March Madness is a time when the sports world witnesses wild fan antics, and this year it’s no different. There are fans, and then there is Mattress Mack. Furniture and mattress store owner, Jim McIngvale has placed a $1 million dollar bet on the Houston Cougars to win March Madness. The superfan stands to win $750 million dollars if the team wins the NCAA tournament. Houston fans had high hopes last year but dreams were dashed when the Cougars lost to Miami in a huge Sweet Sixteen upset. The team is returning some key players and are the number three favorite to win the tournament. While a bet of this size seems outrageous to most, this is not the first time Mattress Mack has shocked the sports world with a crazy wager. In 2022, he bet $5 million on the Bengals to win the Super Bowl again the LA Rams, which did not happen.

Anticipation around the women’s March Madness tournament is at an all time high, in part due to the excitement surrounding Iowa’s Caitlin Clark. This season, Clark’s performance contributed to recording breaking attendance for NCAA women’s basketball. Social media has also contributed to promoting storylines of certain players, leading to almost 10 million watching Caitlin Clark of Iowa and Angel Reese of LSU fight for the title in the National Championship Game. This growth in support during the regular season is setting expectations for a highly watched March Madness.

Marriott Bonvoy is joining the March Madness excitement with a campaign celebrating the game-day rituals of NCAA fans, coaches, and athletes. As the official hotel partner of the NCAA, Marriott aims to capture the passion of basketball enthusiasts as they prepare for games at Marriott Bonvoy hotels. From fans getting pumped up at various Marriott locations to featuring college basketball coaches and athletes, the campaign brings game-day rituals to life. Notably, University of North Carolina point guard Elliot Cadeau makes an appearance, accompanied by the school’s marching band performing a cover of “Roam,” which was also featured in Marriott Bonvoy’s previous “Roam Around The World” campaign. To add to the excitement, a sweepstakes offers consumers the chance to win a trip to the Women’s Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio.