Jose Sanchez
Research expert covering society, economy, & politics for Latin America
March Madness - statistics & facts
One of the most exciting aspects of being a sports fan is watching the development of future stars. In the case of basketball in the United States, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Basketball Tournament - more commonly known as March Madness - offers basketball fans a chance to scout the next Michael Jordan or LeBron James. While not every promising player at March Madness has gone on to achieve distinction in professional basketball, a long line of NBA legends from Larry Bird to Steph Curry were able to make a name for themselves at the competition.
Meanwhile, the women鈥檚 edition of March Madness has also played an instrumental role in raising the profile of women's basketball, with Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese stealing the show at the 2024 tournament.
In terms of individual records, Austin Carr tops the list for the most individual points scored in a single March Madness game. The Notre Dame guard, who went on to have a successful career in the National Basketball Association (NBA), scored a record 61 points in a game against Ohio during the 1970 tournament. Meanwhile, Glen Rice held the record for the most points scored in a single tournament, with 184 in the 1989 edition of the competition. Zach Edey came close to breaking this record in 2024, scoring 177 points while representing Purdue.
Which team has the most March Madness championship titles?
The most successful men鈥檚 college program in the history of the competition is the UCLA Bruins, with 11 titles to the team's name. The Bruins' achieved unparalleled success in the 1960s and 1970s, taking home 10 championships between 1964 and 1975. However, the Los Angeles-based team has found success harder to come by lately, with its last title coming back in 1995. In recent years, UConn have enjoyed great success, winning back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024.In terms of individual records, Austin Carr tops the list for the most individual points scored in a single March Madness game. The Notre Dame guard, who went on to have a successful career in the National Basketball Association (NBA), scored a record 61 points in a game against Ohio during the 1970 tournament. Meanwhile, Glen Rice held the record for the most points scored in a single tournament, with 184 in the 1989 edition of the competition. Zach Edey came close to breaking this record in 2024, scoring 177 points while representing Purdue.
How many people watch March Madness?
As a result of the unpredictable nature of the knockout tournament, March Madness has become one of the most popular sporting events in the U.S. among basketball fans and casual viewers alike, with around one-third of the U.S. public following March Madness to some degree. Accordingly, the average TV viewership across the whole NCAA tournament stood at around 10 million in the U.S. in 2024, a figure that has remained fairly consistent over the last decade of tournaments. Unsurprisingly, viewership peaks towards the end of the tournament, with over 14 million viewers from the United States tuning into the championship game in the same year. While many fans watch the dramatic games from the comfort of their own homes, thousands also attend the games live in the arenas.How much money is bet on March Madness?
Since sports betting became legal in parts of the U.S. in 2018, March Madness has been one of the main events on the betting calendar. Ahead of the 2025 competition, it was estimated that 3.1 billion U.S. dollars would be bet on that year鈥檚 competition. This was over double the estimated amount wagered on the Super Bowl that year. Estimates also suggested that over 50 million adults in the United States fill out a bracket during March Madness, while approximately 68 million U.S. adults intended to bet on the tournament in 2023. With the sports betting industry in the U.S. having grown at a staggering rate since its legalization, March Madness no doubt has the capacity to become an even bigger competition among sports bettors and sports fans alike.
