Most of you are already familiar with the NCAA “March Madness” basketball tournament, its bracket format and the challenge of predicting the winners of each game to accumulate points and determine a ranked standings across all the pool players. Commissioner Rick Lazarick sets up a pool online (using the CBS sports web site) for Trenton Rotary. Standings and points are all handled by the web site application.
- Cost per bracket: $20 per bracket to enter, multiple entries per person are allowed (for those who wish to invest at the $40 level or higher)
- Proceeds distribution: Following tradition, 50% of the revenue will go to the Club, 50% to the prize pool. The prize pool will be distributed: 40% first; 30% second; 15% third; 10% fourth; 5% LAST
Last year we establishing a trophy, to be awarded annually with the winner’s name engraved. Also we may have a “tail end” trophy for the Last Place finisher.
It’s fun to have a rooting interest in each and every game in the tournament, and even more fun when the prize values are high. So help us make this event successful by expressing your interest in playing, by sending your email address to ricklazarick@gmail.com. You will then get in invitation to join the Trenton Rotary bracket on the CBS Sports website (http://trentonrotary.mayhem.cbssports.com). This pool is also open to your relatives, co-workers and friends – the more the merrier – just let me know who to invite!
I will be collecting entry fees at weekly meetings, or you can mail a check to Trenton Rotary, PO Box 7476, Ewing NJ 08628.
There are 64 slots in the brackets for the NCAA Basketball National Championship. This pool is for 64 players, each player will represent one of these slots, and will be assigned a slot BEFORE the teams are selected on Sunday March 11 (so it is pure chance – similar to Super Bowl matrix).
BASICS:
Each slot costs $20, potential total collected $1280 ($640 to the club, $640 for prizes)
Prizes given for
- Reaching the Elite 8 round (8 prizes, 5% each)
- Reaching the Final 4 round (4 prizes, 5% each)
- Reaching the Finals round (2 prizes, 5% each)
- National Champion (1 prize, 10%)
As a way to “reward” those who get assigned a slot with a high seed number, which are unlikely to advance to the Elite Eight prize level (seeds are 1-16 in each of 4 Regions), there will be prizes for the highest number seed to advance to the Round of 32 (prize pool of 10%) and Sweet Sixteen round (prize pool of 10%). In the event of ties the prize pool will be shared at each round.
If some slots are not sold, unfilled slot will be “Trenton Rotary”, and all prizes will be based on assigned percentages of the prize pool.
If all 64 slots are sold, then the prize list would be:
National Champ 1 prize of $160 $160
Finalist (loser in finals) 1 prize of $96 $96
Losing in the Final Four round 2 prizes of $64 $128
Losing in the Elite Eight round 4 prized of $32 $128
Highest seed reaching Sweet 16 round 1 prize (pool) of $64 $64
Highest seed reaching Round of 32 1 prize (pool) of $64 $64
TOTAL $640
Entries will be sold at meetings each year leading up to the tournament or you can reserve your slot(s) by email to ricklazarick@gmail.com.
