NCAA How to Play

SmashUp brings its signature twist to March Madness. Instead of locking in your entire bracket upfront, you predict game winners (picks) and play SmashCards round by round as the tournament unfolds. Compete against friends and/or the entire SmashUp community for the top spot.

TL;DR SmashUp In 3

Join a Bracket Pool

Find a public bracket pool or start one with friends in a Pool Party. Pools open on Selection Sunday, March 15th.

Fill Out Your Bracket

Fill out your bracket before games start on March 19th. Pick winners and apply SmashCards round by round.

Watch March Madness

Leaderboards update as games are played, though there may be a short delay as our team enters results. Subscribe to our newsletter to be notified when the next round of picks opens!

Feeling lost? Join our Discord community for strategy, tips, discussion, and answers to your questions!

Pick Winners

Unlike a traditional bracket, picks are made round by round, so a rough first weekend won't sink you. The tournament is split into three fantasy rounds, plus the First Four:

  • First Four: Play-in games (Mar 17-18), worth 0 points, but picking winners lets you fill out the rest of your bracket early
  • Fantasy Round 1: Round of 64 + Round of 32 (Mar 19-22)
  • Fantasy Round 2: Sweet Sixteen + Elite Eight (Mar 26-29)
  • Fantasy Round 3: Final Four + Championship (Apr 4 & 6)

First Four picks lock individually as each play-in game tips off. All other picks lock when the first game of their fantasy round tips off, so don't forget to get them in before the action starts!

Short on time? Tap the ⚡ lightning pick button at the center of your bracket to auto-fill remaining games with a mix of favorites and upsets.

Play Cards

SmashCards earn you bonus points based on game outcomes. Each pool gives you a budget, but you won't be able to afford them all, so choose wisely!

Pick Cards

Applied to a single game

Target a specific matchup for bonus points. Cards like Upset Alert reward you when a lower seed pulls off an upset, while Maul Ball pays off in foul-heavy slugfests. One pick card per game.

Team Cards

Applied to a specific team

Follow a team's tournament journey. Cards like National Champions award 200 points if your chosen team wins it all, while Cinderella Story awards 50 points if a 9-seed or lower makes the second round. One team card per team. Team cards must be played before the team's first game tips off.

Bracket Cards

Applied to your entire bracket

Bracket-wide effects that score across all games. Cards like Bracketology Capologist convert your unused card budget into bonus points.

Browse all NCAA SmashCards

Score Points

You earn points for correct picks, with later rounds worth significantly more. SmashCards give you a second lever to pull, bonus points based on game conditions that reward sharp strategy and bold predictions.

Points Per Correct Pick

By Round

  • First Round (64 → 32) 10 pts
  • Second Round (32 → 16) 20 pts
  • Sweet Sixteen 40 pts
  • Elite Eight 80 pts
  • Final Four 160 pts
  • Championship 320 pts

Maximum Points

Without Cards

  • First Round (32 games) 320 pts
  • Second Round (16 games) 320 pts
  • Sweet Sixteen (8 games) 320 pts
  • Elite Eight (4 games) 320 pts
  • Final Four (2 games) 320 pts
  • Championship (1 game) 320 pts
Perfect Bracket 1,920 pts

Individual pools may vary from these defaults.

Ways to Play

Bracket Pool

Bracket Pool

Compete in public NCAA bracket pools.

Open to the entire SmashUp community. Enter your bracket, apply cards, and compete for the top spot.

Browse Bracket Pools
Pool Party

Pool Party

Challenge your friends! No lifeguard on duty.

Create a private competition with friends, family, or coworkers and a dedicated leaderboard.

Browse Pool Parties

Frequently Asked Questions

When do bracket pools open?

After Selection Sunday (March 15th). You have until the Round of 64 tips off on March 19th to finalize Fantasy Round 1 picks.

Can I change my picks after entering?

Yes! Picks and cards can be changed until the first game of that fantasy round tips off.

Do I need to use SmashCards?

You don't have to, but you should! Every pool gives you a card budget. Unused budget can even be converted to points, so there's no reason to leave money on the table.

How are leaderboards updated?

Leaderboards recalculate automatically once results are entered. There may be a short delay as our team enters scores.

How much does it cost to play?

Free! We'll offer paid content in the future, but we're committed to keeping SmashUp free of pay-to-win mechanics.

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