Join The Arizona Republic's March Madness Bracket Challenge

Compete against sports reporters in a free USA TODAY contest for a chance to win up to $40,000 in prizes.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 3:08am

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The Arizona Republic is inviting readers to join its free March Madness bracket challenge through the USA TODAY Bracket Challenge. Participants can compete against the newspaper's sports reporters for a chance to win up to $40,000 in prizes, including a $1 million prize for a perfect bracket.

Why it matters

March Madness is one of the most exciting times of the year for college basketball fans, and the bracket challenge provides an opportunity for readers to engage with the tournament in a fun, competitive way. By joining the challenge, readers can test their basketball knowledge and potentially win big prizes.

The details

The free March Madness bracket challenge is presented by AutoZone and hosted by USA TODAY. Participants can sign up on the USA TODAY website and track their bracket progress compared to others, including several sports reporters from The Arizona Republic. The grand prize for a perfect bracket is $1 million, and there are additional prizes up to $40,000 for the top finishers.

  • The March Madness tournament begins on March 17, 2026.

The players

The Arizona Republic

A daily newspaper serving the Phoenix metropolitan area and the state of Arizona.

USA TODAY

A nationally distributed American daily middle-market newspaper that serves as the flagship publication of its owner, the Gannett Company.

AutoZone

An American retailer of automotive parts and accessories, primarily serving do-it-yourself and do-it-for-me customers.

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What’s next

The March Madness tournament begins on March 17, 2026, and the bracket challenge is open for participants to sign up on the USA TODAY website.

The takeaway

The Arizona Republic's March Madness bracket challenge provides an engaging way for readers to test their basketball knowledge and compete against the newspaper's sports reporters for a chance to win up to $40,000 in prizes, including a $1 million grand prize for a perfect bracket.