NCAA Bracket pool

[duketaylor]

which I'm running. Which is your favorite format? I have one in mind I'm used to, but am curious to some other's thoughts.

Thanks in advance.

[dukebballcamper90-91]

CBS sports is the only one I've used. I have no complaints but don't really have any others to compare.

[BigWayne]

Most fun one I ever was involved with had a scale which encouraged you to pick upsets. I don't remember all the details, but it went something like this:

1) You didn't pick games, you picked teams. I think you picked 8 teams and only four of them could be 1-4 seeds.
2) You got points equal to 10x the seed number of your team for each game they played.

[Tripping William]

I have used ESPN's Tournament Challenge for years. It can occasionally have a glitch or two, but it usually runs pretty smoothly. It's basically has a top-end total of 320 points for each round (so, 10 each correct pick in the R64, 20 for each correct pick in the R32, etc.).

The other one in which I have participated, and it is fun, is a "Pick 8" contest. You need 8 people (or pairs of people). You draw lots to set the order (1 through 8), then run it in an S-curve (where person/pair #8 gets both the 8th pick and the 9th pick, and then whoever had the 1st pick also gets the 16th and 17th picks, and so on). A person/pair gets one point for each tournament win for the 8 teams that he/she/they ends up selecting. Whoever's 8 teams collects up the most wins/points is your winner. You can do prizes for the highest pick to lose its game, and for the lowest pick to win a game.

Welcome to The Most Wonderful Time of the Year. :D

[JasonEvans]

First of all, there must be some reward for picking lower seeded teams. Otherwise, there is no incentive not to pick chalk all the way. But, the bonus should not be too crazy. More important to me is an ample reward for picking later games. I hate it when there is no chance for the top of the leaderboard to change after the sweet 16 because even picking final four teams cannot catch up to the guy who lucked into 30 first round picks correctly.

Also...

The other one in which I have participated, and it is fun, is a "Pick 8" contest. You need 8 people (or pairs of people). You draw lots to set the order (1 through 8), then run it in an S-curve (where person/pair #8 gets both the 8th pick and the 9th pick, and then whoever had the 1st pick also gets the 16th and 17th picks, and so on). A person/pair gets one point for each tournament win for the 8 teams that he/she/they ends up selecting. Whoever's 8 teams collects up the most wins/points is your winner. You can do prizes for the highest pick to lose its game, and for the lowest pick to win a game.

This sounds really cool to me!
I would alter it so you get a prize for the pick below 32 that makes it the furthest (ties go to the lowest pick) and for the lowest pick to win a game.

We could have 8 guys buy in and do the payouts:

Winner - 50%
Second place -25%
Last place - 5%
Lowest pick to win a game - 10%
Sub 32 pick to go furthest - 10%

--Jason "anyone interested?" Evans

[Tripping William]

First of all, there must be some reward for picking lower seeded teams. Otherwise, there is no incentive not to pick chalk all the way. But, the bonus should not be too crazy. More important to me is an ample reward for picking later games. I hate it when there is no chance for the top of the leaderboard to change after the sweet 16 because even picking final four teams cannot catch up to the guy who lucked into 30 first round picks correctly.

Also...


This sounds really cool to me!
I would alter it so you get a prize for the pick below 32 that makes it the furthest (ties go to the lowest pick) and for the lowest pick to win a game.

We could have 8 guys buy in and do the payouts:

Winner - 50%
Second place -25%
Last place - 5%
Lowest pick to win a game - 10%
Sub 32 pick to go furthest - 10%

--Jason "anyone interested?" Evans

I’m game.

[left_hook_lacey]

I'm in.

[CDu]

I'd do it. Drafts are fun!

[JasonEvans]

Ok, we got 4... only need 4 more. C'mon people. Either PM me or post in this thread.

[Highlander]

I like points plus seed #. If you pick a #1 to beat a #16, you get 2 points for the round plus 1 bonus point for the seed = 3 points. If you correctly pick a #16 to beat a #1, you get 2 points for the game plus 16 points for the seed = 18 points. This makes 7/10 and 8/9 games especially important to get right. I also hated giving a ton of points to the person for picking the NC, because I thought it was tougher to pick the early games than to roll the dice on a chalk favorite.

Anyway, my experience is that the scoring method doesn't make much difference in the final standings. Whoever gets the most games right is going to win, and most of the time you have to either pick the champ or hope for a dark horse to have a chance of winning.

[JasonEvans]

Ok, we got 4... only need 4 more. C'mon people. Either PM me or post in this thread.

Got 3 more... only need one.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Always fun. Count me in.

[RPS]

Always fun. Count me in.Me too.

[JasonEvans]

Me too.

Sorry... too late. We filled it up when Mtn Devil joined. I will post the results of our draft in the next week or so when we have done it so folks can see how we picked.

[OldPhiKap]

1. Gambling is illegal here at Bushwood.

2. I never slice.

[RPS]

Sorry... too late. We filled it up when Mtn Devil joined. I will post the results of our draft in the next week or so when we have done it so folks can see how we picked.Dang. I was going to offer some Julian Pie and San Diego craft beer pairings, too.

[cato]

I volunteered to run the office pool, so am bumping this for any other suggestions. CBS?

[Tripping William]

I volunteered to run the office pool, so am bumping this for any other suggestions. CBS?

As mentioned upthread, I have used ESPN's Tournament Challenge for this for a number of years (and will do so again this year). But I have participated in ones operated on CBS. Sixes, IMO.

[cato]

As mentioned upthread, I have used ESPN's Tournament Challenge for this for a number of years (and will do so again this year). But I have participated in ones operated on CBS. Sixes, IMO.

Thanks. I missed that when I looked back. Scanned too quickly!

[JasonEvans]

Not sure if folks are interested, but we are almost done with our 8-man "draft" of teams for the tournament picking game described upthread. I will post the results here when it is complete. Really interesting to see how the draft went. I'll give you an early hint... Duke did not go #1 and one of the #1 seeds didn't get drafted until the 2nd round. Verrrrry interesting.

-Jason "I am going to post the results without the names of the pickers, so we can see who you all think had the best draft without any bias" Evans

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Not sure if folks are interested, but we are almost done with our 8-man "draft" of teams for the tournament picking game described upthread. I will post the results here when it is complete. Really interesting to see how the draft went. I'll give you an early hint... Duke did not go #1 and one of the #1 seeds didn't get drafted until the 2nd round. Verrrrry interesting.

-Jason "I am going to post the results without the names of the pickers, so we can see who you all think had the best draft without any bias" Evans

Trust the process...

[JasonEvans]

So, here is our draft. I am dying to see who you all think will win, the person who drafted first or fourth or eighth or someone else.

The DBR folks who participated were: JasonEvans, Tom B, CDu, Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15, Tripping William, Left_hook_Lacy, Biffman, and someone who reads but does not have a posting name.

https://image.ibb.co/hH82Nx/Capture.png

[sagegrouse]

I volunteered to run the office pool, so am bumping this for any other suggestions. CBS?

I have been invited to join two other bracket pools. On one, the password is "Go Terps," the creator acknowledging that Maryland is in the NIT.