NCAA March Madness Sign up and discussion

I wanted to get this up earlier in the week but I was behind on life. Here are some basic rules. If anything needs adjusted we can do so on the fly.

Brackets will be done on espn.com. I believe you can make it so none of your info is showing or just create a fake account.
The group name is Wizard of Vegas and the password is wizardofvegas. Once you create your bracket you are able to edit your espn name. Please make your ESPN name match your forum moniker. If you do not have it listed on there you must indicate in this thread what your screen name is or your entry is not valid. This must be done prior to the first games on Thursday the 15th. Once you create the name on ESPN please also post in here that you did and how many to validate the entry.
Here is the link
http://games.espn.com/tournament-challenge-bracket/en/group?redirect=tcmen%3A%2F%2Fx-callback-url%2FshowGroup%3FgroupID%3D2253770&ex_cid=tcmen2018_email&groupID=2253770&groupp=d2l6YXJkb2Z2ZWdhcw%3D%3D&inviteuser=ezdCNjQ0NTgwLUE4MjUtNEE5OC1BNDQ1LTgwQTgyNTNBOThFOH0%3D&invitesource=email

Group: Wizard of Vegas
Password: wizardofvegas

Entry is $20 per bracket with a maximum of 2 brackets per person. Payment will be made within 10 days of the conclusion of the tournament. Payment methods will be paypal or amazon gift card or if the winner is ok with other methods that can be addressed between the 2 parties. If for whatever reason the winner or losers would prefer me to act as a go between I would be glad to do so.

Only people eligible for this are members of the wizardofvegas forum who are not considered new members and have not had any history of welching. If you have a family member or friend outside of here that wants to submit an entry that is fine but it must be submitted under your name. There is no definition of a new member and will be reviewed as need be. My decision is the final decision when invalidating an entry.

Scoring will be (I don't know why they do it in 10s instead of just 1) (official scoring is done on the site so if my numbers are wrong below ESPN has the final and correct numbers)
Round of 64 10 points per correct pick
Round of 32 20 points per correct pick
Sweet Sixteen 40 points per correct pick
Elite Eight 80 points per correct pick
Final Four 160 points per correct pick
Championship 320 points per correct pick

Payout will be top 2 finishers. First place will win approx 80% of total and 2nd place will win approx 20%. The final payouts will be adjusted to create easy payouts. The totals will be rounded to the nearest $20 at my discretion. There will be no tie breaker to determine final winner. I believe the software will ask for final total but it is not required. If there is a tie for 1st then the prize poll will be split between those parties and there will be no 2nd place payout. If there is a tie for 2nd place then the 2nd place prize poll will be split between those parties.

In order for this tournament to be a go there needs to be a minimum of 10 brackets submitted. IF there are 9 or fewer brackets then this tournament is cancelled. I have 2 entered already so just 8 more.

If there are 25 brackets or more entered then we will have a YOU SUCK prize of 1 free entry. I was going to make this an actual prize but then we would see brackets of 16 vs 16 in finals. So a free entry seems fair for being the worst picker here.

DISCLAIMER: PLEASE ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK. I AM NOT GUARANTEEING THAT ALL PRIZE MONEY WILL BE PAID OUT. ALSO THE OWNERS AND MODERATORS OF WIZARDOFVEGAS.COM ARE NOT GUARANTEEING PRIZE MONEY NOR ARE THEY RESPONSIBLE FOR OR ENDORSING SAID CONTEST.

side bets are also welcome but those are obviously between parties outside this contest.

Okay, i have entered a bracket

Quote: gordonm888

Okay, i have entered a bracket

Really
You know who is in and who is out
You already know the 1st round games?
Please share :-)

Quote: terapined

Really
You know who is in and who is out
You already know the 1st round games?
Please share :-)

haha, I entered a bracket too. I did the auto prefill. That way when I forget to add my picks I will be all set.

I am all set up with 2 entries. Thanks for getting this organized.

Quote: GWAE

haha, I entered a bracket too. I did the auto prefill. That way when I forget to add my picks I will be all set.

Exactly. I did the auto pre-fill as well. We can all change our brackets as many times as we want until they are frozen before the beginning of the 1st game -and obviously I'll be changing my automatically generated bracket. But it does immediately establish my entry in the contest.

I think I have a pre-filled bracket in the WoV group, but I'm having some difficulty navigating the site. GWAE, next time you look at it, could you verify I'm showing properly, please?

There's an anon sign up there at the moment, as well, but all those who signed up match those who've commented, so I don't have a hint who that might be.

Quote: GWAE

I

DISCLAIMER: PLEASE ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK. I AM NOT GUARANTEEING THAT ALL PRIZE MONEY WILL BE PAID OUT. ALSO THE OWNERS AND MODERATORS OF WIZARDOFVEGAS.COM ARE NOT GUARANTEEING PRIZE MONEY NOR ARE THEY RESPONSIBLE FOR OR ENDORSING SAID CONTEST.

No guaranteed prize pool?

Quote: Vegasrider

No guaranteed prize pool?

People are paying $20 to enter. I am facilitating the t
Contest but are certainly not going to put up money if a member decides to not pay.

Quote: Vegasrider

No guaranteed prize pool?

Honor system

Just joking. Guaranteed prize pool are so the norm when it comes to tournaments. It's only $20, I usually just put cash in the envelope and mail it I don't deal with 3rd party payments.

Looking at the team's that are in so far makes me realize how little I watched basketball this year. I may just flip a coin to pick each game.

Quote: GWAE

Looking at the team's that are in so far makes me realize how little I watched basketball this year. I may just flip a coin to pick each game.

I have not watched much either due to my team sucking. Maryland Terrapins
I was lucky enough to catch St Johns beating Duke.
I turned it on around the middle of the game and was amazed. St Johns had just lost 11 games in a row, and they were beating Duke
St Johns won, amazing game and they wont be in the tournament. That kind of year

Quote: terapined

I have not watched much either due to my team sucking. Maryland Terrapins
I was lucky enough to catch St Johns beating Duke.
I turned it on around the middle of the game and was amazed. St Johns had just lost 11 games in a row, and they were beating Duke
St Johns won, amazing game and they wont be in the tournament. That kind of year

A tournament that includes teams that lost 11 games in a row would be an absolute joke. I remember when teams with a single loss were left on the outside of the tournament.

Quote: billryan

. I remember when teams with a single loss were left on the outside of the tournament.

I remember those days being a Maryland Terrapins fan
We were the number 4 team in the country and we did not get in
Yup, 4th ranked team in the entire country and we get relegated to the NIT
Had the win the ACC tournament to get an invite. No at large bids. Want to get into the dance, had to earn it.
ACC was very strong. Number 1 NC State with the amazing David Thompson beat MD in the ACC tournament in a 103 to 100 OT thriller.
They changed the rule the next year so you did not have to win the conference tournament to get in

USC was ranked #2 in the country but didn't get in as they had a one team per conference rule and UCLA was still UCLA.
Thompsons NC State 1973 team went undefeated but weren't invited to participate because of an ugly spat. The next year, they had an early season matchup with UCLA and the Bruins ran them off the court. The rematch in the NCAA didn't go as smooth as The Wolf Pack won in overtime( maybe double OT). and NC State went on to win it all.
58-1 over two seasons. I don't think team has come close since.

I'm glad Oklahoma is in, have them at 150:1 but sad to see Ok. St. out, had them at 750:1. I still have Clemson at 500:1 & Tenn at 300:1.

2018 Bracket is up and ready for picking...

https://www.ncaa.com/interactive-bracket/basketball-men/d1

I have picked my gwae 2 bracket by coin flip with 1 exception. I have 1, 2 , 3 seeds all going to at least 2nd round. Everything else is done by coin flip. I will post the bracket this week.

Does anyone want to wager $10 side bet on whos is better.

Only 48 hours until tourney. Come on folks lets get it up to 20. This is a gambling forum afterall and having my $40 in as essentially dead money because I suck should make this a +ev contest. Hell one of my brackets will be picked with a coin flip.

I’m in. I don’t follow basketball so I used miplet’s non-patent pending method of picking. It may or may not involve certain dice used in the games of Clue currently happening on DT*.

Quote: miplet

I’m in. I don’t follow basketball so I used miplet’s non-patent pending method of picking. It may or may not involve certain dice used in the games of Clue currently happening on DT*.

*

We are always recruiting new players. Anyone is welcome to join

I have never joined DT because a lot of the topics I have no interest in. I may just join to play clue.

I have one bracket complete and one to go.

From the ESPN rules:
Q: What is the deadline for entries?
A: Entries (and any changes to the bracket) must be completed by the time of the start of the first game on Thursday, March 15th, 2018.
First game: Oklahoma vs Rhode Island 12:15pm Eastern (9:15am Pacific)

I have entered a bracket.

Very surprised there's not more brackets. This is a gambling site!

Quote: SM777

Very surprised there's not more brackets. This is a gambling site!

I have tried to run many different contests and fantasy leagues and can never get a ton of people. However put a Mcnugget challenge out and there are thoussands wagered. Go figure.

Who is espn14511770 1espn14511770?
Everybody else using their WOV handle :-)

Quote: GWAE

I have tried to run many different contests and fantasy leagues and can never get a ton of people. However put a Mcnugget challenge out and there are thoussands wagered. Go figure.

That's a great point actually. Odd how that works!

Would anyone like to PM wizard to see if he wants to join. He mentioned that he would. I am having trouble getting the PM to work on my phone. If not I will do it when I get home.

https://youtu.be/4a1TUszkMfI

Anyone else watch his videos? This one is pretty interesting about the tournament.

Quote: GWAE

Would anyone like to PM wizard to see if he wants to join. He mentioned that he would. I am having trouble getting the PM to work on my phone. If not I will do it when I get home.

Sent.

If anyone feels confident and proficient, wants more entries, I'll partner. I know nothing about basketball, don't care, will take a silent partner (the brains).

Quote: terapined

Who is espn14511770 1espn14511770?
Everybody else using their WOV handle :-)

Good question.

My 2 brackets are now complete. Looking forward to tons of College BBall in the next few days.

As per the rules if they don't state in here who they are then it will be removed.

Quote: beachbumbabs

Sent.

Thank you

Quote: terapined

Who is espn14511770 1espn14511770?
Everybody else using their WOV handle :-)

This better not be SAP or WON lol

I submitted one bracket. Good luck to all, most luck to me !

I didn't like there being 13 entries so I put in a 2nd one. If somebody wants to split that 2nd entry, I'm game, but I claim no particular expertise.

Wizard hasn't seen my bracket query yet, but may still get entered in time.

I just found this thread and think I got my bracket in by their deadline.
I don't have any idea what some of those teams are like and many I had no idea even existed.
Do I send my twenty bucks now? If so, to whom? Paypal will be fine.

Quote: FleaStiff

I just found this thread and think I got my bracket in by their deadline.
I don't have any idea what some of those teams are like and many I had no idea even existed.
Do I send my twenty bucks now? If so, to whom? Paypal will be fine.

Nope wait till the end.

Ok I updated my brackets. In GWAE I did my picks as I think which means I will suck. In GWAE 2 I did it by coin flip. The only exception is I put 1 and 2 seeds into the sweet 16 automatically. Maybe I should have just done coins for those but the first round is almost a lock except a few years ago when I had Michigan State winning it all in 2 brackets and they lost in the first round. Sigh...

In my picked brackets I have mostly chalk. My final four is like 3 1s and 1 2. In my coin flip is is 1vs6 and 2vs5 with a final of 5vs6.

Good Luck all.



ETA: Right now we have 16 brackets.

However there are 2 that I am not sure of because they have not indicated so in this thread.
ESPN14511770
IndyJeffrey

If I am wrong on any of those please point it out to me. Approx 5 hours before tip off. Still time for a few more entries.

Good luck to all.

Quote: SM777

Good luck to all.

Thanks. Same to you!

games are about to start, last chance for anyone to sign up.


Good luck alllllll, I hope no one loses to my coin flip bracket.

If I can get a Kentucky champion then my coin flip one might take it.

Whew
Survived Rhode Island vs OK
Was really tempted to pick OK due to Trae Young
But went with Rhode Island, really like the coach

Quote: terapined

But went with Rhode Island, really like the coach

Very likely to be the next UConn coach.

OMG, check out Fleastiff's bracket. In the Championship game, he picks Cal State Fullerton over San Diego State by a score of 15-15.

Genius? Or, one drink too many?

Quote: gordonm888

OMG, check out Fleastiff's bracket. In the Championship game, he picks Cal State Fullerton over San Diego State by a score of 15-15.
Genius? Or, one drink too many?

Genius, I assure you. Pure Genius.
I picked 15-15 because I didn't think it would be Love-30.
I picked Cal State Fullerton as the victor simply because if they make it that far they will have greater motivation than a Top Dog team such as San Diego State.
When does that championship game take place, I'll try to get to a bar with a TV and watch it.