How many perfect brackets were there at the start of the 2026 NCAA Tournament?
Over 36 million brackets were entered across major online games.
Sports / Basketball
As the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament progresses, the quest for a perfect bracket has become increasingly challenging. Millions of brackets entered, but only a handful remain flawless after the early rounds. Key upsets and thrilling...
The 2026 NCAA Tournament has already delivered its fair share of surprises, leading to a rapid decline in perfect brackets. The early rounds are notorious for upsets, and this year was no exception. Teams seeded lower than expected outperformed their higher-ranked opponents, causing widespread bracket carnage.
For example, No. 11 seed Texas' victory over No. 3 Gonzaga was a major turning point, eliminating a large chunk of remaining perfect brackets. Similarly, St. John's dramatic win over Kansas further reduced the field of flawless brackets.
As the tournament progresses, the odds of maintaining a perfect bracket diminish significantly. The complexity of predicting each game correctly, combined with the inherent unpredictability of college basketball, makes the feat nearly impossible. The focus now shifts to those few individuals who have defied the odds and are still in contention for bracket perfection.
Here's a breakdown of the final perfect brackets:
Over 36 million brackets were entered across major online games.
No. 11 Texas's win over No. 3 Gonzaga proved to be a significant bracket buster.
Only two perfect brackets remained out of 26,029,409.
The longest perfect bracket run was 49 games in 2019.
Do you think anyone will ever achieve a completely perfect bracket? Share your thoughts and predictions for the rest of the tournament!
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