Best March Madness Bracket Challenges for 2025
Written by: Eddie Griffin
Last Updated: Tue Mar 11, 2025, 20:07 PM
Read Time: 8 minutes
Another year of March Madness has arrived, and if this season is any indication, a lot of bracket madness is ahead in both the men’s and women’s tournaments. For those not directly involved in the action on the court, one of the best ways to have fun with March Madness each year is by entering bracket challenges.
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Best March Madness Bracket Challenges for 2025
Some people like to participate in bracket challenges with friends, family, or co-workers, while some prefer a contest run by an entity.
Whether you are more interested in having bragging rights among your group or are aiming for a big prize, you can find what you are looking for at places like ESPN, Yahoo, or popular sports betting sites.
That includes here, as Betting News Bracket Mania is back this year with a free bracket challenge for the 2025 edition of men’s March Madness (a.k.a. the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament).
Once again, some great goodies from the Betting News store will be up for grabs, and with the field of 68 now known, you can sign up and make your men’s March Madness bracket picks.
What are some of the other March Madness bracket challenges you should consider entering this year? We look at a few below.
Betting News Bracket Mania Returns for 2025!
As should be expected, our look at the best bracket challenges starts with a plug for our own contest.
You can make your bracket picks and go up against the Betting News community, as well as our team of writers and content creators. It is free to enter, and if you finish first, second, or third, you can win t-shirts and other prizes from the Betting News store. Perhaps that could include this dandy “Trust the Plums” t-shirt? That’s a fine motto to live by, especially in March.
If you would potentially like that addition to your wardrobe, hit the link and use the password “BNEWS2025” to enter Betting News Bracket Mania.
If you need any help filling out your men’s March Madness bracket, check out our rundown of some of the best March Madness betting tips and strategies.
BetOnline $200,000 Bracket Madness
At BetOnline, you can take a crack at a grand prize of at least $50,000 in their $200,000 Bracket Madness contest.
It’s a straightforward contest, as you pick all 63 games from the First Round to the championship game, and points will be awarded for any correct picks.
It must be noted that this is a pay-to-play March Madness bracket challenge. There is an entry fee of $20 for your first entry and discounted fees for following entries. There is a limit of 20 entries.
But there are some lucrative prizes available, including the grand prize, a second prize of at least $25,000, a third prize of at least $10,000, and cash prizes for everyone who finishes in the top 1,250 (and potential ties). Therefore, you could recoup your investment and then some.
BetOnline $200,000 Bracket Madness Prizes (minimum guaranteed amounts)
- 1st: $50,000
- 2nd: $25,000
- 3rd: $10,000
- 4th: $5,000
- 5th: $4,000
- 6th: $3,000
- 7th: $2,500
- 8th: $1,750
- 9th: $1,250
- 10th: $1,000
- 11th-15th: $800
- 16th-20th: $500
- 21st-30th: $400
- 31st-40th: $320
- 41st-50th: $280
- 51st-76th: $240
- 76th-100th: $200
Are you wondering why “at least” is specified here? It is because the $200,000 prize pool is the guaranteed amount. Every dollar above $200,000 that is collected in entry fees will be added to the prize pool.
If you make the maximum 20 entries (which would cost you $170) and finish even finish between 76th and 100th, you will come out ahead, even if the prize pool doesn’t go beyond the listed amounts.
BetOnline’s $200,000 Bracket Madness is now open for entries, so head on over there and get your picks in for one of the most generous March Madness bracket challenges out there.
Betting on men’s and/or women’s March Madness this year? Check out our rundown of some the best March Madness betting sites.
Everygame Sportsbook $25,000 Bracket Contest
Everygame Sportsbook is known for running seasonal promotions and contests, and they have brewed up something good for March Madness.
If you have an account at Everygame Sportsbook, you can win $25,000 if you pick all 63 first round, second round, Sweet Sixteen, Elite Eight, and Final Four games correctly.
If no one picks a perfect bracket, the $25,000 prize will be split evenly between the 25 people (plus ties) who have the highest number of correct tournament picks.
There is no direct entry fee for this contest as there are with other March Madness bracket challenges, but you must place at least $100 in bets between Monday, March 17 and Sunday, March 30 to be eligible for a prize.
And even if you don’t pick a perfect bracket, you can get still get some free cash at Everygame Sportsbook thanks to their Crunch Time bonus. Better yet, you can get that free cash—100% up to $300 (with an 8x rollover)—on three deposits until May 4, which means you can use it for both March Madness and NBA playoff action.
BetUS March Bracket Contest
For this year’s NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, BetUS is running three bracket contests in one: a 64-team bracket contest, a 16-team bracket contest, and an 8-team bracket contest.
The 64-team contest carries a prize of $1,000,000 for the person who produces a perfect March Madness bracket, while the person who makes the most correct picks will win a $100,000 free play, which comes with a 10x rollover.
It opens for entries following the release of this year’s men’s March Madness bracket. Entries will be open until 11:59 pm ET on Wednesday, March 19.
The 16-team contest, which will commence once the first weekend has taken place and the field is trimmed to the last 16 teams, carries a big prize of $10,000 for a perfect bracket.
The same top prize for a perfect bracket will be up for grabs for the 8-team contest.
Other contest prizes include $250 casino chips, sportsbook free plays, prize packs, and more.
Are any of these contests free? No, you must make deposits to be able to enter. Each deposit of $100+ made during the specific contest windows will qualify for a contest entry. For example, for the 64-team contest, that window opened on March 1 and will close at 11:59 pm ET on March 19.
More March Madness Information
Other March Madness Content at Betting News
All of our content for this year’s NCAA Division I men’s and women’s basketball tournaments can be found in one place. Bookmark our March Madness main page to keep up with our picks, predictions, and tips on how to bet on the action at the best online sportsbooks.
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March Madness Bracket Challenges FAQ
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