Everything you need to know about the Stock Bracket Challenge.
The AAII Stock Bracket Challenge takes the excitement of March Madness and applies it to the stock market. 16 stocks — seeded by how many AAII members follow them — compete in a single-elimination bracket over four weeks. Each matchup is decided by which stock delivers a higher return over the round window.
You pick your predicted winner for every matchup before the tournament starts, then earn points as your picks come true. Points double each round, so a correct Championship pick is worth 8 points — making late-round picks crucial. Ties are broken by the closest prediction for the champion's cumulative % gain.
All 16 stocks are seeded 1–16 based on AAII member popularity — specifically, how many AAII members have added the stock to their watchlists or portfolios. The #1 seed is the most-followed stock among AAII members.
Standard single-elimination seeding: 1 vs 16, 2 vs 15, 3 vs 14, and so on.
Apple vs. Buffett — BRK.B's #1 holding IS Apple
Direct pharmaceutical rivalry
High-dividend face-off: telecom vs. energy
AI semiconductor darling vs. America's biggest bank
Old telephone company vs. new communications empire
Two of the most volatile American disruptors
Post-pandemic pharma vs. Big Oil
Cloud/AI giant vs. the ultimate defensive staple
The winner of each matchup is the stock with the higher return over the round window. In case of a tie, the stock with the higher cumulative return from prior rounds advances. In round 1 ties, the lower seed number (higher seed) advances.
| Round | Matchups | Points Each |
|---|---|---|
| Round of 16 | 8 matchups | 4 pts |
| Quarterfinals | 4 matchups | 8 pts |
| Semifinals | 2 matchups | 16 pts |
| Championship | 1 matchup | 32 pts |
Maximum possible score: 128 points. One round per week — four weeks total. Round end dates are set by the tournament administrator.
If two or more brackets finish with the same score, the tiebreaker is the champion's cumulative % gain over the entire tournament window. The bracket whose prediction is closest to the actual figure wins.
When filling out your bracket, you'll enter your predicted total % gain for whichever stock you select as champion. Make it count — you only get one guess.
If two stocks finish a round with identical returns, the stock with the higher cumulative return from prior rounds advances. In round 1 ties, the lower seed number (higher seed) advances.
No. Once submitted, brackets are locked. This is intentional — the challenge is picking before the tournament begins. Plan your strategy carefully!
Visit the My Bracket page and enter your email address. No password required. Your email is your bracket identifier.
Round results are entered by the AAII tournament administrator after each round window closes. Scores update automatically once results are submitted.
One bracket per email address. If you want to submit multiple brackets, use different email addresses.
It is the total percentage gain for the champion stock from the bracket lock date to the end of the Championship round. The administrator enters this figure after the tournament concludes.
AAII members have already picked these 16 stocks as their most-watched. See what else they're tracking — and get A+ grades on every one.
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