“AI and Pro Gambler Face Off in High-Stakes March Madness Showdown”
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The exciting $1 million wager on March Madness between a professional gambler and an artificial intelligence platform will be determined by the outcome of the Duke-Houston game in the Final Four. The oddsmakers in Vegas are favoring the gambler, who selected Duke as the 5 1/2-point favorite.
The AI system 4C Predictions, which backed Houston, boasts that it is smarter than the traditional bettors. Both the pro gambler Sean Perry and the 4C’s AI have performed impressively throughout the tournament, with Perry missing only 13 picks and the AI system missing just 10. They have both correctly predicted all the teams in the Final Four.
Alan Levy, the operator of the 4C site, highlights that the AI’s success rate of 50 out of 60 picks places it in the 95th percentile among humans, exceeding expectations. While the leaders in popular bracket pools on ESPN, Yahoo, and CBS have gotten 55 or 56 picks right, both Perry and the AI selected Auburn to win in the other semifinal game.
Despite the AI’s edge in accuracy, the outcome remains uncertain as the stakes increase with each round of the tournament. The bracket has not been kind to those who favored upsets, benefiting both Perry and the AI for avoiding such picks. Levy is contemplating Perry’s proposal to raise the bet to $10 million, expressing confidence in the AI’s performance.
Levy predicts, “You’ll be joining me and the 4C team in all the celebrations” following Saturday’s game.
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