Bettings
How to Win Your March Madness Bracket Pool background
How to Win Your March Madness Bracket Pool
CBB
Bets

How to Win Your March Madness Bracket Pool

Share

The bracket is set. Now it’s time to win.

Over the next few days, offices and friend groups across the country will be locked in, analyzing matchups, debating Final Four picks, and searching for this year’s Cinderella story. But while some will rely on gut feelings and blind luck, smart bracket players use data to gain an edge.

At FTN, we’ve studied the trends, run the numbers, and identified the key strategies you need to fill out a winning 2025 NCAA Tournament bracket. Here’s what you need to know before making your picks.

FTN Odds to Win March Madness
  • 1. Duke - 21.6% Duke Logo
  • 2. Houston - ??% Houston Logo

Men’s NCAA Tournament Bracket Tips

Don’t Overvalue No. 1 Seeds

Since the NCAA Tournament expanded in 1985, there has only been one season where all four No. 1 seeds reached the Final Four (2008). In fact, there have only been three other times that three of the No. 1 seeds reached the Final Four (1997, 1999, 2015). Over the past nine tournaments since that 2015 season, the average number of No. 1 seeds to reach the Final Four was just 1.22. Last season, we saw two No. 1 seeds reach the Final Four, with Connecticut and Purdue both advancing to the championship game. There have been 15 times where two No. 1 seeds have reached the Final Four since 1985, equating to a 37.5% occurrence. Last year was only the ninth time that two No. 1 seeds have met in the championship game. When completing your bracket, it is a mistake to put more than two No. 1 seeds all the way through to San Antonio.

The Most Common First-Round Upset? No. 11 vs. No. 6

 

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem.

Log In or Sign Up to See More
Log In Sign Up
Previous Best NBA Bets Today – Sunday, March 16, 2025 Next FTN Selection Sunday Initial Reaction