Filling out March Madness brackets can be a humbling experience for any sports fan. While one person may spend hours obsessing over advanced analytics, another chooses the team with the furriest mascot. What’s more, the furry mascot guy almost always wins! Enter Sam Holtz, a 12-year-old boy from Lake Zurich, IL who beat out 11.57 million aspiring bracketologists in ESPN’s Bracket Challenge by picking Duke to win it all over Wisconsin:
The Blue Devils came through for Sam, beating Wisconsin 68-63 propelling the sixth grader into the top spot in ESPN’s Bracket Challenge–ahead of 11.57 million others. (Via)
Sadly, Sam did not meet the age requirement to receive his prize. He initially filled out a bracket by using his father’s email to enter:
According to ESPN’s website, the entry that scores the most points will have a chance to win the grand prize of a $20,000 Best Buy gift card and a trip to the 2015 Maui Jim Maui Invitational.
However, according to the rules on the site, the prize is only open to legal U.S. citizens who were 18-years or older as of the date of the entry. (Via)
Though he was denied the big prize, ESPN gave Sam a consolation — a spot on Sportscenter and a swag-bag of ESPN goodies. I’m sure the autographed 8×10 glossy of Colin Cowherd will look great on his wall.
Source: WGN
