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The perfect March Madness bracket might still exist, but the chances have narrowed significantly after the first round of games wrapped up on Friday night.
Of the more than 36 million brackets filled out across major sports platforms, only 224 flawless entries remained entering the second round on Saturday, according to the NCAA’s website.
High Point Panthers fans watch before a game against the Wisconsin Badgers in the first round of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon, on March 19, 2026. (Soobum Im/Getty Images)
Roughly 14,000 brackets remained after a trio of upsets on Thursday, and despite no Cinderella stories on Friday, that number was further reduced to 224. That number dropped further on Saturday afternoon after No. 1 seed Michigan punched its ticket to the Sweet 16, leaving just 207 entries intact.
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According to the NCAA, the biggest bracket buster of the day was No. 7 seed Kentucky’s thrilling overtime victory over No. 10 seed Santa Clara. The Broncos looked primed to upset the Wildcats, but Otega Oweh’s 3-pointer in front of his own bench with just 2.4 seconds in regulation gave Kentucky the path to score eight consecutive points in overtime to move on to the second round.
Roughly 6,000 brackets were dismantled by the final whistle. Another 3,200 were busted when Utah State pulled away from Villanova, 86-76.
Brandon Garrison (10) of the Kentucky Wildcats celebrates a basket against the Santa Clara Broncos during overtime in the first round of the 2026 NCAA men’s Basketball Tournament at Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri, on March 20, 2026. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
NEARLY 36 MILLION MARCH MADNESS BRACKETS BUSTED ON DAY ONE AS UPSETS WREAK HAVOC
Saturday could see more heartbreak for fans (or optimism) with three upset winners scheduled to play top seeds. No. 11 Texas will take on No. 3 Gonzaga at 7:10 p.m. ET, No. 11 VCU will face off against No. 3 Illinois at 7:50 p.m. ET, and No. 12 High Point will battle No. 4 Arkansas at 9:45 p.m. ET.
The NCAA predicts the biggest bracket buster will be Michigan State vs. Louisville. If Louisville wins, just 74 brackets will advance.
A perfect bracket for all 63 games earns more than just bragging rights.
Siena Saints fans watch during the first half of a game against the Duke Blue Devils in the first round of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina, on March 19, 2026. (Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
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Kalshi, a leader in prediction markets — in which users buy and trade shares based on potential event outcomes — is offering $1 billion to anyone who predicts all 63 tournament games correctly, with a “consolation” prize of $1 million to the person who finishes with the top-scoring bracket.
According to its tracker, only two entries remain perfect on Kalshi’s platform.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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