The Big Dance starts in just a few hours, meaning time is running out to download our free printable March Madness bracket and get your submissions in.
Regardless of how experienced with March Madness you are — be it high-stakes brackets, low-key office pools, or joining in on the fun for the very first time — it all starts by filling out your bracket.
Plus, we help you make your March Madness predictions by sharing our cheat sheet for every team, as well as some handicapping tips.
Download our 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket below and let the Madness begin!
Printable March Madness bracket
Click below to download our free printable March Madness bracket!
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How to use our printable bracket
1. Download: Download our editable bracket PDF (or, print it off and write it in with pen if you're feeling old school).
2. Predict: Select the outcome of every matchup, from the first round right to the National Championship.
3. Watch: Cheer on your Final Four favorites, bracket-busting cinderellas, and everyone in between as the tournament progresses.
Don't forget: To fill in the tie-breaker score (generally the total points in the Championship).
Get the low-down on every team with our March Madness cheat sheet
Get the low-down on every team in the bracket, courtesy of our Rohit Ponnaiya, who created a March Madness cheat sheet, with three things to know about each team in the field this season.
Here are a couple of nuggets you'll find:
- Michigan is 6-14 ATS in its last 20.
- The first half Under has cashed in 10 of Vanderbilt's last 14 games.
- Utah State has made five of the last six tournaments, but is 1-5 SU and ATS in those appearances.
March Madness Handicapper’s Checklist
Use this table as a final "gut check" before locking in any 2026 tournament outright bet. If a team doesn't check at least three of these boxes, reconsider your position.
| Metric | What to Look For | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Adj. efficiency margin | Top 20 nationally | Only rare outliers (like 2014 UConn) win without being elite on both ends. |
| Adj. offense | Top 25 nationally | You need a team that can score when the game slows down in the half-court. |
| Adj. Defense | Top 40 nationally | 37 of the last 40 Final Four teams were ranked Top 40 in defense. |
| Experience | Top 100 in experience | Freshman-heavy teams often struggle with the physical "one-and-done" pressure. |
| Coach pedigree | Past Sweet 16 appearances | Since 1990, only a handful of first-time Final Four coaches have won the title. |
March Madness schedule for 2026
| Round | Dates | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Selection Sunday | March 15 | Brackets released |
| First Four | March 17-18 | Dayton, OH |
| First Round | March 19-20 | Various |
| Second Round | March 21-22 | Various |
| Sweet 16 | March 26-27 | Houston, TX San Jose, CA Chicago, IL Washington, D.C. |
| Elite Eight | March 27-28 | |
| Final Four | April 4 | Indianapolis, IN |
| National Championship | April 6 |
Popular March Madness markets
- March Madness odds
- March Madness picks
- Women's March Madness odds
- March Madness Final Four odds
- March Madness MVP odds
- March Madness betting sites
- Kalshi billion dollar bracket
March Madness bracket strategy
Once you have your March Madness bracket downloaded, consider these guides to help fill out your winning bracket!
1) Read our tips for how to fill out your bracket.
2) Get our predictions based on our research and official Covers March Madness bracket predictions. Make sure to check out our picks before you fill out your bracket.
3) Enter contests: Enter as many free bracket contests as possible, or see what other March Madness pool and game ideas are available to play.
