NCAA March Madness: 99.99% Of Brackets Now Busted On Second Day Of Tournament

Forbes - Mar 21st, 2025
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The NCAA March Madness men's basketball tournament has seen a dramatic reduction in perfect bracket submissions, with only about 1,600 out of over 34 million remaining flawless by Friday afternoon. Early upsets included McNeese State University's victory over Clemson University and Arkansas's win over Kansas, drastically reducing the number of perfect brackets. The odds of achieving a perfect bracket are astronomically low, calculated at one in 9.22 quintillion if chosen randomly, or one in 120.2 billion with informed guesses. Various incentives are offered for perfect brackets, including a trip to Mars and substantial cash prizes.

This year's tournament has been marked by surprising outcomes, underscoring the unpredictable nature of March Madness. Historically, no participant has achieved a perfect bracket, with the closest attempt in 2019 ending at 49 correct predictions. The stakes are high not only for fans hoping to win rewards but also for top-seeded teams like Duke University, which is favored to win according to betting odds. These developments highlight the excitement and challenges associated with predicting the outcomes of such a dynamic and widely-watched event.

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RATING

6.4
Moderately Fair
Read with skepticism

The article on NCAA March Madness provides a clear and engaging overview of the challenges associated with predicting a perfect bracket. It effectively captures the public's interest by highlighting the statistical improbability of such predictions and the rewards offered for achieving them. The story is timely, given the ongoing tournament, and appeals to a broad audience interested in sports and statistical challenges.

However, the article's accuracy could be improved by providing more direct citations from authoritative sources and verifying claims about rewards and game outcomes. While the narrative is balanced and maintains a neutral tone, it could benefit from a wider range of perspectives and insights into the cultural significance of March Madness.

Overall, the article is well-structured and readable, with a logical flow that guides the reader through the key points. It successfully engages its audience by combining statistical analysis with intriguing incentives, making it a compelling read for those following the tournament. To enhance its impact and credibility, the story could incorporate more in-depth analysis and verification of claims from reliable sources.

RATING DETAILS

7
Accuracy

The article provides a detailed account of the NCAA March Madness tournament, including specific game outcomes and their impact on bracket predictions. The claim of over 34 million brackets submitted, with approximately 1,600 remaining perfect by Friday afternoon, aligns with general expectations for such events. However, verification from official NCAA sources or bracket platforms is necessary to confirm these numbers.

The story accurately reports on significant upsets, such as McNeese State University's win over Clemson University, which reportedly reduced perfect brackets from 11 million to under 2 million. This detail is crucial for understanding the tournament's unpredictability but requires confirmation from reliable sources for accuracy.

The article mentions the odds of picking a perfect bracket as 1 in 9.22 quintillion, which is consistent with widely accepted figures. However, these statistics should be supported by mathematical calculations or official NCAA statements to enhance credibility.

Claims about rewards for perfect brackets, such as a trip to Mars offered by X (formerly Twitter), need verification from the organizations involved. Overall, while the article's claims are plausible, they require further evidence to ensure complete accuracy.

6
Balance

The article primarily focuses on the statistical improbability of achieving a perfect March Madness bracket and the impact of specific game outcomes. It provides a factual recount of events without delving into broader perspectives or opinions on the tournament.

While the piece is informative, it lacks a diverse range of viewpoints. For instance, it does not explore the experiences or strategies of participants who submit brackets, nor does it offer insights from experts or commentators on the tournament's unpredictability.

The article could benefit from a more balanced approach by including perspectives from both basketball analysts and fans. This would provide a more comprehensive understanding of the cultural and social significance of March Madness beyond the statistics.

Overall, the article maintains a neutral tone but could enhance its balance by incorporating a wider array of perspectives and insights related to the tournament.

8
Clarity

The article is well-structured and uses clear language to convey the challenges of predicting a perfect March Madness bracket. It effectively breaks down complex statistical information into easily digestible segments, making it accessible to a broad audience.

The narrative follows a logical progression, starting with an overview of the tournament and moving into specific game outcomes and their impact on bracket predictions. This organization helps readers follow the story without confusion.

While the article is generally clear, it could benefit from additional context regarding the cultural significance of March Madness and why it captivates such a large audience. Including this background would enrich the reader's understanding of the tournament's importance.

Overall, the article maintains clarity throughout, ensuring that readers can easily grasp the key points and implications of the reported events.

5
Source quality

The article does not explicitly cite sources for its claims, which affects its credibility. While it mentions the NCAA and other organizations like ESPN and USA Today Sports, it does not provide direct quotes or references to statements from these entities.

The lack of direct attribution to authoritative sources, such as NCAA officials or sports analysts, weakens the story's reliability. Including quotes or data from these sources would strengthen the article's foundation and provide readers with confidence in the reported information.

Additionally, the piece references rewards offered by X (formerly Twitter) and other organizations but does not verify these claims with official statements or press releases. This omission raises questions about the accuracy of the reported incentives.

To improve source quality, the article should incorporate direct citations from reputable sources, ensuring that all claims are backed by evidence from credible entities.

6
Transparency

The article provides a clear overview of the NCAA March Madness tournament and the challenges of predicting a perfect bracket. However, it lacks transparency in terms of methodology and the basis for some of its claims.

While the piece discusses the odds of achieving a perfect bracket, it does not explain how these odds were calculated or the assumptions underlying them. Providing this context would enhance the article's transparency and help readers understand the complexity of the predictions.

The article also mentions various rewards for perfect brackets but does not disclose the sources of this information or the criteria for eligibility. This lack of transparency may lead to skepticism among readers regarding the validity of these claims.

Overall, while the article is informative, it could improve transparency by detailing the methodology behind its claims and clearly attributing information to credible sources.

Sources

  1. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/2024-march-madness-bracket-results-2025-ncca-mens-college-basketball-tournament/
  2. https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/2025-ncaa-expert-brackets-march-madness-2025-tournament-picks-cinderella-teams-and-big-dance-upsets/
  3. https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2025-03-20/duke-nations-top-pick-win-2025-ncaa-mens-basketball-tournament
  4. https://www.ncaa.com/live-updates/basketball-men/d1/track-how-many-perfect-ncaa-brackets-are-left-2025-march-madness
  5. https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/ncaa-bracket-predictions-model-locks-in-surprising-march-madness-2025-tournament-picks/