March Madness Hits New High: ESPN's Tournament Challenge Breaks Record

Key Takeaways:

• Record Participation: ESPN's Men's Tournament Challenge for the NCAA basketball tournament in 2024 hits a new record with 22.6 million brackets completed, a 13 percent increase from last year.
• UConn Leads the Pack: UConn emerges as the favorite to win, with 24.7% of brackets picking the Huskies to take the championship.
• Innovative Features: The ESPN Tournament Challenge introduces the Perfect Bracket Tracker, enhancing fans' experience with real-time statistics and data.
• Women’s Challenge Still Open: While the men’s bracket submissions have closed, the ESPN Women’s Tournament Challenge remains open for last-minute entries until the start of the first game on March 23.

The phrase "March Madness" has never been more apt, with the latest record in completed brackets for ESPN’s Men’s Tournament Challenge truly embodying the term. The staggering 22.6 million brackets placed on the games set for March 22, 2024, have shattered last year's record by 13 percent, setting a new all-time high and fueling the fervent atmosphere surrounding the popular NCAA basketball tournament.

Record Hit Just before the Beginning of the First Game:

(First reported by: ESPN Press Release, Date Unspecified) - The record-breaking number of bets was reached earlier today, with ESPN's upgraded Tournament Challenge registering an astonishing 27,555 brackets per minute just before the commencement of the tournament's first game. Interestingly, UConn has been identified as the most popular pick to win the men’s final, with nearly a quarter of all brackets (24.7%) favoring last year's champions, the Huskies.

ESPN has gone above and beyond to cater to the most selective requirements of basketball fans. The Tournament Challenge now features the Perfect Bracket Tracker, a tool designed to use statistics and data for completing brackets and predicting winners, rather than relying solely on luck. This feature not only adds an element of fun but also provides a real-time means to track perfect brackets and the various factors influencing these outcomes.

ESPN Women’s Tournament Challenge Calling for Last Bets:

The record-breaking momentum of the men’s tournament sets the stage for an exciting fortnight of basketball. With the ESPN Men’s Tournament Challenge now closed, attention turns to the ESPN Women’s Tournament Challenge, which remains open for bracket submissions until the start of the first women’s game on March 23 in the Albany 1 Region at 11:30 a.m. ET. The opening match between Michigan State and North Carolina will mark the end of the wagering process, allowing fans to fully immerse themselves in following their favorites’ progress through the championship.

Memorable Experience:

ESPN, as the exclusive home to the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship, has prepared a suite of tools for those who have completed any of the record 22.6 million brackets. These tools are designed to help fans track their bets, results, and data throughout the tournament, ensuring the 2024 March Madness is a memorable experience for all involved.