Time to turn in your NCAA bracket

ON PAPER

Technically illegal, office pools and bracket contests involving money can bring a high payoff for fans who predict the outcome of all games.

While a lower-seeded team is expected to win, the excitement of the NCAA Tournament comes when an underdog eliminates a favorite.

If you haven't filled out your bracket yet, remember this: The four No. 1 seeds face the tournament's No. 16 seeds in the first round; no No. 16 seed has ever upset a top seed.

AT WORK

Dr. Mark Nagel, an associate professor in the department of sport and entertainment management at the University of South Carolina, said the afternoon games today and Friday mean lost productivity at work.

"It's by far the biggest sporting event that occurs during work hours," he said. "I've seen different studies that range from hundreds of millions of dollars in lost productivity up to a billion dollars. From an employee standpoint, if you're interested in the games, you're going to do whatever you can to watch them."

OUT AND ABOUT

Many first-round games are played at the same time, meaning not all will be seen on local television. Some area sports bars are offering a guarantee that most games will be shown at their restaurants.

Tricie Scholer, the owner of Wild Wing Cafe in Augusta, said her staff is preparing for the crowds that come out.

"We usually get a 30 to 40 percent increase this time of year," she said.

Wild Wing Cafe and Somewhere in Augusta plan food specials.