Who is this for?
This guide is for beginners who want to fill out a March Madness bracket for the first time and understand the basics of betting the games. If you’ve heard of March Madness but never knew how the bracket works — or you just want a clear, simple starting point — this is for you.
What you’ll learn
- What March Madness actually is.
- How the bracket system works.
- A step-by-step guide to filling out your first bracket.
- Simple strategy to avoid beginner mistakes.
- How betting the games works (moneyline, spread, totals).
- Fun facts and myths so you feel confident before tip-off.
Contents
Introduction: Why brackets are such a big deal
Every March, the US goes slightly feral in the best possible way. Offices run bracket pools. Friends become rivals. Entire afternoons disappear into back-to-back college basketball games. You don’t need to be a college hoops fan to get swept up in it — that’s the charm.
The NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament, better known as March Madness, is a single-elimination sprint where 68 teams try to survive one game at a time. Millions of people fill out brackets every year, and almost everyone is just trying to beat their coworkers or avoid being roasted in the group chat. You don’t need perfect predictions — nobody has ever managed that anyway. You just need a solid bracket, a little strategy, and the right mindset. And if you want to bet the games along the way, March is one of the most exciting betting months of the year.
Did you know?
Nobody has ever completed a perfect bracket.
The best recorded run is 49 straight correct picks in 2019 before the streak finally broke.
What is March Madness?
March Madness is a giant knockout tournament. 68 college basketball teams make the field, though most bracket contests start at the Round of 64. The teams are placed into four regions — East, West, Midwest, and South — and each region ranks teams from 1 (strongest) to 16 (weakest).
The format is simple:
- Lose once and you’re out.
- Win six straight games and you’re the national champion.
That “win or go home” setup is why the tournament is so unpredictable. Every year, a handful of underdogs pull off shock upsets, ruining millions of brackets in a single afternoon. It’s also why the event is so addictive — anything can happen.
What is a bracket?
A bracket is your prediction of every game in the March Madness tournament. You choose who wins each matchup from the Round of 64 through to the championship. Once the tournament starts, your picks are locked in, and you score points for every correct prediction. The aim is simple: finish with more correct picks than everyone else in your pool.
How to fill out your bracket (step-by-step)
1. Start with the favourites
In the first round, most people pick top seeds (1s, 2s, and 3s) to advance, and with good reason. A 1-seed has only lost in the opening round once in tournament history (UMBC over Virginia in 2018). Occasionally, a 2- or 3-seed trips up, but it’s rare.
If you’re new, keep the early chaos to a minimum.
2. Add a few realistic upsets
Upsets will happen. The key is picking reasonable ones.
Matchups like 5 vs 12 and 6 vs 11 produce surprise winners almost every single year. Pick a couple of underdogs you believe in — two to four is enough — and resist the urge to get wild.
3. Build a logical path to the Final Four
You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Historically, teams reaching the Final Four come from the upper-seeded group (seeds 1–4). Choose one or two contenders you trust and maybe one slightly unexpected team — enough to be different, not enough to destroy your bracket.
4. Pick a realistic champion
Champions overwhelmingly come from the top three seed lines. The tournament is chaotic, but the title rarely goes to a true longshot. If you’re unsure, leaning toward a No. 1 seed is perfectly normal — even smart.
5. Lock it in and stop tinkering
Everyone second-guesses themselves. Everyone wonders if they picked too many favourites or not enough upsets. Submit your bracket, embrace the chaos, and enjoy the tournament. You’re trying to beat your pool, not predict every game correctly.
Myth: You need deep college basketball knowledge to win a bracket
You don’t. Every year, bracket pools are won by beginners who pick based on mascots, colours, or pure instinct. The tournament is so unpredictable that even analysts get blindsided early. Knowledge helps, but it doesn’t guarantee anything — March Madness is designed to be chaotic.
Simple bracket strategy for beginners
Follow the seed logic early
Favourites win early at a very high rate. Use that to your advantage and let your bracket survive the first weekend.
Respect conference strength
Teams from major conferences (ACC, SEC, Big 12, Big Ten, Big East) are battle-tested. They often go deeper than flashy mid-majors.
Balance risk
You want enough upsets to separate your bracket from others in your pool, but not so many that it collapses immediately. Think of it like seasoning — not too much, not too little.
Watch key injuries
You don’t need to be a statistician. Just check if a top team is missing its best player. One injury can swing a matchup.
Don’t chase last year’s patterns
Every March is different. Don’t rely on whatever trend “hit” in 2023 or 2024.
A guide to betting the games
Filling out a bracket is one thing. Betting individual games adds another layer of fun — and you don’t need to match your picks to your bracket. Many bettors do the opposite to hedge risk.
Here are the core betting markets you’ll see:
- Moneyline: The simplest market: pick who wins the game.
- Point Spread: A way to level the playing field.
- A favourite must win by more than the spread.
- An underdog can “cover” by losing narrowly or winning outright.
- Totals (Over/Under): Bet on how many points both teams will score combined. Great for beginners because you don’t have to choose a winner.
- Futures: Betting on a team to win the title or reach the Final Four. These can be placed before or during the tournament.
- Bankroll basics:
- Set a tournament budget.
- Divide it into small units.
- Don’t chase losses — March Madness is unpredictable, even for experts.
Final takeaway
March Madness is chaotic, unpredictable, and absolutely brilliant — which is why millions of people join bracket pools every year. Keep your bracket simple, trust the seeding, sprinkle in a few upsets, and pick a realistic champion. If you’re betting the games on Cloudbet, stick to the basics and protect your bankroll. You don’t need perfection — nobody’s ever pulled that off. You just need to enjoy the madness.
