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The 2023 NCAA March Madness Tournament is set to begin with the First Four on Tuesday, Mar. 14 before the First Round tips off on Thursday, Mar. 16. The National Championship game is set for Monday, Apr. 3, and will be held at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.
RYP has everything you need for bracket gaming! Whether it’s simply filling out a bracket, playing in one of our March Madness pools, or simply betting on the event, RYP has you covered for the madness!
March Madness Picks
Our experts at RYP break down odds and trends for all March Madness games. Check out our college basketball free expert picks page for the latest game picks! Also check out our 68-team betting trends break down and get in the data lab!
March Madness Seeds
68 schools enter the March Madness field, seeded between 1 and 16. There are four regions in the tournament with each region comprised of 16 schools. Eight schools compete in the First Four before the official First Round begins, narrowing the field to 64 when Thursday’s first round game tips.
South Region Teams & Seeds
Alabama (29-5)Arizona (28-6)Baylor (22-10)Virginia (25-7)- San Diego State (27-6)
Creighton (21-12)Missouri (24-9)Maryland (21-12)West Virginia (19-14)Utah State (26-8)NC State (23-10)Charleston (31-3)Furman (27-7)UCSB (27-7)Princeton (21-8)Texas A&M-CC (24-10)
East Region Teams & Seeds
Purdue (26-5)Marquette (28-6)Kansas State (23-9)Tennessee (23-10)Duke (26-8)Kentucky (21-11)Michigan State (19-12)Memphis (26-8)- FAU (31-3)
USC (22-10)Providence (21-11)Oral Roberts (30-4)Louisiana (26-7)Montana State (25-9)Vermont (23-10)Fairleigh Dickinson (20-15)
Midwest Region Teams & Seeds
Houston (31-3)Texas (26-8)Xavier (25-9)Indiana (22-11)- Miami-Florida (25-7)
Iowa State (19-13)Texas A&M (25-9)Iowa (19-13)Auburn (20-12)Penn State (22-13)Pittsburgh (23-11)Drake (27-7)Kent State (28-6)Kennesaw State (26-8)Colgate (26-8)Northern Kentucky (22-12)
West Region Teams & Seeds
Kansas (27-7)UCLA (29-5)Gonzaga (28-5)- UConn (25-8)
Saint Mary’s (26-7)TCU (21-12)Northwestern (21-11)Arkansas (20-13)Illinois (20-12)Boise State (24-9)Arizona State (22-12)VCU (27-7)Iona (27-7)Grand Canyon (24-11)UNC Asheville (27-7)Howard (22-12)
March Madness Schedule & Results
Below are both the schedule and betting results for the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
- Straight Up (Favorites-Underdogs): 40-22-1
- Against the Spread (Favorites-Underdogs): 31-30-2
- Point Total (Over-Under): 24-39
Final Four Schedule & Results
The Final Four is also known as the National Semifinals and takes place in the same city/venue as the National Championship, just two days prior. This year’s Final Four and National Championship will be held at NRG Stadium located in Houston, Texas.
Saturday, Apr. 1
- No. 5 San Diego State (-2, 131) vs. No. 9 FAU – 6:09 p.m. | CBS
- No. 5 Miami-Florida vs. No. 4 UConn (-5.5, 149.5) – 8:49 p.m. | CBS
National Championship Schedule & Results
Monday, Apr. 3
- TBD
First Four Results
The First Four is annually held at the University of Dayton Arena located in Dayton, Ohio.
Tuesday, Mar. 14
- No. 16 SE Missouri State 71 vs. No. 16 Texas A&M-CC 75 (-3) | Under 155.5
- No. 11 Pittsburgh 60 (+2.5) vs. No. 11 Mississippi State 59 | Under 134
Wednesday, Mar. 15
- No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson 84 (+2.5) vs. No. 16 Texas Southern 61 | Under 148.5
- No. 11 Nevada 73 vs. No. 11 Arizona State 98 (-2) | Over 134
First Round Results
The First Round and Second Round are known as the Sub-Regionals and take place between eight different cities.
The cities and venues include: Amway Center in Orlando, FL; Legacy Arena in Birmingham, AL; Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, IA; Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, CA; Ball Arena in Denver, CO; Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH; Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, NC and MVP Arena in Albany, New York.
Thursday, Mar. 16
- No. 9 West Virginia 65 vs. No. 8 Maryland 67 (+2) | Under 136
- No. 12 Furman 68 (+5.5) vs. No. 5 Virginia 67 | Over 129.5
- No. 10 Utah State 65 vs. No. 7 Missouri 76 (+1.5) | Under 155.5
- No. 16 Howard 68 vs. No. 1 Kansas 96 (-22) | Over 146.5
- No. 16 Texas A&M-CC 75 (+25) vs. No. 1 Alabama 96 | Over 154.5
- No. 12 Charleston 57 vs. No. 5 San Diego State 63 (-5.5) | Under 142
- No. 15 Princeton 59 (+16) vs. No. 2 Arizona 55 | Under 154
- No. 9 Illinois 63 vs. No. 8 Arkansas 73 (-2) | Under 142
- No. 9 Auburn 83 (-2) vs. No. 8 Iowa 75 | Over 151.5
- No. 12 Oral Roberts 51 vs. No. 5 Duke 74 (-6) | Under 148
- No. 15 Colgate 61 vs. No. 2 Texas 81 (-12) | Under 148
- No. 10 Boise State 67 vs. No. 7 Northwestern 75 (-2) | Over 127.5
- No. 16 Northern Kentucky 52 (+19.5) vs. No. 1 Houston 63 | Under 122.5
- No. 13 Louisiana 55 (+11.5) vs. No. 4 Tennessee 58 | Under 135.5
- No. 10 Penn State 76 (+3) vs. No. 7 Texas A&M 59 | Under 137
- No. 15 UNC Asheville 53 vs. No. 2 UCLA 86 (-17) | Over 136.5
Friday, Mar. 17
- No. 10 USC 62 vs. No. 7 Michigan State 72 (-2.5) | Under 136
- No. 14 Kennesaw State 67 (+11.5) vs. No. 3 Xavier 72 | Under 153
- No. 14 UCSB 56 vs. No. 3 Baylor 74 (-10.5) | Under 140.5
- No. 12 VCU 51 vs. No. 5 Saint Mary’s 63 (-4.5) | Under 124
- No. 15 Vermont 61 vs. No. 2 Marquette 78 (-10) | Under 141.5
- No. 11 Pittsburgh 59 (+4) vs. No. 6 Iowa State 41 | Under 131.5
- No. 11 NC State 63 vs. No. 6 Creighton 72 (-5) | Under 149.5
- No. 13 Iona 63 vs. No. 4 UConn 87 (-9) | Over 140.5
- No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson 63 (+23.5) vs. No. 1 Purdue 58 | Under 146
- No. 11 Providence 53 vs. No. 6 Kentucky 61 (-4.5) | Under 141.5
- No. 12 Drake 56 vs. No. 5 Miami-Florida 63 (-2.5) | Under 145
- No. 14 Grand Canyon 70 (+15.5) vs. No. 3 Gonzaga 82 | Under 153.5
- No. 9 FAU 66 (+2) vs. No. 8 Memphis 65 | Under 151.5
- No. 14 Montana State 65 vs. No. 3 Kansas State 77 (-7.5) | Over 140
- No. 13 Kent State 60 vs. No. 4 Indiana 71 (-4) | Under 138.5
- No. 11 Arizona State 70 (+4.5) vs. No. 6 TCU 72 | Under 143
Second Round Schedule & Results
Saturday, Mar. 18
- No. 13 Furman 52 vs. No. 5 San Diego State 75 (-5) | Under 135
- No. 5 Duke 52 vs. No. 4 Tennessee 65 (+3.5) | Under 126.5
- No. 8 Arkansas 72 (+4) vs. No. 1 Kansas 71 | Under 143.5
- No. 15 Princeton 78 (+6.5) vs. No. 7 Missouri 63 | Under 144.5
- No. 9 Auburn 64 vs. No. 1 Houston 81 (-5.5) | Over 132.5
- No. 10 Penn State 66 vs. No. 2 Texas 71 (Push) | Under 137.5
- No. 7 Northwestern 63 (+7.5) vs. No. 2 UCLA 68 | Over 126.5
- No. 8 Maryland 51 vs. No. 1 Alabama 73 (-8.5) | Under 142.5
Sunday, Mar. 19
- No. 11 Pittsburgh 73 vs. No. 3 Xavier 84 (-5) | Over 147
- No. 6 Kentucky 69 vs. No. 3 Kansas State 75 (+3) | Over 142
- No. 7 Michigan State 69 (+3.5) vs. No. 2 Marquette 60 | Under 139
- No. 5 Saint Mary’s 55 vs. No. 4 UConn 70 (-4.5) | Under 125.5
- No. 6 Creighton 85 (-2) vs. No. 3 Baylor 76 | Over 143
- No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson 70 (+16) vs. No. 9 FAU 78 | Over 145
- No. 5 Miami-Florida 85 (+1.5) vs. No. 4 Indiana 69 | Over 145.5
- No. 6 TCU 81 (+4.5) vs. No. 3 Gonzaga 84 | Over 152.5
Sweet 16 Schedule & Results
The Sweet 16 is also known as the Regional Semifinals and takes place in four different cities, one for each region. The Elite Eight is also held in the same cities.
The cities and venues include: East Region – MSG in New York, NY; West Region – T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV; South Region – KFC Yum Center in Louisville, KY and Midwest Region – T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, MO.
Thursday, Mar. 23
- No. 7 Michigan State 93 vs. No. 3 Kansas State 98 (EVEN) – OT | Over 138
- No. 8 Arkansas 65 vs. No. 4 UConn 88 (-4) | Over 139.5
- No. 9 FAU 62 (+4.5) vs. No. 4 Tennessee 55 | Under 129
- No. 3 Gonzaga 79 (-1) vs. No. 2 UCLA 76 | Over 146.5
Friday, Mar. 24
- No. 5 San Diego State 71 (+6.5) vs. No. 1 Alabama 64 | Under 138
- No. 5 Miami-Florida 89 (+7.5) vs. No. 1 Houston 75 | Over 140.5
- No. 15 Princeton 75 vs. No. 6 Creighton 86 (-10) | Over 141
- No. 3 Xavier 71 vs. No. 2 Texas 83 (-4.5) | Over 149
Elite Eight Schedule & Results
The Elite Eight is also known as the National Quarterfinals or the Regional Finals. The hosting cities and venues are listed above.
Saturday, Mar. 25
- No. 9 FAU 79 (+2) vs. No. 3 Kansas State 76 | Over 144.5
- No. 4 UConn 82 (-2.5) vs. No. 3 Gonzaga 54 | Under 154
Sunday, Mar. 26
- No. 6 Creighton 56 vs. No. 5 San Diego State 57 (+2.5) | Under 133
- No. 5 Miami-Florida 88 (+3.5) vs. No. 2 Texas 81 | Over 147.5
March Madness Favorites
There are many contenders for March Madness. Check out bubble teams to look out for, weekly team forecasts, and odds to win the National Championship!
Below is an updated list of favorites to win March Madness. Odds will be updated following each round of the tournament.
Odds to Win March Madness Entering Final Four
- UConn -125
- San Diego State +360
- Miami-Florida +500
- FAU +600
Odds to Win March Madness Entering Elite Eight
- UConn +300
- Texas +350
- Gonzaga +400
- Creighton +550
- Kansas State +800
- San Diego State +1000
- Miami-Florida +1200
- FAU +1600
Odds to Win March Madness Entering Sweet 16
- Alabama +350
- Houston +400
- UCLA +800
- Texas +900
- UConn +900
- Creighton +1000
- Gonzaga +1100
- Tennessee +1400
- Michigan State +2500
- Kansas State +2500
- Arkansas +3000
- Xavier +3000
- San Diego State +4000
- Miami-Florida +5000
- FAU +5000
- Princeton +15000
Odds To Win March Madness Entering Round 2
- Alabama +500
- Houston +550
- UCLA +1000
- Duke +1200
- Gonzaga +1200
- Kansas +1200
- Texas +1200
- Baylor +1600
- Marquette +1600
- UConn +1600
- Kentucky +2000
- Creighton +2000
- Tennessee +3000
- TCU +3000
- Indiana +3500
- Arkansas +5000
- Michigan State +5000
- Xavier +5000
- San Diego State +5000
- Saint Mary’s +5000
- Kansas State +5000
- FAU +5000
- Miami-Florida +6600
- Auburn +8000
- Maryland +10000
- Penn State +12500
- Missouri +12500
- Pittsburgh +15000
- Northwestern +20000
- Furman +50000
- Princeton +50000
- Fairleigh Dickinson +5000
Odds to Win March Madness
- Houston +550
- Kansas +800
- Alabama +800
- Purdue +1100
- UCLA +1200
- Arizona +1200
- Texas +1600
- UConn +1600
- Gonzaga +1800
- Baylor +1800
- Marquette +2500
- Tennessee +3000
- Duke +3000
- Indiana +3500
- TCU +3500
- Saint Mary’s +4000
- Kentucky +4000
- Creighton +4000
- Virginia +4000
- Miami Florida +5000
- Arkansas +5000
- Kansas State +5000
- Xavier +5000
- Texas A&M +5000
- Iowa State +6600
- Illinois +8000
- San Diego State +8000
- Maryland +8000
- Auburn +10000
- Michigan State +10000
- Iowa +10000
- Memphis +12500
- West Virginia +12500
- Providence +12500
- Penn State +15000
- NC State +15000
- Northwestern +15000
- USC +20000
- Boise State +20000
- Utah State +20000
- Arizona State +20000
- Missouri +20000
- FAU +20000
- Pittsburgh +20000
- Oral Roberts +25000
- VCU +25000
- Charleston +25000
- Mississippi State +30000
- Drake +50000
- Iona +50000
- Nevada +50000
- Kent State +50000
- Furman +50000
- Louisiana +50000
- Grand Canyon +75000
- UCSB +100000
- Colgate +100000
- Vermont +100000
- Montana State +100000
- Howard +100000
- Kennesaw State +100000
- Fairleigh Dickinson +100000
- Northern Kentucky +100000
- Texas A&M-CC +100000
- SE Missouri State +100000
- UNC Asheville +100000
- Princeton +100000
- Texas Southern +150000
March Madness Bracket Resources
- NCAA Tournament Free Picks
- NCAA Tournament Team Trends
- NCAA Tournament Team Efficiency Ratio Ratings
- NCAA Tournament Bracket Tips
- NCAA Tournament Cinderellas to Consider
- NCAA Tournament ‘Couch Potato’ Outlook
March Madness Pool Types
Here at RYP, we have various pools to play in for March Madness! Pools are a great way to compete against your friends for money, instead of a sportsbook. Check out the March Madness pool types and how to play them.
March Madness Bracket Pools
In a bracket pool, simply pick winners for all 63 games in the tournament. You can also simplify this to just 15 total games by starting with the Sweet 16 Bracket Pool we offer instead.
Points are awarded for each correct pick, with the late rounds worth more points than the early rounds. This is different for each pool, so be sure to check with your commissioner on the point value for correct picks per each round.
March Madness Survivor Pools
In a survivor pool, each person picks one team per day/round to win a game. If the team wins then the person is eligible to continue into the second day/round. If the team loses, then the person is knocked out of the pool.
You can only select a team once during the entire tournament when playing in a survival pool. So if you take Gonzaga to win its game on Day 1, then Gonzaga would be unavailable to pick again for the entire tournament. Whoever reaches the National Championship and correctly picks the winner wins the pool.
March Madness Head-to-Head Pools
This is a great pool to play in for those who feel filling out a bracket is too time-consuming. Head-to-Head pools see each person in the pool assigned a random school in the First Round (64 schools). Each entry will go head-to-head with the opponent they are facing.
If Billy is randomly assigned Syracuse while Susan is randomly assigned UConn, then Susan would face Billy if Syracuse and UConn were facing each other in the First Round. If UConn beats Syracuse, then Susan would advance while Billy is eliminated.
Note that outcomes are determined by spread wins and not outright wins. If UConn was a -3.5-point favorite against Syracuse but only won by two points, then Billy would advance to the Second Round with UConn as his new team and Susan would be eliminated.
March Madness Squares Pools
The square pools are a great way to keep everyone engaged with the tournament no matter how busted the brackets are. Like a traditional squares pool, simply create your pool and your grid will be auto-generated. Once you select your squares, they’re yours for the entire tournament.
That means there are winners for every single game! The member with the most winning squares at the end of the tournament takes home the bragging rights.
March Madness Pick-X Pools
In a pick-x pool, commissioners first determine how many schools each person can pick. Before the tournament begins, pool members pick any team from the field of 64 but note that no other picks are made during the tournament.
Every time a pool member’s team wins a game in the March Madness tournament, that pool member is awarded the number of points the team that won is seeded.
So if Lindsay picks Stanford as a No. 13 seed in the tournament and Stanford wins its First Round game, then Lindsay would receive 13 total points. Whoever has the most points at the end of the tournament wins.
March Madness History
The Big 12 has won the last two March Madness events, while Villanova has won twice over the last six seasons. Gonzaga has finished as the tournament’s runner-up in two of the last five years. The state of North Carolina has seen four winner since 2009, all from UNC and Duke.
The Big Ten has surprisingly struggled to win March Madness, with its last winner coming from Maryland in 2002 despite the Terps residing in the ACC at the time. Michigan State is the last Big Ten winner if not counting Maryland, winning back in 2000.
- 2022 – Kansas
- 2021 – Baylor
- 2020 –
- 2019 – Virginia
- 2018 – Villanova
- 2017 – UNC
- 2016 – Villanova
- 2015 – Duke
- 2014 – UConn
- 2013 – Louisville
- 2012 – Kentucky
- 2011 – UConn
- 2010 – Duke
- 2009 – UNC
- 2008 – Kansas
- 2007 – Florida
- 2006 – Florida
- 2005 – UNC
- 2004 – UConn
- 2003 – Syracuse
- 2002 – Maryland
- 2001 – Duke
- 2000 – Michigan State
CBB FAQs
When are brackets due for March Madness?
For March Madness Bracket pools, brackets typically are due before the start of the First Four games on March 15. However, on RunYourPool, commissioners have the ability to select their own due date for when brackets need to be submitted. Commissioners can access this setting by viewing their Commissioner Console and clicking on the Pool Settings.
How do I run a March Madness bracket for my office?
To run a March Madness Bracket Pool for your office, head over to RunYourPool.com! RunYourPool offers a plethora of different pool options to ensure the fun and competition amongst participants. Additionally, RunYourPool allows pool commissioners to customize and modify pools the way they see fit. It should take less than five minutes to set up your pool and start inviting colleagues!
How do you win your NCAA bracket?
To win a traditional March Madness Bracket pool, you will need to correctly select the winners of as many of the tournament's games as possible. In most March Madness contests, the point total of each correct selection increases with each ensuing round, culminating in the most important pick of all: the national championship game winner!
How do I fill out an NCAA bracket?
To fill out a March Madness Bracket, you will try to select the winner of every game of the tournament. The bracket begins with 68 teams and culminates in a championship between the final two remaining teams. You can fill out your bracket using RunYourPool and compete against friends, colleagues, family and more!
What is a March Madness Head-to-Head Pool?
A March Madness Head-to-Head Pool is a type of pool in which participants are randomly assigned one of the tournament's 64 teams. Participants advance if their team covers the spread, which allows every entry and team to have a chance of winning. If a team loses outright but covers the spread, the participant who's team covered will advance to the next round with the winning team.
What is the best way to play a March Madness Head-to-Head Pool?
The best way to play a March Madness Head-to-Head Pool is to set it up using RunYourPool and invite all of your friends! Setting up the pool and inviting participants is easy and should take less than five minutes. Next, you can randomize or assign the teams that participants will have.
Are March Madness brackets legal?
March Madness Brackets are completely legal to fill out and compete against fellow pool entries and users. Multiple softwares, including RunYourPool, will run sweepstakes and public contests for users to vie for a grand prize. Bracket pools must be in compliance with RunYourPools’s Terms and Conditions and must be for entertainment purposes only.
What is a March Madness Squares Pool?
A March Madness Squares Pools contains a 10x10 grid with each row and column being numbered 0-9. Prior to the tournament's start, pool members can login and select their squares. Next, when the tournament begins, the grid numbers are revealed. Members keep the same squares for each game and RunYourPool keeps track of the winners and other helpful statistics.
How does the NCAA select its teams?
32 of the 68 basketball teams that are selected for the NCAA tournament receive automatic entry into the competition as a result of winning their conference championship. The remaining teams get what's know as an "at-large bid," which extended by the NCAA selection committee based on the team's performance throughout the season.
What is a March Madness bracket pool?
A March Madness Bracket is a competition where players attempt to select the winning teams of each round of the NCAA Men's Division 1 Basketball Tournament in March. Traditionally, players would fill out a paper bracket and hand it into a pool commissioner. In recent years, software like RunYourPool.com has digitized and streamlined the process for speed and ease.
How many teams are in March Madness?
March Madness begins with 68 teams that are announced on Selection Sunday, March 13, 2022. The First Four consists of four games and the winners advance to the Round of 64. The following rounds are the Round of 32, Sweet Sixteen, Elite Eight, Final Four, and finally, the National Championship game.
What is a March Madness Surivor Pool?
A March Madness Survivor Pool is a type of pool where participants select one team to win their game for every day of the tournament. Typically, entries are only allowed to select each team once and the last entry standing wins! Survivor pools are a really fun way for entries to compete and test their knowledge
What is the best way to play a March Madness Survivor Pool?
The best way to play a March Madness Survivor Pool is to make a pool or join one using RunYourPool. Participants find it helpful to try to map out their picks ahead of the start of the tournament, and save the higher seeded teams for the later round picks of the survivor pool.
How long is March Madness?
March Madness takes place over three weeks, starting the First Four, First Round and Second Round in one week. The Sweet 16 and Elite Eight take place during the second week, while the Final Four and National Championship are played on Saturday and Monday the following week.
What are the odds of a perfect March Madness bracket?
Experts say that the odds of you crafting a perfect bracket in March Madness run from 1 in 120 billion to 1 in 9.2 quintillion, depending on how much you know about the teams, and about basketball. To put that in perspective, your odds of winning the lottery are significantly better, at 1 in 292 million.
What is a March Madness Pick-X Pool?
March Madness Pick X is a pool format in which the pool commissioner specifies a specific amount of teams that every participant will select. For each win of a team selected, participants will be awarded the amount of points of that team's seed, generally encouraging entrants to pick upsets. At the end of the tournament, the entry with the most points is the champion.
What are Mid-Major teams?
Mid-Major Teams are universities and colleges that play Division I basketball, are not part of a major conference such as the SEC or Big Ten. Mid-Major Teams are a substantial part of March Madness, as they regularly win lots games from mid-tiered conferences. Some examples of Mid-Major conferences are the WCC, Atlantic 10, Missouri Valley, Mountain West, and Conference USA. Upsets usually occur from Mid-Major schools.
What is the lowest seed to win the NCAA Tournament?
In the March Madness Tournament, one of the higher seeds usually ends up winning it all. However, there have been a few occurrences where a lower seed fought their way to eternal glory. In 1985, Villanova won the Championship as a No. 8 seed and is the lowest seed to win in the tournament’s history.
