NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. THIS SWEEPSTAKES IS OPEN TO PERSONS WHO ARE: (A) REGISTERED USERS; (B) LEGAL RESIDENTS OF ONE (1) OF THE FIFTY (50) UNITED STATES, WASHINGTON D.C., OR CANADA (EXCLUDING QUEBEC) (FOR PURPOSES OF CLARITY, PUERTO RICO IS EXPRESSLY EXCLUDED); AND (C) AT LEAST EIGHTEEN (18) YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER OR LEGAL AGE IN THEIR STATE OF RESIDENCE AT THE DATE OF ENTRY IN THE SWEEPSTAKES. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW
Introduction
2012 Hood County News/HCMarketLink Bracket Mania
Welcome to the 2012 Hood County News/HCMarketLink Bracket Mania. The 2012 Hood County News/HCMarketLink Bracket Mania (the "Sweepstakes") is a competition based on results of the 2012 Division I Men's College Basketball Tournament (the "Tournament"). On March 11, 2012, the selection committee will seed the qualifying college basketball teams of the Tournament. Participants will attempt to select the winners of all the games of the Tournament. Participants will earn points by correctly predicting the winning teams in the games of the Tournament. The number of points awarded for each correct pick of a winning game of the Tournament will increase with each round of the Tournament. The exact number of points awarded in this Sweepstakes is set forth in the Making Picks section below. The grand prize (the "Grand Prize") will be awarded to the participant who has the highest number of points. In case of a tie, the tiebreaker will be used the determine the winner.
The Sweepstakes will begin on Thursday, March 15, 2012 and will run through the final game of the Tournament scheduled for April 2, 2012.
No Cost
The Sweepstakes is FREE to play. No purchase or entry fee necessary to enter or win.
Administration
The Hood County News will serve as the Administrator of Sweepstakes and will be responsible for resolving any disputes that arise regarding violations of the rules.
Eligibility
To be eligible to participate in the Sweepstakes, you must be: (a) a Registered User; (b) a legal resident of one (1) of the fifty (50) United States, Washington D.C., or Canada (excluding Quebec) (for purposes of clarity, Puerto Rico is expressly excluded); and (c) at least eighteen (18) years of age or older or age of majority in your state of residence at the date of entry in this Sweepstakes.
For purposes of these Official Rules, "Registered User" means a person who has successfully completed the registration form and has obtained a User Identification ("ID") and associated password ("Password") on the site: www.tourneytopia/marchmadness/hcnhoops.
If you are not a Registered User you may become a Registered User and obtain an ID and a Password by completing the registration form by going here on the Bracket Mania site. There is no fee or charge to you to become a Registered User.
Employees of the Hood County News and/or HCMarketLink (collectively, the "Sweepstakes Entities") and each of their parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising, promotion and fulfillment agencies and members of the immediate family or household of each are not eligible to win. Immediate family member is defined as a parent, sibling or any person residing in the same household as an employee of the Sweepstakes Entities. Void where prohibited by law. Such excluded employees and/or family members may play, but WILL NOT be eligible to receive any prizes
Playing
Signing Up
Registered Users can sign up any time by visiting the Bracket Mania web site prior to the start of the Tournament on March 15, 2012. Limit two (2) entries per email address.
Selection Deadline
Brackets will be filled on March 12, 2012 and posted on-line under the "Brackets" link on the Sweepstakes site. Picks must be submitted by 11:00 AM ET on March 15, 2012. The Administrator may send a reminder e-mail on March 15, 2012 to participants who have signed up but haven't yet submitted picks.
Making Picks
After you sign up, you will have access to an on-line brackets page listing 63 of the 64 eligible Division 1 Men's College Basketball Tournament teams and their round one match-ups.
Participants must enter their projected winners of all 63 games of the Tournament, round by round. Beginning with round two, the Administrator will weigh predictions for each successive round more heavily than the previous round in accordance with the table below. Points will be awarded by multiplying your number of correct predictions of winning teams in each round of the Sweepstakes by the weight assigned to each applicable round. For example, you would receive five (5) points for five correct predictions of winning teams in round one, and ten (10) points for five correct predictions of winning teams in round two. You will receive an individual score for each of the six Tournament rounds; and an overall score, which is the combined total of your individual round scores.
Round 1: 1 pt
Round 2: 2 pts
Sweet 15: 4 pts
Elite 8: 8 pts
Final 4: 16 pts
Final Game: 32 pts.
Prizes
Three prizes will be awarded based upon the number of points awarded. First place prize will be $100 for the highest number of points. Second place prize will be $50 for the second-highest point total and the third place of $25 will be awarded to the third-highest point total.
Odds/Winner Notification
Odds of winning the Prize depend on the number of eligible participants and the outcome of the 2012 Division I Men's College Basketball Tournament. Potential Prize Winner will be notified by phone and/or by email.