If you look at the odds to make a perfect March Madness bracket, you will quickly realize that it is nearly impossible. Nonetheless millions of us give it our best shot every year. Getting close to perfection comes with its own prizes.

College basketball betting always brings in a lot of energy. Things get even more heated during March Madness and the tournament’s final. Plus, sportsbooks can offer big bucks to anyone who gets their March Madness bracket perfect. The best ones offer pools based on these brackets.

 

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Chances of Having a Perfect March Madness Bracket

The chances of having a perfect March Madness bracket are slim to none. And when we say slim, we mean it. The odds are almost incomprehensibly small.

How many people have ever placed a perfect March Madness bracket bet? No one. Genuinely, it has never been done. So, if you have a friend who is prone to bragging and claims that they managed to do it ten years ago, call them out. They are almost definitely exaggerating another fishing story.

The odds of making a perfect March Madness bracket are believed to be 1 in 9.2 quintillion (that’s right, quintillion!) So if everyone on the planet filled out a different bracket, we would almost certainly still not have a perfect one.

To put it another way: if you play the lottery, you don’t really count on winning. The odds of winning a six number 0-49 lottery are one in 14 million. Steep odds indeed. However, you’re still much, much more likely to win that lottery than to guess at random a perfect March Madness bracket. These odds are insane.

If you want some more sensible odds, you can always bet on the champion of the whole tournament. Skip right to the end. This is much more likely to come out correctly and can keep the excitement up longer as well! Here are the current March Madness odds as of August 2025. Note that the below table will be updated periodically with the most up-to-date odds:

2025/26 NCAAB ChampionshipBetUS Sportsbook ReviewBetOnline Sportsbook ReviewBovada Sportsbook Review
Houston+900+910+900
Duke+1000+1050+1000
Connecticut+1400+1400+1400
Louisville+1700+1800+1700
Auburn+1800+1800+1800
Purdue+1900+1900+2000
Brigham Young+2000+2000+2000
Kentucky+2000+2000+2000
Arkansas+2000+2000+2000
Kansas+2000+2000+2000
Alabama+2000+2000+2000
Texas Tech+2000+2000+2000
Michigan+2500+2500+2500
St. John's+2500+2500+2500
Tennessee+2500+2500+2500
Michigan State+3000+3000+3000
Gonzaga+3000+3000+3000
Iowa State+3000+3000+3000
Arizona+4000+4000+4000
Baylor+4000+4000+4000
UCLA+4000+4000+4000
North Carolina+4000+4000+4000
Last updated on: August 11, 2025

 

NCAAB Final Four Picks 2026

Here are profiles on three of the current favorites to qualify for March Madness, which is due to begin in mid-March 2026 and culminate in early April in Indianapolis. Note that the below information and odds is accurate as of August 2025.

Houston Cougars (+1000)

The Houston Cougars enter the 2025–26 season as one of the most disciplined and defensively dominant teams in the country. Under the leadership of coach Kelvin Sampson, the Cougars continue to thrive on physicality, ball pressure, and rebounding. With Kordelius Jefferson emerging as a backcourt leader and a strong returning core that includes Emanuel Sharp and Terrance Arceneaux, Houston has the pieces to make another deep run. After falling just short in recent tournaments, the Cougars have both the motivation and depth to finally break through to the Final Four.

Duke Blue Devils (+1200)

Duke remains one of the most dangerous teams heading into the season. While sophomore sensation Cooper Flagg has now moved on to the Dallas Mavericks, Duke can still rely on guards Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster as well as Isaiah Evans, who was recruited last year. With a strong blend of talent and experience, head coach Jon Scheyer’s squad looks primed for a serious national title push.

Purdue Boilermakers (+900)

Purdue enters the 2025–26 campaign with unfinished business after several recent tournament disappointments. Though national player of the year Zach Edey has moved on to the pros, coach Matt Painter’s system remains intact, centered on size, physicality, and precision half-court offense. Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith provide continuity in the backcourt, while a new wave of frontcourt talent promises to maintain Purdue’s interior dominance. With strong regular-season credentials and a retooled roster, the Boilermakers are again a serious Final Four threat.

 

March Madness Bracket Promotions at Sportsbooks

With bracket madness hitting us hard, sportsbooks are getting in on the action. Some of the offer prizes for completing a perfect March Madness bracket, while others offer prizes for partially perfect brackets or for winning pools. Check it out!

March Madness Betting Guide

A Million Bucks for the Perfect Bracket at BetUS

BetUS is a great sportsbook any time of the year. As of August 2025, they offer a tempting 125% sports bonus (conditions apply).

Last year, they offered $1 million to anyone who could submit a perfect bracket. Aside from this, they also  offered tasty prizes to correct bets on the ‘elite eight’ and ‘sweet sixteen’.

Keep an eye on BetUS’ website (and this very page!) for information on any March Madness offers ahead of next March’s action.

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Bracket Pools at BetOnline

BetOnline regularly hosts great March Madness pools. Last year, bettors could enter their bracket for only $25 and continue to alter and fine-tune their selections until just before the tournament starts.

The top prize in the 2024 pool was worth $250,000. The sportsbook committed to giving out prizes to the top 1,000 winners, with the top three receiving $75,000, $30,000, and $15,000, respectively.

Keep your eyes peeled for BetOnline’s 2026 offers.

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What is a Perfect March Madness Bracket?

A March Madness bracket has 63 games with 63 winners. A perfect March Madness bracket will get all 63 winners correct. The best time to fill this out is after Selection Sunday. On this day we find out the seeds and therefore the opening matches. This day is in the days leading up to the beginning of the tournament.

Thirty-two of the 68 teams in the tournament are automatically selected. They are the winners of the 32 divisions in NCAA basketball. The other 36 are selected via the selection committee.

For those of us who do not reach the perfect bracket, you can still win a pool. These normally assign a different amount of points per correct winner. The further along in the tournament, the more points it is worth. The champion is worth 32 points typically.

Something that makes the chances of making a perfect March Madness bracket so hard is the prevalence of upsets. There will be plenty every year! But the catch is that you never know where they will fall. Check out our NCAAB picks to help know when and where to bet on the underdog.

For example, in 1986 LSU was seeded 11. And they were still able to beat a number 3, a number 2, and even a number 1 seed. Doing any one of those would already be a shocker and knock out many people’s chances at a perfect bracket. Doing all three spoiled a lot of bets that year.

When filling out your bracket, whether you are shooting for perfection or not, make sure to include a few upsets. Do so carefully!

Bet Smart During March Madness

When navigating the exhilarating realm of March Madness betting, strategic choices make all the difference. Our selected online sportsbooks offer a haven for smart bets, appealing to fans from North Carolina to Arizona and enthusiasts of powerhouse teams like Duke, Gonzaga, and Iowa in the fiercely competitive NCAAB scene. Spanning from the intense regular season to the electrifying basketball tournament, these platforms cover all angles.

To bet smart during March Madness, leverage the advantages provided by our chosen platforms. Dive into exclusive promotions, analyze enticing moneyline odds, and explore diverse parlay options. Whether you’re rooting for Marquette in New Jersey or Villanova in New York, these sportsbooks deliver comprehensive coverage nationwide. As the tournament unfolds from Ohio to Indianapolis, get ready to bet smart at our favorite sportsbook partners.

From the early regular season clashes to the pinnacle of the championship, supporters of Ohio State, Oklahoma, UCLA, and Virginia can trust these platforms to enhance their March Madness experience. They cater not only to diverse tastes across NCAA and NBA but also to the fervor of NFL enthusiasts. Get ready to bet smart and elevate your March Madness journey!

March Madness 2026 Teams

The full slate of 68 teams chosen for the 2026 NCAA March Madness tournament will be publicly disclosed on Selection March 15, 2026. After the selection committee settles on the final automatic qualifiers and at-large bids, the 2026 tournament brackets will be unveiled. We will post the comprehensive list of teams participating in the 2026 edition of March Madness on this page as soon as the official selections are made public.