March Madness 2023: how to make your own bracket, when does it start, what is March Madness? Explained

NCAA men’s basketball tournament - known as March Madness - will tip-off on 14 March
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Snowstorms might be causing havoc but it really is March, which can mean only one thing - tournament basketball is about to begin!

The most talented players from schools across America will be dreaming of lifting the National Championship title in the coming weeks. But first we have got all of March Madness to get through.

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Fans of NBA will likely be keeping an eye out on college basketball’s biggest month, trying to spot any future stars for their teams.

If you are considering putting together your own bracket for 2023, you might be wondering how exactly you can make one, when the tournament starts and which cinderella teams to watch out for? Here is all you need to know:

When is March Madness?

March Madness is the name commonly used for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. It will tip off on Tuesday (14 March) and will run throughout the rest of the month.

The final will take place on Monday, 3 April. Kansas Jayhawks are the reigning champions, having lifted their fourth title in 2022.

A general view of the arena as players from the Marquette Golden Eagles and the Georgetown Hoyas warmup before their first round game of the Big East Men’s Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 10, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)A general view of the arena as players from the Marquette Golden Eagles and the Georgetown Hoyas warmup before their first round game of the Big East Men’s Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 10, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
A general view of the arena as players from the Marquette Golden Eagles and the Georgetown Hoyas warmup before their first round game of the Big East Men’s Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 10, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

Where is March Madness in 2023?

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Games will be played at venues across the country throughout March Madness. It will begin in Dayton, Ohio with the first four at the University of Dayton Arena

The first and second rounds will be held in:

  • Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
  • Legacy Arena, Birmingham, Alabama
  • Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, Iowa
  • Golden 1 Center, Sacremento, California
  • MVP Arena, Albany, New York
  • Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, North Carolina
  • Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
  • Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado

Regional semi-finals:

  • East regional - Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
  • West Regional - T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
  • South Regional - KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, Kentucky
  • Midwest Regional - T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, Missouri

The host city for the final four this year is Houston, Texas. The national semi-finals and final will be played at the NRG Stadium in Houston.

How can you make your own March Madness bracket?

Part of the fun of March Madness is trying to guess how exactly it will all turn out. Will a cinderella story end up shattering everyone’s bracket in 2023, will all your studying, planning and preparation fall apart after the first couple of match-ups?

If you are wanting to get in on the action this year, NCAA have a make your own bracket section on its website. You can even print it off to stick it up on the wall to keep an eye on as you watch all the action throughout March Madness.

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Friends might group together to make a prize pool, while some betting companies offer prizes of up to $30,000 for anyone who’s bracket is completely correct at the end of the tournament.

Which schools could be cinderella teams in 2023?

Everyone loves a cinderella story, except if it completely busts your bracket! A team is usually considerd a cinderella if they have a seed of 8 or lower. A famous example is Villanova in 1985, which actually won the National Championship despite being an 8 seed!

But which teams have strong ciderella energy this year? Busting Brackets warns to watch out for Bradley Braves, which made it through the Arch Madness, Charleston Cougars, Colgate, Furman, Hofstra and Iona.

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