AI March Madness Bracket: Could Bots Help Pick 2025 Tournament Winners?

Written By Mo Nuwwarah | Last Updated March 20, 2025

You’re already behind if you haven’t filled out your printable bracket. March Madness season has begun, and we at TheLines thought we’d get the robots in on the act. So, what does an AI March Madness bracket look like?

We queried ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Grok for bracket tips and help with March Madness odds. Let’s see if the AI has anything helpful to offer.

Click To Sign Up Now For TheLines’ $1,000 Perfect 16 March Madness Game!

NCAA March Madness Odds To Win Tournament

Click any odds to place a bet. We recommend checking out the best March Madness promos at the best March Madness betting sites for more offers.

Loading…

AI Bots Default to Chalk Favorites

We began by asking the AI to predict who would win the tournament. The AI’s most popular responses were Duke, Auburn, and Florida. Grok and Gemini additionally lumped Houston in as one of the favorites.

ChatGPT singled out Duke as the team most likely to win.

It also identified Michigan State, Louisville, and Memphis as possible “sleepers.” Michigan State is seeded second in the South.

Grok also likes Duke the most:

Duke combines an exceptional talent in Cooper Flagg—potentially the best player in the field—with a seasoned supporting cast and a coach, Jon Scheyer, who’s building on Mike Krzyzewski’s legacy. Their defense and depth should carry them through early rounds, and if Flagg performs at an All-Tournament level, they can outlast even the toughest opponents in the Final Four. I envision them facing Florida in the championship game, where Duke’s ability to lock down defensively and capitalize on Flagg’s clutch scoring gives them a narrow victory, something like 78-74.

“Teams with experienced coaches and standout players have a higher chance of success,” Gemini wrote.

Scintillating stuff. This is the type of analysis you can’t get anywhere else.

AI Not Using Updated Data

We did note a few curious responses from the AI that indicate it may be using data that is erroneous and/or not fully up to date.

For example, Grok says Alabama, St. John’s, and Michigan State are “projected as high seeds.”

ChatGPT also says Cooper Flagg has “returned to full health.” In reality, we have little idea of the current state of the Cooper Flagg injury. Coach Scheyer said he expects Flagg back for the first round, but it seems unlikely he’ll be 100% healthy barely a week after spraining his ankle.

AI Says ‘Anything Can Happen’

While AI likes the favorites, the robots repeatedly couched the position, maintaining that “anything can happen.”

“The unpredictable nature of March Madness means upsets are always possible,” ChatGPT noted.

“Upsets and surprises are a hallmark of March Madness,” Grok wrote. “Of course, March Madness is unpredictable, and a Cinderella-like Drake, Colorado State, or a mid-major with a hot streak could disrupt this forecast.”

Gemini wished to remind us that the tournament is called March Madness for a reason.

“Upsets are very likely to happen,” it wrote.

Such insight is much appreciated.

Is ChatGPT, Grok Useful for March Madness Brackets?

We asked the AI to pick a few individual matchups. In each case, the AI provided a quick summation of the odds and noted that one of the teams is favorite and likely to win, but the underdog could make the game competitive or spring an upset.

For example, regarding Maryland vs. Grand Canyon:

“Maryland likely wins in Seattle on March 21, 2025, though Grand Canyon could keep it close if they exploit Maryland’s thin bench.”

The AI just hedged a bit for a close matchup by offering a case for both sides. Colorado State vs. Memphis:

Analysts from the Arizona Republic predict a victory for Colorado State, projecting a score of 73-69. They highlight the Rams’ impressive 10-game winning streak, including a Mountain West tournament championship, and the standout performance of Nique Clifford.

Conversely, ESPN’s Jay Bilas anticipates a narrow win for Memphis, acknowledging the potential for an upset. He points to Clifford’s versatility for Colorado State and PJ Haggerty’s dynamic play for Memphis as key factors.

Betting lines currently favor Colorado State by 2.5 to 3.5 points. However, some analysts suggest that Memphis could cover the spread or secure an upset, given their recent performances and key player contributions.

In summary, while Colorado State enters the game with momentum and a strong track record, Memphis’s resilience and individual talents make this matchup highly unpredictable.

Yawn.

Tools That Will Help You Pick Your Bracket

So, an AI March Madness bracket doesn’t have much to offer unless you want to default to picking the favorite in every matchup. Not only is that no fun, but it’s also not likely to win you any dough.

Luckily, if you’re looking for bracket strategies, picks, and tips, TheLines has you covered.

Here are some valuable tools that will help you pick your March Madness bracket:

Best of luck with your brackets, picks, Calcutta action, and whatever else you participate in for this year’s NCAA tournament. Hopefully, you’ll do better than the AI.