March Madness: By the Numbers

That time of year is here again, when the eyes of the basketball world firmly fix on the NCAA’s premier tournament.

The knockout competition sees 68 college sides battle it out in what is now dubbed March Madness, to determine the best NCAA side in the country.

After Selection Sunday (March 12), the day when the teams and seeds are decided, more than an incredible 60m Americans fill out their tournament brackets.

In fact, only the Super Bowl comes close to the $9.5b wagered in 2016 on March Madness games.

Fancy yourself as lucky? You’ll have to be to successfully fill out a tournament bracket. The odds of completing a bracket with total accuracy is a stunning one in 9.2 quintillion.

Since the tournament’s birth in 1939, starting with just eight teams, March Madness has grown into a global phenomenon. It’s estimated that around $1.9b in corporate losses were recorded last year due to employees being distracted by the blockbusting tournament.

Furthermore, the beer industry experiences a huge rise in production to keep March Madness fans quenched. During the month of breathtaking basketball action, there is a 3.5m increase in beer barrel production.

The NCAA competition is now big business. In 2015, TV advertising revenue reached a huge $1.19b and, last year, a 30-second advert during March Madness cost an average of $1.49m.

This is a definite reflection on the thrilling action that unfolds on the court. Last year, Villanova’s Kris Jenkins hit an incredible buzzer beater to claim a famous victory over North Carolina and their second ever title by 77-74.

Final games are usually tight affairs, but in 1990 UNLV routed Duke by an incredible 30 points – the largest points differential in a final game ever.

With the NBA’s future stars on show during March Madness, will any side be able to take a step closer to dethroning UCLA and their 11 tournament wins?