You don’t need a degree in bracketology to cash in on March Madness. We’ve rounded up the best free bracket challenges to enter, including our very own college basketball contests. Watch this space for second-chance bracket contests after the First Round finishes.
| Contest | Prize | Status |
|---|---|---|
| DraftKings 2nd Chance Survivor Pool | $20,000 in guaranteed prizes | Open |
| ESPN Tournament Challenge - Second Chance | $10,000 in prizes | Open |
| bet365 Bracket Challenge | $6 million grand prize | Closed |
| BetMGM Perfect Bracket Challenge | $10 million grand prize | Closed |
| King of Covers NCAAB March Mayhem | More than $2,500 in cash and prizes | Open |
| CBS Sports Bracket Games | Trip to 2023 Final Four | Closed |
| Yahoo Fantasy Tourney Pick’Em | $25K grand prize | Closed |
| Covers March Mayhem forum contest | Covers swag and gift cards | Open |
| Covers Free daily contests | Covers swag | Open |
Free betting contests from Covers
A bracket contest entry can go south very quickly if a team you pick to go far gets upset in the First Round. But with a free betting contest, one game is just one game. Here are a handful of free contests from our team, with more to come as March Madness draws closer and the field of teams is finalized:
Covers March Mayhem forum contest
Put your College hoops handicapping skills to the test with our free-to-play forum contest for a shot at a cool Covers swag pack and $100 Fanatics or Amazon Gift Card!
King of Covers
Try our free King of Covers NCAAB March Mayhem contest, with more than $2,500 in cash and prizes. Make against the spread (ATS) or Over/Under picks while wagering between 100 - 500 units on each game. Move up the leaderboard to win cash and prizes.
Streak Survivor
Another free contest worth playing is Streak Survivor. Put together a streak of correct bets to win — including the top prize of $100,000.
Covers' Big Tournament Challenge
Make picks daily all tournament long for your chance to win Amazon Gift Cards and Covers gear. Get more information on our Free Daily Contests page.
DraftKings March Mania Survivor Pool
DraftKings is teamed up with KFC this year for their annual March Mania Survivor Pool. Entrants make picks on one team each day. If picks won, players advanced. The rules are relatively straightforward and mirror a typical NFL survivor pool. You can only pick one team once per entry. If you cannot make a selection at any point in the contest, your entry is eliminated.
If you happened to miss the start of this survival pool, don't sweat it because you still have a chance at prizes with their 2nd Chance Survivor Pool where the entrants make picks starting on March 24. More details can be found on their contest info page.
ESPN Tournament Challenge
The full 2022 ESPN Tournament Challenge contest bracket is closed but you can still enter their Second Chance contest before the games begin on March 24 for a shot at $10,000 in prizes.
Entrants choose the teams they think will win each game through to the national championship game. They will earn points for each correct pick and they increase during each round of the tournament.
For 2022, players who entered the initial challenge and have a top-scoring entry in any NCAA Tournament round automatically enter the grand-prize pool for a chance at $100,000! For example, anyone who correctly picks the championship game’s winner has a chance at the grand prize in the championship round.
BetMGM $10M Perfect Bracket Challenge
For 2022, BetMGM is offering up $10 million for the perfect bracket. Bettors can sign-up for an account and enter the contest for free. Entrants must make picks before the tipoff of the first game of the tournament in 2022 (not including the First Four), then submit their finalized brackets for the chance to walk away win the $10 million grand prize.
Picking a perfect bracket and hitting on all your picks is a tricky proposition. To soften the blow of a busted bracket, BetMGM still guaranteed a $100,000 prize to the top contestant. Look for more details on BetMGM’s 2022 contest here after Selection Sunday on March 13.
Win up to $6 million with the bet365 Bracket Challenge
There is $6 million up for grabs with the bet365 Bracket Challenge. Entrants who can correctly predict the outcome of each game of the tournament, win $6 million. Prizes will also be offered to players placing in the top 250 in points earned, with $125,000 going to the best score. New customers need to make an account with bet365 and make their picks before the opening round of the tournament kicks off on March 17.
CBS Sports Bracket Challenge
With the 2022 CBS Sports Bracket Games, you can create your pool to compete against friends or fill out your bracket for a chance to win prizes.
Speaking of prizes, the big winner gets a trip for four to the 2023 Men’s Final Four and $6,000 in cash toward the trip.
Yahoo Fantasy $25K Tourney Pick’Em
For 2022, the Yahoo Fantasy $25K Tourney Pick’Em is back. There will be thousands of winners of this year’s first-place bracket who will receive $25,000 and an MGM Resort Vegas Getaway.
Instant replay: Best March Madness bracket contests
Follow the action on Covers to gain insight into which teams are poised to make a tourney run and find out who could play the role of Cinderella in 2022. In the end, most contest entries are built on picking a handful of favorites, gut feelings, and sheer luck. Keep these factors in mind:
- Research the top seeds from each conference and look at head-to-head matchups and historical seeding.
- Complete entry forms and fill out your bracket before the tipoff of the first-round games.
- Spread the love around multiple contest sites, much like your betting bankroll.
March Madness bracket contests FAQs
Sportsbooks and several sports media companies offer lucrative winnings for contest entries. Most prizes are awarded to the owner of the bracket who made the most correct selections.
The best free bracket challenges to enter include those from FanDuel, DraftKings, Yahoo and two from Covers.
A variety of cash and prizes ranging from $3,500 to $100,000 in value will be awarded to contest winners.
Residents of legal betting age in Canada and the United States can enter these contests. Make sure to read the terms and conditions before completing any entry forms.
