| Bracketology can make a sports bettor a lot of | | | | also be used to describe how the NCAA selection |
| money during March Madness if they know what | | | | committee chooses at large bids to figure the 65 |
| to look for. | | | | teams in the tournament. Most people who fill out |
| In the world of online betting, March Madness is | | | | an NCAA bracket know how teams are selected |
| the biggest event next to Super Bowl. The | | | | and seeded. |
| difference is, the Super Bowl only lasts for day | | | | Thirty teams qualify automatically by winning their |
| while March Madness lasts for weeks. People who | | | | conference tournaments. The 5 Ivy League |
| bet on sports should know a few things about | | | | schools don't hold a conference tournament so it's |
| NCAA basketball brackets. | | | | the teams that win the regular season. This |
| The first thing to do is to determine which teams | | | | leaves thirty five teams that receive at large bids, |
| are producing the most action. An underestimated | | | | most of which come from the ACC, Big East, Big |
| team that flies under the radar by sneaking their | | | | Ten, Big 12, EC and Pac 10. |
| way all the way up can win a college basketball | | | | When comparing the teams from weaker |
| bracket. A few years ago, Louisville made their | | | | conferences to teams from major conferences, |
| way to the Final Four, giving sports bettors who | | | | the teams from major conferences are required |
| picked them in their March Madness bracket a lot | | | | to play a much more difficult schedule. For |
| of money. Louisville beat West Virginia and | | | | instance, Duke from the ACC have to play teams |
| Washington. Anyone who picked Gonzaga or | | | | such as Maryland North Carolina, Florida, Miami and |
| Wake Forest in Louisville's draw lost big time. | | | | Virginia in the regular season and 2 or 3 times |
| Michigan State was also a success story for | | | | during the conference tournament. Although, |
| March Madness bracket players that same | | | | teams such as Gonzaga will play their hardest |
| season. The Spartans beat Kentucky in the | | | | games with non-conference teams only a few |
| national semifinals and Duke in the regionals. | | | | times throughout course of the regular season. |
| Syracuse made a few NCAA basketball brackets | | | | The smartest way to consider a team before |
| golden by making it to the Final Four and winning | | | | you fill out your March Madness bracket is by |
| their first national championship in 2003, beating 2 | | | | utilizing the RPI, Percentage Index or Ratings. One |
| top seeded teams along the way. It's true that | | | | perspective is to go by 50% strength of |
| the top ranking teams win most of the time. | | | | schedule, 25% opponents' strength of schedule, |
| However, it's important to recognize that most | | | | and 25% winning percentage. A team with a good |
| people are going to choose teams like UCLA, | | | | winning percentage and a weak strength of |
| Kansas and Duke in their bracket. Although, the | | | | schedule will be penalized in the RPI ratings. |
| people who pick the teams that surprise | | | | However, when playing those tough games, those |
| everyone will win in the long run. | | | | teams might develop the courage it takes to be |
| Filling out March Madness brackets has become a | | | | bracket busters, which any sports better should |
| popular form of entertainment. Some people even | | | | take into consideration. |
| refer to this art form as Bracketology, which can | | | | |