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The perfect March Madness bracket may still exist, but the odds narrowed significantly after the first round of games ended Friday night.
Of the more than 36 million applications completed on major sports platforms, only 224 flawless applications remained available for the second round on Saturday, according to the NCAA 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, Ore., March 19, 2026. (Soobum Im/Getty Images)
There were about 14,000 brackets left after three upsets Thursday, and despite no Cinderella stories Friday, that number was further reduced to 224. That number dwindled 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 takeaway of the day was No. 7 seed Kentucky’s thrilling overtime victory over No. 10 seed Santa Clara. The Broncos looked ready to upset the Wildcats, but Otega Oweh’s 3-point basket in front of his 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.
Around 6,000 stands were taken down at the final whistle. Another 3,200 were eliminated 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 Erupted ON FIRST DAY AS MOVES MAKE DAVOCATS
Saturday could see even more fan heartache (or optimism) with three upset winners set to play among 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 face No. 4 Arkansas at 9:45 p.m. ET.
The NCAA predicts the biggest win will be Michigan State versus Louisville. If Louisville wins, only 74 brackets will advance.
Perfect support for all 63 games pays off way more than bragging rights.
Siena Saints fans watch 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 – where users buy and trade stocks based on the potential outcomes of an event – is offering $1 billion to anyone who correctly predicts all 63 tournament matches, with a $1 million “consolation” prize to the person who finishes in the high-score bracket.
According to its tracker, only two entries remain perfect on Kalshi’s platform.
