How to Start a NCAA March Madness Bracket Pool

Few sporting events generate the type of nonstop excitement that the NCAA basketball tournament does. From its humble start in 1939, the tournament has grown into an internationally televised event and the talk around water coolers across the country. When the Madness hits its peak and you find yourself tasked to start the bracket pool for the first time, you may feel a bit overwhelmed. Fortunately, creating the bracket for the office pool is a lot easier than you think.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Find Participants

1. Send out emails to your friends and colleagues to determine how much interest there is for competing in a bracket pool. You don't want to spend all the time putting together a pool only to discover that no one wants to play.
2. Respond promptly to those who show interest. A prompt response will demonstrate your organization and encourage those who have had multiple invitations to choose to participate in your pool.
3. Confirm all participants and send out a group email listing all who have confirmed. Everyone wants to know who the competition will be.
4. Collect the entry or participation fee.

Run the NCAA March Madness Bracket Pool

5. Log onto a sports website such as CBSsportsline to set up an account for your NCAA March Madness bracket pool (see Resources below). You will need a good name that your pool participants can remember.
6. Contact the participants to have them create user accounts for the sports website that is providing service for your NCAA March Madness bracket pool.
7. Set the deadline for the brackets to be filled in by each participant before the start of the NCAA March Madness tournament.
8. Log onto the sports website and fill out the bracket provided prior to the start of the games.
9. Track each round of the game easily throughout the tournament by visiting the website hosting the pool. Depending on the website, you may be able to track stats live.
10. Trash talk with your friends during the tournament to add a little more fun to the experience.
11. Provide the prize for winning the NCAA March Madness bracket pool quickly to encourage participation next year.

Tips & Warnings

• Have all money accounted for before the first tip of the first game.
• Use a web-based tournament manager instead of trying to keep up with everything yourself. All of the points are kept current automatically by the computer system.
• Make sure no office or school policy exists prohibiting office pools with money involved.