March Madness Bracket Contests

Approximately 40 million individuals in the United States partake in the tradition of completing at least one March Madness bracket annually, resulting in a total of approximately 70 million brackets being played. Notably, Warren Buffett has made an intriguing proposition wherein he promises to award a staggering $1 billion to anyone who manages to submit a flawless bracket.

Massachusetts can expect an increase in March Madness bracket contests, both free and with entry fees, now that online sports betting is legal. Here are the top sportsbooks offering the best contests for this exciting event.

Make sure to click here to find the most up-to-date game lines for March Madness.

Best free March Madness bracket contests

If you’re looking to take part in a free contest, here are some top Massachusetts sportsbooks worth considering.

DraftKings Sportsbook MA

There are two options available for March Madness bracket betting on the DraftKings MA Sportsbook app, which offers one of the most enticing deals in the market.

The initial offering is known as the March Mania Survivor Pool. In this competition, participants are required to make daily selections of winning teams throughout the tournament, until the Elite 8 stage where they select a single team for the entire round.

To progress in the pool, your team must emerge victorious. But here’s the twist: you can only use each team once, meaning strategic planning is essential. The team that secures the top spot in the pool will claim the coveted grand prize of $30,000.

The alternative choice is the $50,000 Bracket Battle, which follows a traditional bracket pool format where the value of a correct prediction increases with each progressing round.

BetMGM Sportsbook MA

The BetMGM MA Sportsbook stands out from other sportsbooks with an exceptional offer: a chance to win $2 million by achieving a flawless bracket selection.

Given the unlikelihood of that scenario, a more conventional reward awaits the participant with the top bracket. The champion will receive a cash prize of $100,000, indicating that BetMGM is offering a higher sum compared to DraftKings.

Every year, these sportsbooks organize NCAA bracket contests, and now that Massachusetts sports betting is live, you can participate in them.

Second-chance bracket contests

Despite the fact that most people’s brackets are shattered by the end of the first or second round, hope remains alive every March. Instead of allowing this to dampen your enjoyment of March Madness, consider seeking out a second-chance bracket contest as an alternative.

The majority of these competitions commence once the tournament enters the Sweet 16 stage. From that point on, you have the opportunity to submit a fresh bracket and strive to accurately predict the outcomes of the remaining 15 games.

How to fill out an NCAA Bracket online in Massachusetts

There are multiple methods available for signing up, but the most optimal and simplest approach is to click on one of our links provided above.

Next, it will be necessary for you to sign up and provide specific personal details like your name, address, and email. Once this step is finished, you can proceed to make your initial deposit, avail any applicable MA sports betting bonuses, and commence placing bets on college basketball.

As you proceed with your task, take the opportunity to search for March Madness odds and explore any other contests that are currently accessible.

How March Madness brackets are scored

Sportsbooks typically assign an increasing point value to contests, prioritizing higher scores for later rounds compared to the initial rounds.

As an example, let’s consider DraftKings and its scoring system for March Madness bracket contests.

• Points are awarded for correct picks in the first round, with a value of 10.
• Each second-round game carries a value of 20 points.
• The value of Sweet 16 games is 40 points.
• The Elite 8 games grant a total of 80 points.
• The Final Four matchups distribute a total of 160 points as awards.
• 320 points are earned by picking the champion.

The scoring format for March Madness bracket contests is pretty standard, where selecting the champion earns the same number of points as correctly predicting all 32 first-round games. Therefore, it is beneficial to accurately predict the later rounds to maximize your score.

How much can you win in bracket contests?

The amount you can potentially win is determined by the contest you choose to participate in. Each contest offers varying prizes, however, the major ones guarantee a minimum value of five figures.

The winner of DraftKings’ bracket contest stands a chance to win a grand prize of up to $5,000. Additionally, the second and third place contestants would be rewarded with $1,000 each.

$500 each would be awarded to those who secure the fourth and fifth positions. Even individuals who finish as low as 7755th place would still receive a prize of $1.

Once you have won cash, you can easily withdraw your winnings by selecting the “cashier” option in your player profile. The amount will be credited to your bank account or cash app within 72 hours. However, if you happen to win site credits in certain contests, you are required to utilize them by playing on the site.

Three absolute no’s when picking March Madness bracket contests

While it is rare for individuals to anticipate a flawless bracket, there are a few who fall into several beginner blunders. Here are three pitfalls you must steer clear of while completing your own bracket.

1. Picking all chalk

It is important not to solely choose higher-seeded teams. The NCAA tournament is known for its unpredictability, and there are bound to be significant upsets throughout the competition. In other words, lower-seeded teams have the potential to emerge as winners from time to time.

Failing to consider the possibility of an upset is a significant error as it can swiftly render your bracket meaningless. This is particularly true if a lower-ranked team unexpectedly progresses far in the tournament. For instance, in 2022, North Carolina defied expectations as the No. 8 seed and advanced all the way to the national championship game.

We highly recommend considering potential upsets in your bracket. It is important to recognize that basketball relies heavily on matchups, especially with the single-elimination format. While lower-seeded teams may not possess superior talent, their playing style might make them a more favorable choice over higher-seeded teams.

2. Picking too many upsets

On the other end of the spectrum, there are bettors who take a more daring approach and populate their brackets with numerous upsets. Although upsets are a possibility, this strategy may be excessive. It is improbable to correctly predict all of them.

Striking a balance is key. Feel free to choose a few upsets, but avoid making your entire bracket solely based on them.

3. Picking the same conference

It is rare for all teams that reach the tournament’s final stages to belong to the same conference. Certain conferences receive higher representation in the tournament, which influences some bettors’ choices.

Although a conference may appear strong and well-represented, it does not guarantee that all the teams will ultimately make it to the end. It is important to diversify your selections.

How is the March Madness bracket determined?

Once the conference tournaments conclude, a committee is responsible for selecting the teams. This committee diligently assesses team performance throughout the season, closely monitoring their progress leading up to the tournament.

Division I conference champions receive an automatic qualification for the tournament, while the remaining at-large bids are determined by the committee based on the teams’ worthiness.

The NCAA tournament consists of a total of 68 teams, which are divided into four regional brackets. Each region is comprised of teams that are seeded from No. 1 to No. 16.

This means there are a total of 64 spots available, with four of them being allocated after the “First Four” games in Dayton, Ohio. These particular games take place before the official start of the tournament on Thursday and involve the four lowest-ranked automatic qualifiers competing against the four lowest at-large teams.

March Madness brackets FAQs

New bettors often have questions regarding March Madness bracket gambling.

When do March Madness brackets come out?

Once the conference tournaments conclude, the brackets are unveiled. The revelation of the brackets is referred to as Selection Sunday and occurs on the Sunday preceding the commencement of the tournament.

How many bracket contests can you enter?

There is no limit to the number of bracket contests you can participate in. Certain contests may have a restriction of one bracket per person, while others may permit you to submit multiple brackets to your heart’s content.

How many combinations are there for March Madness brackets?

In a typical NCAA Tournament bracket, there are 63 games, resulting in a total of 2^63 possible outcomes. This enormous number can be expressed as 9,223,372,036,854,775,808, which is equivalent to 9.2 quintillion combinations.

What are the odds of a perfect bracket?

The vast number of potential results in these games makes the chances of obtaining a perfect bracket incredibly slim. By flipping a coin for each game, the probability of achieving a flawless bracket is estimated to be 1 in 9.2 quintillions.

If you possess expertise in college hoops, your chances are considerably higher, yet they still amount to a mere 1 in 120.1 billion.

How many March Madness brackets are filled out every year?

Americans submit approximately 70 million brackets each year for this tournament.

What’s the best-ever March Madness bracket?

A flawless bracket was shared by an Ohio resident during the Sweet 16 in the year 2019. The NCAA stated that such an immaculate bracket had never been witnessed by them prior to this.