The NCAA Tournament is here, and it wasted no time living up to its reputation as the most unpredictable event in sports. Fans who spent hours analyzing matchups and trusting their gut had their dreams shattered within hours.
By the end of the first day of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, an astonishing 97% of brackets had already been busted. The tournament’s signature chaos had claimed millions of hopefuls—and we’re only getting started.
Day 1: A Bracket-Busting Bloodbath
If you thought you had a shot at perfection, think again. Out of more than 34 million brackets submitted across major platforms, fewer than 36,000 survived the day unscathed.
The first-round action was relentless, delivering shocking upsets and proving once again that predicting the outcome of all 63 games is practically impossible. But hey, that’s why we love March Madness, right?
The biggest bracket killer of the day? No. 12 seed McNeese State’s thrilling 69-67 victory over No. 5 seed Clemson. This game alone wiped out over 9 million perfect brackets.
Fans who picked the Tigers likely felt safe heading into the matchup, but McNeese had other plans. Brandon Murray came off the bench and dropped 21 points, while Quadir Copeland stuffed the stat sheet with 16 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. Clemson’s late-game heroics weren’t enough, and just like that, millions of brackets crumbled.
Then came No. 10 Arkansas, delivering another stunning blow by toppling No. 7 Kansas. The Jayhawks, a perennial basketball powerhouse, entered the NCAA Tournament with high hopes, but the Razorbacks had different plans. The loss further slashed the number of perfect brackets to below 1%.
And just when you thought things couldn’t get any crazier, No. 11 seed Drake pulled off a 67-57 upset over No. 6 seed Missouri, cutting the remaining number of flawless brackets in half once again. At this point, perfection was a mere fantasy.
Let’s be honest—your chances of picking a perfect bracket are about as slim as winning the lottery while getting struck by lightning. The odds of randomly selecting every game correctly stand at 1 in 9.2 quintillion (yes, quintillion). Even for the most die-hard college basketball experts, that number only improves slightly to 1 in 120.2 billion.
In case you were wondering, no one has ever submitted a verifiably perfect bracket. The closest attempt came in 2019 when an Ohio man correctly picked the first 49 games before finally slipping in the Elite Eight.
Brackets Busted, But Prizes Still Up for Grabs
If you’re feeling down about your failed bracket, don’t worry—there are still prizes up for grabs. Various organizations are offering massive rewards for those who dare to dream big.
- X is offering an all-expenses-paid trip to Mars for anyone who somehow submits a perfect bracket. If a Mars voyage isn’t your thing, you can opt for a cool $250,000, a SpaceX astronaut training experience, and a VIP viewing of a Starship launch instead.
- USA Today Sports has promised $1 million to anyone who miraculously gets all 63 games right.
- The NCAA’s Bracket Challenge Sweepstakes offers two tickets to next year’s Men’s Final Four, a four-night hotel stay, $1,500 for airfare, and $750 in spending money to the contestant with the best bracket.
MORE MARCH MADNESS: Former Pres. Barack Obama Picks Duke To Win It All in Annual March Madness Bracket
So, while perfection is off the table, there are still reasons to stay engaged and keep rooting for your picks.
Despite the madness, some tournament favorites are still standing strong. According to DraftKings, Duke remains the odds-on favorite to win it all with +320 odds. Florida (+380), Auburn (+450), and Houston (+600) round out the top contenders.
Don’t miss a moment of March Madness! Download your 2025 NCAA Tournament printable bracket and stay on top of every game, matchup, and Cinderella story. Get yours now!
