Filling out March Madness brackets is a yearly tradition unlike any other and the time has come once again. These brackets bring the majority of humanity together for a few weeks each year to argue, win, lose, and pay up.
Fans take everything into account when filling out brackets, from betting odds to uniform design. There are superstitions and allegiances that go back generations. A perfect bracket is virtually impossible but the pursuit of that is, of course, what makes it fun.
We were deprived of this activity last season due to COVID so it’s time to make up for it this year. The Big Dance is back! And so is bracketology. If you’re making your picks and want to be self-aware about what kind of bracketer you are, we’ve got you covered. Here are a variety of ways to fill out your bracket.
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The Traditional Way
The traditional way is the most logical, straightforward method to fill out your bracket. You look at the stats and pick the teams you think will win each round based on performance, odds, etc. Simple and smart, but boring. Yes, you also might add some dark horses in the mix because it’s not always the best technique to pick all the best teams. Even good teams falter in March.
The longest perfect bracket streak is 49 games, a feat accomplished by neuropsychologist Gregg Nigl in the 2019 NCAA Tournament. And even Nigl said he didn’t pick teams based on stats and facts alone. He told the NCAA he watched bracketology, but also made some picks based on which team he just liked better.
Feel free to get crazy with it and use some of the following methods if you want to mix it up.
The Mascot Way
If you fill out your bracket based on which team mascots you like the most, I applaud you. Maybe a team is represented by your favorite animal so you pick that school to win it all. Another might have a mascot you think is dumb or an animal that terrifies you, so you pick that team to lose early.
You might like Brutus the Buckeye’s hat or see the Colgate Raider’s smile in your nightmares. These can absolutely factor into your bracket choices, not to mention make or break them.
I think mascots are funny unless they come anywhere near me, so I have no issue with filling out your bracket this way.
Similarly, you can base your bracket on which team’s colors you like the best. Although if you like red, you’re going to have a tougher time narrowing it down than if you liked, say, purple.
But still, these reasons are as valid as any.
The Alma Mater Way
This one is a little self-explanatory. You pick the teams of the school(s) you attended or schools you have connections to. Bracket hack: This is also a smooth way to brag to everyone else in your office pool when you explain why you picked Yale.
You can also pick all the schools you applied to, or the ones you want your kids/future kids to attend. And, of course, you probably pick against your alma mater’s rivals. Maybe you pick against your dream school that denied you acceptance. That’ll show them.
The Random Reasons Way
This is the most wild card way to fill out your bracket. A team just rubs you the right way. You’ve got a feeling about them. You like their uniforms. I mean, my mom and I used to pick players for our fantasy football team based on which players were smiling in their official team headshot photos.
Say there’s a team whose star player wears the coolest sneakers you’ve ever seen. Pick that team to win the tournament. Maybe a team’s coach is polite in post-game interviews so you want to root for him. Send him to the Sweet Sixteen in your bracket. Don’t listen to anyone who says there’s a wrong way to do this.
However you fill out your bracket, make sure you have some fun with it. Win some money and embrace the madness of March. Happy bracketing.
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Lucy is a sports betting content producer with Radio.com and BetQL. She has worked with WEEI and Radio.com as a writer, radio producer and podcaster. Lucy lives in Boston and loves Tom Brady and prop bets. Follow Lucy on Twitter at @LucilleBurdge.