March Madness 2011 Bracket Pools: Which Contests Are Worth Entering?

March Madness doesn’t only occur on basketball courts – it occurs on computer screens and office pool printouts all over the world in the form of bracket contests. (Speaking of printouts, get your 2011 NCAA Tournament bracket.)
Regardless of how much or how little you know about NCAA basketball, it’s a thrilling three weeks of action. On top of all of the thrilling individual matchups that are produced in every round, you have the chance to win enormous amounts of money on bracket contests.
Whether you analyze each game in depth or simply flip a coin, you can’t afford to pass on these great opportunities. For matchup reports, previews, trends and stats on every game, visit SB Nation’s odds partner Odds Shark. And here’s a look at some of the juiciest contests around the web.
Bracket Buster Pick’em Contest ($25,000 Guaranteed)
Bodog.com’s Bracket Buster Pick’em Contest is similar to other office pools you may find at Yahoo! or Foxsports, but there are three great perks; a large guaranteed prize pool ($25,000), the chance to get your friends involved, and the fact it is the best-looking game anywhere on the web.
Bettors can sign up for a free league where they can pick against their buddies while going for the big prizes. Payouts start with first place (most points overall) earning $5,000, second winning $2,000, and third place taking home $1,000.
March Mania – $14 Million Perfect Bracket
As we all fill out our brackets in our homes and offices we dream of one thing; the perfect bracket. It is the pinnacle of handicapping; virtually the same as an unfathomable 67-team parlay. Do you have a crystal ball? If so, your perfect bracket is worth a cool $14 million. And remember, this is March Madness, so anything can happen.
March Mayhem - $5 Million Perfect Bracket
Go for an extra $5 million (or go a different way on a few of those tougher choices) over at betus.com, where a perfect bracket earns you the top prize. But even if your bracket gets busted early on, the fun doesn’t end at BetUS, where there are $10,000 contests for the Sweet 16 and the Elite Eight as well.
Bracket Pick’em Contest ($10,000 Guaranteed)
Don’t want your shot at big winnings to be over with a single loss? Bracket Pick’em contest might be more your speed. Each correct pick earns you points, with the point totals going up the deeper you get in the bracket. The bettors that rack up the most points will earn themselves a share of the $10,000 in prize money.