Bracket Pool

BRACKET POOL

2025 PRIZES

Updated 04/08/25

1st Place	$495	Doug Weist	Best Pick Percentage*	$10	Kyle Schaeffer ($5) \| Courtney Kopanke ($5)
2nd Place	$245	Kurt Kopanke	Strength of Victory	$5	Jackie Melusky
3rd Place	$80	EMP 1	Average Place*	$10	Peter P Capitano (2nd tie-breaker)
			Extreme Average Place*	$10	Smokey Bourbon2 (1st tie-breaker)
			Middle Place*	$10	Caleb Baldwin
			Last Place*	$5	Sara O

2025 BRACKET POOL BANTER

NOTEWORTHY BRACKETS (out of 174 total)

MOVERS/LOSERS

Number of UPSETS by seed in the 2025 Tournament:

Updated 04/07/25, 11:15pm

Day 10: 0 of 1

Day 9: 0 of 2 (1v1 is same seed, so no technical upset, but both Florida and Houston were ranked lower than their opponent by committee)

Day 8: 0 of 2

Day 7: 0 of 2

Day 6: 0 of 4

Day 5: 0 of 4 (first day without an upset)

Day 4: 1 of 8

Day 3: 3 of 8

Day 2, evening session: 1 of 8

Day 2, afternoon session: 2 of 8

Day 1, evening session: 2 of 8, no perfect brackets remain (Gm13)

Day 1, afternoon session: 2 of 8

TOTAL NUMBER OF UPSETS: 11 of 63 (17%)

[last year 30% overall]

TOTAL NUMBER OF OVERTIME GAMES: 1

That's interesting. Or not

Updated 04/08/25, 12:30am

The Top 3 finishers finished within 4 points of each other.

Places 4 and 5 actually had more wins than the Top 3.

The most wins (51) finished in Places 7 and 10.

Updated 04/07/25, 11:15pm

3 brackets (2%) had a perfect bracket from Final 4 thru the Champion:

J B

Joe Mashack

Ronald Beissel Jr

Of the Top 25 finishers, 20 correctly picked Florida as Champion, including the Top 3 finishers.

Updated 04/07/25, 11:00pm

5 brackets (3%) had a perfect bracket from Final 4 to Championship game:

Updated 04/06/25, 12:50am

16 brackets (9%) picked the Championship game correctly:

Chris Hobbs	Matt caulfield
Christopher Hobbs	ngood
J B	QTGUZZLER #3
Jack Rhoades	Qtguzzler II
Jason Boris 5	Ronald Beissel Jr
Joe Mashack	Ryan Caulfield
Joe P	Shaun Cullather
Kyle Schaeffer 2	Tim Dando

Updated 04/05/25, 10:30pm

20 brackets (11%) picked the Final Four correctly (all No. 1 seeds. How risky).

Aaron Broomell	Joe P
Catdys	Kyle Schaeffer
D. Beissel	Lucas Homovich
Dave Walasavage	Matt McGhee4
EMP 4	Megz Sheet of Integrity
GIGI D	Qtguzzler
Glenn Roth	Rob Melusky
J B	Ronald Beissel Jr
Jason Boris 4	Smokey Bourbon
Joe Mashack	Tim Dando

Updated 03/30/25, 2:30pm

11 upsets through the Elite 8 is the fewest number of upsets since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985.

Updated 03/30/25, 11:00am

Half of the Final 4 has been decided with No. 1 Duke and No. Florida advancing. They are our two most popular picks. However, only 74 Brackets (43%) picked both.

Updated 03/29/25, 11:55a

The second day of the Sweet 16 (Day 6) also had no seed upsets.

39 Brackets (22%) had all four games correct on Day 6.

Zero brackets has all eight games of the Sweet 16 correct.

The brackets with the most wins (47) after Day 6 are:

9. Jackie Melusky

22. Courtney Kopanke

Updated 03/28/25, 12:55a

The first day of the Sweet 16 (Day 5) saw all four seed favorites win for our first day without a seed upset. Last year, our first day without an upset was Day 7.

Updated 03/23/25, 10:30a

The only bracket to pick both BYU and Arkansas to win their Second Round games: Grouch's Growlers

Updated 03/21/25, 8:50p

After the afternoon session of Day 2, our best bracket had only 2 of 24 wrong:

March10

And everybody has at least half correct.

Updated 03/21/25, 10:30am

After Day 1, nobody is perfect. Four brackets have only one incorrect pick:

Our last perfect bracket is no longer perfect.

It was the announcer jinx.

Alec Plesh bracket busted at Game 13, the game after he was announced as last perfect bracket.

Utah St did NOT upset UCLA like he predicted.

Updated 03/20/25, 10:10pm

After 12 of the 16 games on Day 1, there is only one perfect bracket:

Alec Plesh

Updated 03/20/25, 6:00pm

The 5v12 upset happened again: #12 McNeese St beat #5 Clemson.

Of the four 5v12 matchups (which are popular upset picks), this was the least popular upset. Only 35 brackets picked McNeese.

Most popular 5v12 upset pick: #12 Colorado St over #5 Memphis, picked by 84 brackets. The gambling books actually had Colorado State as the favorite to win.

Below are some snapshots of our Bracket Pool Standings

Most Bracket points earned in each category

After Day 10

Updated 04/07/25, 11:15pm

Standard Pts (Net)	172	Joe Mashack
Underdog Pts	34	slyueng
Seed Pts	190	Grant F Yoder
TOTAL PTS	341	Doug Weist

Most popular Final 4 Teams

Updated 04/07/25, 11:15pm

Seed	Team	Final 4	Finals	Champion	Rnd L
1	Duke	129	101	55	F4
1	Florida	95	75	43
1	Auburn	90	46	22	F4
1	Houston	74	35	19	Final
2	St Johns	34	18	6	2nd
2	Michigan St	48	14	6	E8
4	Maryland	15	6	6	S16
2	Alabama	25	13	3	E8
2	Tennessee	45	9	2	E8
8	UConn	7	4	2	2nd
8	Gonzaga	7	3	2	2nd
3	Kentucky	16	2	2	S16
3	Wisconsin	7	4	1	2nd
4	Texas A&M	7	2	1	2nd
5	Michigan	6	2	1	S16
7	Kansas	4	1	1	1st
5	Oregon	4	1	1	2nd
6	Illinois	2	1	1	2nd
3	Texas Tech	16	3	0	E8
4	Purdue	13	2	0	S16
4	Arizona	7	2	0	S16
8	Louisville	6	2	0	1st
7	UCLA	2	1	0	2nd
6	Missouri	1	1	0	1st
5	Clemson	13	0	0	1st
3	Iowa St	7	0	0	2nd
7	Marquette	3	0	0	1st
9	Creighton	2	0	0	2nd
11	North Carolina	2	0	0	1st
6	Ole Miss	1	0	0	S16
8	Mississippi St	1	0	0	1st
10	New Mexico	1	0	0	2nd
9	Oklahoma	1	0	0	1st
5	Memphis	1	0	0	1st
10	Utah St	1	0	0	1st
10	Vanderbilt	1	0	0	1st
11	Xavier	1	0	0	1st
12	UC San Diego	1	0	0	1st

Brackets with Champion correct: 43 (23%)

2025 ENTRY INFORMATION

Updated 03/16/25

***** IF YOU PREDICT A PERFECT BRACKET, ALL PLACE WINNINGS ARE CANCELED & PERFECT BRACKET TAKES ALL *****

*** SAME POOL SETUP AS LAST YEAR ***

Entry Form:

We are using the same third-party vendor as we did last year. You will need to create a free log-in account if you do not have one from last year. You will be able to create several brackets within the same account, but you will need to pay for each bracket you submit.

WEBSITE FOR SUBMITTING BRACKETS AND FOLLOWING STANDINGS

League URL: officepoolstop.com/MyPool/49375
Password: 2023

You can create multiple brackets by clicking "Create Clone" on your "Settings" page.

Entry Fee:

$5 per Bracket DO NOT PAY THROUGH officepoolstop.com they will add services fees.

Please pay in the following ways (in order of preference):

1. PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/brianbaldwin

2. Venmo: https://venmo.com/BrianBaldwin570

3. Cash (in person or mail address at bottom of page)

4. Check (via in-person or mail address at bottom of page)

Deadline:

THURSDAY, March 20, 2025, 12:00pm ET

Winnings:

ALL ENTRY FEES ARE PAID OUT IN WINNINGS

1st Place ~60% of total received, minus smaller prize amounts

2nd Place ~30%...

3rd Place ~10%...

Best Pick Percentage* $10

Strength of Victory $5

Average Place* $10

Extreme Average Place* $10

Middle Place* $10

Last Place* $5

* Best Pick Percentage is the entry with the best overall win percentage for the entire bracket. Due to the nature of the scoring system, Best Pick Percentage may or may not be one of the top three finishers. There have also been in the past multiple entries tied for the best overall win percentage. In that case, the Best Pick prize is split evenly.

* Average Place is the bracket which is closest to the average value (the arithmetic mean) of all of the brackets' total points. It is calculated by summing the total points of all the brackets and then dividing by the number of brackets. This place should land somewhere in the middle of the pack.

* Extreme Average Place is the position closest to the average of the sum of the total points of the 1st Place position and the total points of the Last Place position ({high points + low points}/2}. It is the average of the two extreme values of points. Another way of looking at it is that you are extremely average. [I know, I know. The mathematicians amongst us probably have issues with this explanation].

* Middle Place is the median of the brackets' rank this place should land squarely in the middle.

* Last Place. You're pathetic. Here's your money back.

** BRACKET POOL SCORING RULES & TIE-BREAKERS **

FINE PRINT: Although very unlikely, if the number of entries increase dramatically, I might add more prize positions Commissioner's discretion. I will decide shortly after entry deadline. Also, I have no idea how the new software will track the winnings. If I can add the 3 average places back (at $10 each), I will adjust the other winnings to make that happen.

BRACKET POOL ADVICE (DON'T TAKE IT) updated for 2025

Here, we will provide some specific facts about past NCAA tournaments and the current teams. Perhaps this will help you fill out your brackets, perhaps it will not. And, just like stocks, past performance does not guarantee future returns.

[notes based on 2025 Tournament results]

Updated 04/08/25, 12:30am

Round of 64 (First Round)

Big South: 1-28 all time in Round of 64.

High Point is their rep this year.

[Big South now 1-29]

Since inception in 2011, a First Four team has won a Round of 64 in every tourney except 2019.

5 teams made Sweet 16.

2 teams made Final 4 (VCU 2011, UCLA 2021).

[no First Four team won in the First Rnd this year]

In 2017, all 1s, 2s, 3s and 4s won their First Round game. Prior to that, the last time that happened was 2007. It's happened just six times since 1985.

[happened again this year all won]

Since 2000, only once have the No. 6 seeds won all four meetings with No. 11 seeds in a single tournament (2004).

[still true, No. 11 Drake won]

The No. 8 seeds swept all four meetings in 2016 for the first time since 2002. The 9 seeds swept the 2019 tourney. Last year, 8 seeds won only 1 vs 9 seeds.

[8 seeds went 2-2 this year]

There has only been one tournament where 7 seeds were swept by 10 seeds (1999).

[still true]

Multiple No. 11 seeds have advanced to Round of 32 in 8 of last 10 tournaments. [only 1 advanced, so now 8 of last 11 tournaments]

Since 2015, the 6v11 has been 21-23. [now 24-24]

Since 2000, only once have the No. 6 seeds won all four meetings with No. 11 seeds (2004). [still true]

No. 12 seeds have won 50 first-round games since the field expanded in 1985. [now 52]

There were only 6 years (1988, 2000, 2007, 2015, 2018 and 2023) to not have a 12 seed win.

No. 12 seeds went 2-2 last year.

[12 seeds went 2-2, McNeese & Colo St]

No. 13 seeds have beaten a No. 4 in 11 of past 15 NCAA Tournaments., [not this year]

#13 Yale beat #4 Auburn last year.

[13 seeds went 0-4]

No. 14 seeds have won at least 1 game in 6 of the last 11 years, [not this year]

(#14 Oakland beat #3 Kentucky last year) but two No. 14 seeds winning in the same tourney has only happened three times (2015, 1995, 1986). [that part still true]

Round of 64 all-time record [2025 results]

1v16:	154-2	(99%)	4-0
2v15:	145-11	(93%)	4-0
3v14:	133-23	(85%)	4-0
4v13:	123-33	(79%)	4-0
5v12:	101-55	(65%)	2-2
6v11:	95-61	(61%)	3-1
7v10:	96-60	(62%)	2-2
8v9:	75-81	(48%)	2-2

Teams entering the Tournament with losing records have only won 1 game ever.

Saint Francis is the only team with a losing record this year (16-17).

[still true]

Maryland is 15-1 in Round of 64 since 1998.

[now 16-1]

Gonzaga has won their first NCAA tournament game in each of the last 15 seasons.

[now 16 seasons]

Round of 32 (Second Round)

At least one double-digit seed has reached the Sweet 16 every year but two since '85 (1995, 2007).

[still true, #10 Arkansas]

And 18 times there have been at least three double-digit seeds to make the Sweet 16.

[won't have 3 teams this year]

Auburn is the No. 1 overall seed in this year's NCAA Tournament. The No. 1 overall seed has also lost in the Second Round three times.

[Auburn survived, barely]

Creighton is 3-9 in Round of 32.

[now 3-10]

A #14 seed has never beaten a #11 seed (7-0).

[can't happen this year]

Gonzaga has gone to 9 straight Sweet 16s.

[not this year, they lost in Second Round]

Sweet 16

It is NOT common for the top four seeds in a region to reach the Sweet 16. Since 1985, it's happened in only 20 of 156 regions (13%).

[happened in Midwest region this year]

Only three times in the past 26 years have we had a Sweet 16 in which all the 2 seeds were still alive (2009, 2019, 2024).

[still true, #2 St. John's lost in Second Round]

# of times Lower Seeds reached Sweet 16 since 1985:

16: 0

15: 4 Florida Gulf Coast (2013), Oral Roberts (2021), Saint Peter's (2022), Princeton (2023)

14: 2 Cleveland State (1986), Chattanooga (1997)

13: 6

12: 22

11: 27

10: 23 [24]

9: Only 6 times UTEP (1992), UAB (2004), Northern Iowa (2010), Kansas St (2018), Florida St (2018), FAU (2023).

#9 Seeds often face the #1 seed in the Second Round.

In 11 of last 14 tourneys, an 11 seed has reached the Sweet 16. Last year, #11 NC State made it to the Final 4.

[no 11 seeds reached Sweet 16]

Elite 8

The last time all four No. 1 seeds reached the Elite Eight was 2016. Before that, it was 2009.

[all four No. 1 seeds reached the Elite Eight this year]

Only three times have all Elite Eight participants been seeded fourth or better (1995, 2007, 2009).

[make that 4 times, happened this year]

12 out of the last 13 years, a No. 7 seed or lower has cracked the Elite Eight.

[not this year]

Since 1985, the only low seeds (#9-#16) to reach Elite 8:

15: 1 (Saint Peter's 2022)

14: 0

13: 0

12: 2 (Missouri 2002, Oregon St 2021)

11: 8

10: 9

9: 4 (Boston College 1994, Florida St & Kansas St 2018, FAU 2023)

[no low seeds this year]

Final 4

Number of No. 1 Seeds at Final Four since 1985:

0: 3 times (2006, 2011, 2023)

1: 16 times

2: 14 times

3: 4 times

4: 1 time (2008) [now 2x]

Since 2010, only 18 of the 56 (32%) Final Four appearances have come from No. 1 seeds.

[now 22 of 60 (37%)]

Teams seeded 5 or lower have made the Final Four in 13 of the last 14 tournaments.

[cannot happen this year, now 13 of past 15]

Every seed from 1-11 has made a Final Four.

Since 1985, the only low seeds (9-16) to reach Final 4:

11: 5 (LSU 1986, Geo Mason 2006, VCU 2011, Loyola-Chi 2018, NC State 2024)

10: 1 (Syracuse 2016)

9: 2 (Wichita St 2013, FAU 2023)

[no low seeds this year]

It has been 30 years since a No. 6 seed made the Final Four; Juwan Howard and the Fab Five at Michigan.

[cannot happen this year]

No. 7 seeds have reached the Final Four only 4 times:

1984 Virginia (lost in semis)

2014 UConn (won title)

2015 Michigan State (lost in semis)

2017 South Carolina (lost in semis)

[still true]

In 10 of the last 11 years, a team seeded 7th or worse has reached the Final Four (did not happen in 2019).

[did not happen this year]

Four No. 5 seeds have made the final game, but No. 5 seeds have never won the national championship.

[no No. 5 seeds this year]

2023 was the first time there was a 4v5 Championship Game.

[cannot happen this year]

TRUE BLUE BLOODS: Only four times since 2008 has a Final Four not involved Kentucky, Duke, Kansas or UNC (2013, which now has a vacated championship by Louisville; 2021, 2023, and 2024).

[now, only Duke can continue this tradition]

Championship

No. 1s have won 13 of the past 17 titles [now 14 of past 18] and 25 of 39 overall [now 26 of 40] (64%) [65%] since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985. In that same span, No. 2 and No. 3 seeds have each won 4 championships.

Since 1998, the only teams seeded worse than 3rd to win national title were both UConn No. 4 seed in 2023 and No. 7 seed in 2014. During that time span, No. 1 seeds have won 18 of 26 titles.

[all teams remaining are seeded 3 or better; No. 1 seeds have now won 19 of 27 titles.]

Low seeds (9-16) have never made the Championship Game.

[still true]

7 of the last 10 National Champs have NOT won their Conference Tourney.

[now 7 of last 11 Florida won the SEC]

No team has lost their Conference Quarterfinal game and won the National Championship.

[still true]

Only 4 times has the No. 1 overall seed won the NCAA Tournament since the selection committee began ranking the No. 1s in 2004:

2007 Florida

2012 Kentucky

2013 Louisville (later vacated)

2023 UConn

[still only 4 times, overall Auburn lost in Final 4]

Only once has a conference with fewer than 4 teams in Tourney produced the National Champion since 1990: Big East last year with UConn as Champ (Big East only had 3 teams in Tourney).

[still true]

Since Michigan State won the National Championship in 2000, no Big Ten school has won the title. In those 23 seasons, seven different Big Ten schools have played in the championship game (Michigan State, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Michigan, and Purdue). In eight chances, the conference is 0-8 in the final game.

[no Big Ten champion this year]

A top-three seed has won the National title 23 of the past 25 seasons.

[now 24 of past 26 season]

Only 10 times since they started seeding has there been a 1v1 in National Championship game, last was last year UConn vs Purdue.

[now 11 times]

Fewest point total in title game: #3 UConn beat #8 Butler 53-41 (94pts) in 2011.

[still true]

UConn is 6-0 in championship games.

BRACKET POOL HISTORY

Updated 03/30/24

Previous Pool Champions

Year	Top Prize	Winner
2024	$545	Macho 1
2023	$575	Ryan Coran 2
2022	$630	Coach K
2021	$495	Kyle B #2
2019	$575	Jason Boris 3
2018	$550	ChadFrable1
2017	$525	Sarah
2016	$460	Jennifer K
2015	$500	Jim Boeheim
2014	$450	styer
2013	$440	Matt C
2012	$380	Stefan #2
2011	$325	DaveW
2010	$300	Meredith R
2009	$285	Reese
2008	$215	Mike C
2007	$205	Turtles Are Slow Speed Kills
2006	$135	tonyslunch
2005	$130	SheaHos
2004	$130	Greg K
2003	$115	Chris B
2002	$130	Jenny B
2001	$115	Christian S
2000	$87	Eli
1999	$51	Eli
1998	$51	Greg B

Picking Crazy

Most Predicted Points vs Actual Points (and Finish) of that bracket

Year	Most Predicted Pts	Actual Pts	Efficiency	Finish (Place)	Out of
2022	708	182	26%	76	219
2021	876	204	23%	62	174
2019	741	114	15%	201	201
2018	925	177	19%	119	191
2017	784	183	23%	109	184
2016	921	140	15%	161	163
2015	740	147	20%	167	173
2014	772	418	54%	1	155
2013	974	166	17%	110	151

Sometimes picking crazy helps, sometimes it doesn't.

It all comes down to this: "You need to win to win."

Bracket Efficiency

Perfect Bracket Points vs Actual Best-Bracket Points - Plus All Favorites and All Underdogs Comparisons

	Perfect	BEST		All Favorites		All Underdogs*		Day Done	# of
Year	Bracket Pts	Bracket Pts	Efficiency	Points	Place	Points	Place	Scoring	Brackets
2022	643	300	47%	153	141	176	92	4	219
2021	653	330	51%	200	67	165	125	4	174
2019	501	353	70%	194	121	142	198	4	201
2018	627	320	51%	176	121	134	179	3	191
2017	531	298	56%	200	76	82	Last	4	184
2016	572	336	59%	182	129	165	148	3	163
2015	513	319	62%	203	81	87	Last	3	173
2014	655	418	64%	169	110	137	149		155
2013	608	289	48%	219	44	203	65		151
* All underdogs EXCEPT the #1/#16 & #2/#15 games

Most Correct Picks Per Round

Round [max]	2022	2021	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011	2010	2009
First Rd [32]	29	26	29	26	30	27	27	27	25	26	26	27	27
Second Rd [16]	12	10	15	11	12	13	12	13	13	12	11	12	15
Sweet 16 [8]	5	5	7	5	6	7	8	5	5	7	5	5	7
Elite 8 [4]	4	3	3	3	3	3	4	3	3	4	2	2	3
Final 4 [2]	1	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	1	2	1	1	2
Champ [1]	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
SUM [63]	52	47	57	48	54	53	54	51	48	52	46	48	55
Best Pick % [63]	46	42	49	42	46	47	47	43	42	48	40	43	49

Bracket Pool History (26 years)

This Bracket Pool started in 1998 with 17 entries all from the Pottsville PA office. In 2023, we had 192 entries from three different time zones (I really don't know how many states). In year's past, we even were international. The more the merrier. All entry fees that come in are paid out in winnings.

Any and all rules for any Madness of March pool may change at any time up to the tip-off of the first game of that pool.

Any changes will be posted on this and/or its respective website.