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We Simulated Every March Madness Game 1,000 Times for the Perfect NCAA Tournament Bracket

Rob Paul

Last Updated: March 20, 2025 9:11 AM EDT • 8 min 52 sec read.

We Simulated Every NCAA Tournament Game 1,000 Times to Pick the Perfect March Madness Bracket
Pictured: Auburn's Johni Broome celebrates against Missouri. Photo by Jake Crandall / Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.

Nobody has ever put together a perfect March Madness bracket, and nobody ever will given the unpredictability of the NCAA Tournament. Or will they?

With the tournament starting today, we turned to NCAA Game Sim to simulate every tournament game 1,000 times in pursuit of the perfect bracket. Will it actually be perfect? Maybe not, but these simulated picks and projected scores can serve as a nice foundation for your March Madness predictions.

🏀 March Madness bracket predictions based on 1,000 simulations

👉 Want AI-driven bracket insights? Check out our full March Madness AI bracket predictions with score predictions for every game.

March Madness Perfect Bracket: We Simulated Every NCAA Tournament Game 1,000 Times
Pictured: We simulated every March Madness game 1,000 Times to pick the perfect NCAA Tournament bracket (above).

🧠 Don't trust the robots? We have you covered with our March Madness expert bracket and our comprehensive guide on how to fill out a March Madness bracket.

A custom graphic of our March Tourney Survivor contest with $1,000 cash to the winner!
A custom graphic of our March Tourney Survivor contest with $1,000 cash to the winner!

🔮 NCAA Tournament predictions & simulations for every game

1️⃣ First round picks & score projections

South Region

  • (1) Auburn 90, (16) Alabama State 61 - Auburn won 97.7% of the time, Alabama State won 2.3% of the time, and the game went to OT 0.3% of the time
  • (9) Creighton 75, (8) Louisville 71 - Creighton won 60.3% of the time, Louisville won 39.7% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.6% of the time
  • (5) Michigan 75, (12) UC San Diego 72 - Michigan won 59.8% of the time, UC San Diego won 40.2% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.9% of the time
  • (4) Texas A&M 73, (13) Yale 67 - Texas A&M won 69.2% of the time, Yale won 30.8% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.8% of the time
  • (11) North Carolina 77, (6) Ole Miss 76 - North Carolina won 54.3% of the time, Ole Miss won 45.7% of the time, the game went to OT 3.1% of the time
  • (3) Iowa State 83, (14) Lipscomb 70 - Iowa State won 82.4% of the time, Lipscomb won 17.6% of the time, the game went to OT 1.7% of the time
  • (7) Marquette 76, (10) New Mexico 71 - Marquette won 63.9% of the time, New Mexico won 36.1% of the time, the game went to OT 2.8% of the time
  • (2) Michigan State 80, (15) Bryant 66 - Michigan State won 85.8% of the time, Bryant won 14.2% of the time, and the game went to OT 1.7% of the time

East Region

  • (1) Duke 86, (16) Mount St. Mary's 59 - Duke won 97.8% of the time, Mount St. Mary's won 2.2% of the time, and the game went to OT 0.4% of the time
  • (8) Mississippi State 74, (9) Baylor 73 - Mississippi State won 51.8% of the time, Baylor won 48.2% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.9% of the time
  • (5) Oregon 75, (12) Liberty 71 - Oregon won 60.8% of the time, Liberty won 39.2% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.7% of the time
  • (4) Arizona 82, (13) Akron 76 - Arizona won 65.9% of the time, Akron won 34.1% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.5% of the time
  • (6) BYU 76, (11) VCU 69 - BYU won 71.4% of the time, VCU won 28.6% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.5% of the time
  • (3) Wisconsin 82, (14) Montana 69 - Wisconsin won 81.3% of the time, Montana won 18.7% of the time, and the game went to OT 1.8% of the time
  • (7) Saint Mary's 73, (10) Vanderbilt 73 - Saint Mary's won 55.4% of the time, Vanderbilt won 44.6% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.9% of the time
  • (2) Alabama 89, (15) Robert Morris 72 - Alabama won 89.5% of the time, Robert Morris won 10.5% of the time, and the game went to OT 1.6% of the time

Midwest Region

  • (1) Houston 78, (16) SIU Edwardsville 59 - Houston won 92.1% of the time, SIU Edwardsville won 7.9% of the time, and the game went to OT 1.1% of the time
  • (8) Gonzaga 80, (9) Georgia 75 - Gonzaga won 64.4% of the time, Georgia won 35.6% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.8% of the time
  • (5) Clemson 76, (12) McNeese 67 - Clemson won 74.7% of the time, McNeese won 25.3% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.6% of the time
  • (4) Purdue 79, (13) High Point 75 - Purdue won 64.6% of the time, High Point won 35.4% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.9% of the time
  • (6) Illinois 79, (11) Xavier 76 - Illinois won 59.7% of the time, Xavier won 40.3% of the time, and the game went to OT 3.3% of the time
  • (3) Kentucky 77, (14) Troy 68 - Kentucky won 74.1% of the time, Troy won 25.9% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.6% of the time
  • (7) UCLA 76, (10) Utah State 75 - UCLA won 53.4% of the time, Utah State won 46.6% of the time, and the game went to OT 3% of the time
  • (2) Tennessee 79, (15) Wofford 63 - Tennessee won 87.3% of the time, Wofford won 12.7% of the time, and the game went to OT 1.7% of the time

West Region

  • (1) Florida 84, (16) Norfolk State 66 - Florida won 92.9% of the time, Norfolk State won 7.1% of the time, and the game went to OT 0.9% of the time
  • (8) UConn 76, (9) Oklahoma 73 - UConn won 58.4% of the time, Oklahoma 41.6% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.9% of the time
  • (12) Colorado State 74, (5) Memphis 72 - Colorado State won 56.3% of the time, Memphis won 43.7% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.7% of the time
  • (4) Maryland 79, (13) Grand Canyon 68 - Maryland won 80.1% of the time, Grand Canyon won 19.9% of the time, and the game went to OT 1.9% of the time
  • (6) Missouri 75, (11) Drake 70 - Missouri won 63.6% of the time, Drake won 36.4% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.9% of the time
  • (3) Texas Tech 81, (14) UNC Wilmington 69 - Texas Tech won 80.3% of the time, UNC Wilmington won 19.7% of the time, and the game went to OT 2% of the time
  • (7) Kansas 75, (10) Arkansas 71 - Kansas won 60% of the time, Arkansas won 40% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.6% of the time
  • (2) St. John's 82, (15) Omaha 66 - St. John's won 88.9% of the time, Omaha won 11.1% of the time, and the game went to OT 1.4% of the time

📖 March Madness regional previews: South | East | Midwest | West

🔮 March Madness bracket picks & tips

2️⃣ Second round picks & score projections

South Region

  • (1) Auburn 82, (9) Creighton 71 - Auburn won 81.3% of the time, Creighton won 18.7% of the time, and the game went to OT 1.8% of the time
  • (5) Michigan 70, (4) Texas A&M 67 - Michigan won 59% of the time, Texas A&M won 41% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.6% of the time
  • (3) Iowa State 78, (11) North Carolina 75 - Iowa State won 61.7% of the time, North Carolina won 38.3% of the time, and the game went to OT 3.3% of the time
  • (2) Michigan State 73, (7) Marquette 72 - Michigan State won 52.2% of the time, Marquette won 47.8% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.4% of the time

East Region

  • (1) Duke 81, (8) Mississippi State 72 - Duke won 72.9% of the time, Mississippi State won 27.1% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.4% of the time
  • (4) Arizona 76, (5) Oregon 73 - Arizona won 58.1% of the time, Oregon won 41.9% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.9% of the time
  • (3) Wisconsin 80, (6) BYU 76 - Wisconsin won 61.5% of the time, BYU won 38.5% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.4% of the time
  • (2) Alabama 77, (7) Saint Mary's 75 - Alabama won 53.7% of the time, Saint Mary's won 46.3% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.6% of the time

Midwest Region

  • (1) Houston 76, (8) Gonzaga 73 - Houston won 58.3% of the time, Gonzaga won 41.7% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.6% of the time
  • (5) Clemson 76, (4) Purdue (75) - Clemson won 52.7% of the time, Purdue won 47.3% of the time, and the game went to OT 3.2% of the time
  • (6) Illinois 80, (3) Kentucky 79 - Illinois won 53% of the time, Kentucky won 47% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.8% of the time
  • (2) Tennessee 74, (7) UCLA 69 - Tennessee won 64.8% of the time, UCLA won 35.2% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.4% of the time

West Region

  • (1) Florida 79, (8) UConn 74 - Florida won 61.5% of the time, UConn won 38.5% of the time, and the game went to OT 3% of the time
  • (4) Maryland 77, (12) Colorado State 70 - Maryland won 68.6% of the time, Colorado State won 31.4% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.7% of the time
  • (6) Missouri 77, (3) Texas Tech 76 - Missouri won 51.6% of the time, Texas Tech won 48.4% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.8% of the time
  • (7) Kansas 73, (2) St. John's 72 - Kansas won 51.3% of the time, St. John's won 48.7% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.9% of the time

🍬 Sweet 16 picks & score projections

South Region

  • (1) Auburn 80, (5) Michigan 72 - Auburn won 71.7% of the time, Michigan won 28.3% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.4% of the time
  • (3) Iowa State 76, (2) Michigan State 73 - Iowa State won 58% of the time, Michigan State won 42% of the time, and the game went to OT 3.4% of the time

East Region

  • (1) Duke 78, (4) Arizona 72 - Duke won 65.5% of the time, Arizona won 34.5% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.4% of the time
  • (2) Alabama 82, (3) Wisconsin 81 - Alabama won 53.2% of the time, Wisconsin won 46.8% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.3% of the time

Midwest Region

  • (1) Houston 73.4, (5) Clemson 68 - Houston won 64.8% of the time, Clemson won 35.2% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.6% of the time
  • (2) Tennessee 79, (6) Illinois 74 - Tennessee won 65.4% of the time, Illinois won 34.6% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.5% of the time

West Region

  • (1) Florida 79, (4) Maryland 75 - Florida won 63.3% of the time, Maryland won 36.7% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.9% of the time
  • (7) Kansas 78, (6) Missouri 74 - Kansas won 59.1% of the time, Missouri won 40.9% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.4% of the time

🎱 Elite Eight picks & score projections

South Region

  • (1) Auburn 80, (3) Iowa State 73 - Auburn won 70.3% of the time, Iowa State won 29.7% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.7% of the time

East Region

  • (1) Duke 83, (2) Alabama 79 - Duke won 60.2% of the time, Alabama won 39.8% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.3% of the time

Midwest Region

  • (2) Tennessee 71, (1) Houston 70 - Tennessee won 52.7% of the time, Houston won 47.3% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.7% of the time

West Region

  • (1) Florida 76, (7) Kansas 73 - Florida won 59.8% of the time, Kansas won 40.2% of the time, and the game went to OT 3.7% of the time

4️⃣ Final Four picks & score projections

  • (1) Auburn 80, (1) Florida 75 - Auburn won 64% of the time, Florida won 36% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.2% of the time
  • (1) Duke 74, (2) Tennessee 72 - Duke won 56.8% of the time, Tennessee won 43.2% of the time, and the game went to OT 3% of the time

🎯 Too much chalk in your Final Four? We broke down the best sleepers and long shots in our Final Four expert picks and predictions.

🏆 National championship pick & score projection

  • (1) Auburn 77, (1) Duke 75 - Auburn won 57% of the time, Duke won 43% of the time, and the game went to OT 2.5% of the time

🤔 Need help with your bracket? We broke down the best strategies with our March Madness bracket tips for beginners.

🖨️ Printable March Madness bracket 2025

You can download a March Madness bracket PDF right here to fill in with your NCAA Tournament field.

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Written By:
Rob Paul
Rob is a Publishing Editor at Sportsbook Review. He’s been with the team since early 2024, with this being his first full-time role in the sports betting industry. Before joining SportsbookReview.com, he contributed to various sports outlets, including FanSided and Pro Football Network. During that period, he spent five years working full-time as a local community journalist, after attending Durham College for journalism and Wilfrid Laurier University for history. He previously hosted an NFL draft and college football-focused podcast where he had the opportunity to interact with future NFL players such as Maxx Crosby and Quinn Meinerz. Rob has spent multiple years working as a freelance podcast producer for numerous sports-related podcasts while making guest appearances on several college football shows. He’s also made guest appearances on SportsTalk Mississippi on several occasions to talk all things NFL draft. Rob values the way sports betting acts as a catalyst for telling stories and growing interest in certain sports, particularly FCS football, WNBA, and mid-major college basketball. He’s always been drawn to the more obscure teams and conferences in major college sports, but most of all, Rob loves using stats to find the best player props to back.