The brackets for the 2025 NCAA Tournament were announced, and like every year, the influx of texts to join bracket pools has begun. Winning these pools requires both luck and strategy. While luck plays a significant role, applying a few strategic approaches can enhance one’s chances of success.

Key Tips for Filling Your Bracket

1. Choose the Champion Wisely: To succeed, correctly predicting the tournament champion is essential, as scoring systems prioritize this.

2. Find Balance Between Safe and Upset Picks: In larger pools, being slightly unconventional can yield better results. Picking under-seeded teams for potential wins is crucial.

3. Limit the Number of Upsets: While it’s tempting to pick numerous upset victories, focusing your upset bets to two or three can be more productive.

Notable Upsets to Consider

• No. 12 Colorado State over No. 5 Memphis: Colorado State’s strong performance in the Mountain West Conference presents them as a formidable matchup against Memphis.
• No. 10 New Mexico over No. 7 Marquette: New Mexico’s fast tempo and potential under-seeding make them a team worth backing.
• No. 12 Liberty over No. 5 Oregon: Liberty has a proven track record and a solid offensive game that could challenge a higher seed.

Avoid the urge to pick too many upset teams. The tournament historically favors a couple of upset stories but generally favors the top seed. Make sure to do your research and have a plan for picking your bracket.

Additional Resources

• NCAA Tournament Coverage
• Join Bracket Pools for your chance to win!