotel/Mileage Reimbursement:

Step 1: Obtain Team Information for the team your are representing at state, membership name, membership number, problem number, division, coach's name and email and know your Odyssey Region. Advance your judge registration to State.

Step 2: Make your hotel reservation.

Step 3: Fill out and submit online Judges Reimbursement Form by March 20th, 2025 at the latest - whether or not you stay at the Official hotels. You (and/or your qualifying roommate) must do this. The deadline to submit your request online is March 20th, 2025 to get your check at the tournament. You can still submit and mail in your receipts by April 30th. The check will be mailed to you.

Step 4: If you cancel your plans, contact the State Judge Coordinator so that they can fill your position.  If you don't cancel your reservation with the hotel, they may charge you up to one night's full rate which will not be reimbursed by Odyssey. 

Step 5: ALL ONLINE

• Submit your Reimbursement Form electronically, keep a copy of the confirmation email which will have a link to “Edit your Response”. By March 20th, 2025.

• For mileage expense: Save electronically a one-page map from your school/home and Email to statejudge@txodyssey.org to justify the mileage.

• For hotel expense: Obtain your actual hotel receipt when you check-out. A reservation confirmation or check-in slip is not sufficient for reimbursement. Also, hotel paid with points will not be reimbursed. You must submit the receipt of payment in dollars.

• Email to statejudge@txodyssey.org by 10 am on competition day.

• Your check will only be ready before end of day, if you have submitted the Judge Travel Form online by the deadline (see Step 3 above) and emailed all appropriate receipts by 10 am on tournament day.

Note: You can still submit your reimbursement request later, until April 30th, and email in all receipts. Your check will be sent by regular mail.

Questions? Email statejudge@txodyssey.org with “State Reimbursement” in the subject line.