6 rounds. 

68 teams. 

Thousands of possibilities. 

One winner. 


Thanks for submitting!

The submission period for Statsketball 2018 is closed as of 12 p.m. ET, March 14
View the 2018 Statsketball winners!

To stay up to date on Statsketball and be the first to know about upcoming contests,
join the This is Statistics newsletter.


 

Statsketball Tournament 2018 

Don’t leave your NCAA College Basketball Tournament bracket predictions to chance—put your statistics skills to the test!  

We already know statistics has the power to best predict a winner, and analytics careers in sports are booming. Whether you enter for fun or to jumpstart your future career as a statistician, you won’t want to miss it. 

This is Statistics and the American Statistical Association are challenging high school and undergraduate students to predict the outcome of the 2018 NCAA Basketball Tournament using statistics rather than luck. 

Get ready to enter your outcomes in two contests: 

Contest 1: “Pick ‘Em“: Upset Challenge  

Submit a list of 32 winners to the first-round games by March 14 with a 300-word description of your statistical techniques and methods to show submitted work is original. 

Submissions will be judged primarily on their methodology, as described in the written description. In addition, points will be awarded for each winner picked correctly + seed difference for a lower seeded win. 

For example: Correct prediction of a No. 12 seed over a No. 5 seed would be worth 2 + (12 – 5) = 9 points; correct prediction of No. 5 seed win is worth two points. 

Points will be used to identify the top five teams (or more, if there are ties), at which point the winners will be determined by the judges based on the essay, with consideration for methodology, originality and creativity. The submission with the most points will not necessarily win the challenge. 

Contest 2: “Build Your Own Bracket”: Draft Challenge 

You have 224 drafts points to assemble your cohort of teams from the seeded participants. 

A team’s draft points (DPs) are determined by their seeding: No. 1 seeds are 75 DPs; #2, 40; #3, 25; #4, 20; #5, 17; #6, 15; #7, 12; #8, 10; #9, 9; #10, 8; #11, 7; #12, 6; #13, 5; #14, 4; #15, 3; and #16, 1. 

Submit your cohort of teams, not to exceed 224 points, with a 300-word description of your statistical techniques and methods to demonstrate your submitted work is original.  

For each round one of your cohort teams advances, an increasing number of points is awarded: 1, 2, 3, 5, 8 and 13 for each corresponding round. 

Points will be used to identify the top five teams (or more, if there are ties), at which point the winners will be determined by the judges based on the essay, with consideration for methodology, originality and creativity. The submission with the most points will not necessarily win the challenge. 

Prizes 

Each winner will receive the following prize package, not to mention the prestige, fame, and glory of being the This Is Statistics Statsketball Tournament contest winner! 

  • A $50 Amazon gift card 
  • A complimentary student membership to the American Statistical Association for each team member 
  • A Statsketball Tournament 2018 winner t-shirt for each team member  

FAQ 

Who is eligible to participate in the contest? 

  • Both contests are open to high school and college undergraduate students. 

How can I enter the contest? 

  • An online submission form will be available on ThisIsStatistics.org in advance of the contest deadline. 

When is the deadline for entries? 

  • Entries—including picks and essays—for both contests are due by March 14, 2018 at 12:00PM ET. 

Can I enter both contests? 

  • High school and undergraduate students are welcome to enter one or both contests. Those who enter both contests will need to prepare separate submissions for each contest. 

Questions? 

Email us at thisisstats@gmail.com with questions.