Editor’s Note: This guest post is from PoolGenius, a provider of data-driven NCAA bracket picks, projections, and tools. Since 2017, PoolGenius subscribers have won over $2.5 million in bracket pool prizes, with 52% of users winning at least one pool prize per year.
March Madness is back, and whether you’re a die-hard college basketball fan who’s watched every game or someone who couldn’t name a single player, chances are you’ll be filling out at least one bracket. Maybe two. Or perhaps you’re like some of us, with 25+ entries across pools, completely consumed by bracket fever.
No matter where you fall on that spectrum, one question remains: How do you give yourself the best chance to win?
How to Pick the Optimal March Madness Bracket
Bracket pool strategy shares many similarities with DFS. You need to identify value picks, know when to play it safe with chalk, find spots to differentiate from the crowd, and balance risk against reward.
You also need to factor in your pool’s size and scoring system, as they significantly influence which picks give you the best chance to win. After all, a small office pool with standard scoring requires a way different strategy than a large, 300-person contest with upset bonuses.
The NCAA Bracket Picks Optimizer by PoolGenius
After over twenty years of bracket research and refinements, PoolGenius has built a powerful NCAA Bracket Optimizer, which is similar to a DFS optimizer but built specifically for March Madness pools (of any size and scoring system).
The optimizer has helped PoolGenius subscribers win over $2.5 million in bracket pool prizes since 2017, with 52% of users winning at least one prize each year (61% last tournament).
The bracket optimizer doesn’t just generate picks – it runs millions of simulations to maximize your bracket’s expected value based on:
- Your pool’s specific size
- Your scoring system (including upset bonuses if applicable)
- Public pick trends from multiple bracket hosting services (the secret sauce)
- Team strength metrics and advancement probabilities
- Optimal risk allocation across your bracket
PoolGenius collects real public pick data from major bracket hosting sites, so you know exactly which teams are overvalued or undervalued by the masses. This gives you clear contrarian opportunities to gain an edge over your competition.
The system generates multiple optimized brackets if you enter several pools or want to multi-enter the same contest.
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Can’t I Make an Optimal Bracket on My Own?
You certainly could attempt to build your own optimized bracket by analyzing sportsbook odds, checking futures markets, and looking at first-round spreads. Many bracket pickers take this approach.
The challenge, however, is properly accounting for all the variables that determine an optimal bracket:
- How chalky or risky should your picks be based on your pool size?
- How should your picks change based on scoring systems?
- Which teams are being over or under-picked by the public?
- How do early-round picks affect your optimal selections in later rounds?
Even for experienced fantasy players and sports bettors, balancing these factors simultaneously without an optimizer is extremely difficult. You might nail some aspects but miss others, leading to a sub-optimal overall strategy.
That’s where the PoolGenius bracket optimizer comes in. Simply enter your pool details, and you’ll get a fully optimized bracket in seconds. Or, if you prefer more control, you can build alongside the tool as it highlights value plays, contrarian angles, and recommends when to play it safe versus when to take risks.
Your March Madness Secret Weapon
Check out PoolGenius today and make sure your bracket is truly +EV, giving you the best mathematical chance to win your pool.
Get Your Optimized 2025 Brackets Now >>
Free & Discount Offers Available >>
P.S. – PoolGenius also offers tools to help with NCAA Survivor pools and Calcutta auctions.
