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The perfect March Madness bracket may still exist, but the odds have narrowed significantly after the first round of games concluded Friday night.
Of the more than 36 million categories completed across major sports platforms, only 224 unblemished entries remained entering the second round on Saturday, according to the NCAA website.
High Point Panthers fans look on 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)
There were about 14,000 groups left after a trio of upsets on Thursday, and even though there were no Cinderella stories on Friday, that number dropped further to 224. That number fell further 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 flop of the day was No. 7 seed Kentucky’s thrilling overtime victory over No. 10 seed Santa Clara. The Broncos looked poised to upset the Wildcats, but Otega Oweh’s 3-pointer in front of their own bench with just 2.4 seconds left in regulation gave Kentucky the path to score eight straight points in overtime to advance to the second round.
Some 6,000 keys were dismantled until the final whistle. Another 3,200 were arrested as 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 the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri, on March 20, 2026. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
NEARLY 36 MILLION MARCH MADNESS SUPPORTS RECTIFIED ON DAY 1 AS UNREST WREAKS HAVOC
There could be more fan angst (or optimism) on Saturday with three upset winners scheduled to play the top seeds. No. 11 Texas will face No. 3 Gonzaga at 7:10 p.m. ET, No. 11 VCU will face 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 hurdle will be Michigan State vs. Louisville. If Louisville wins, only 74 groups will advance.
A perfect 63-game group grants 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 stocks based on possible outcomes of events, is offering $1 billion to anyone who correctly predicts all 63 games in the tournament, with a $1 million “consolation” prize for the person who finishes in the highest-scoring bracket.
According to his tracker, only two entries are still perfect on Kalshi’s platform.
