President Biden and former President Barack Obama reveal their March Madness brackets

It wouldn’t be March without some presidential picks.

U.S. President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama got in the college basketball spirit by filling out their 2023 March Madness brackets.

Biden, a graduate of Delaware and Syracuse, doesn’t have a team in the hunt this season, but he still has a vested rooting interest thanks to the first lady, Dr. Jill Biden, who is a proud Villanova alum.

Good luck to every team in this year’s NCAA tournament.

I’ve got Arizona in the men’s tournament and Villanova in the women’s – and as you know, in this household, Villanova always wins. pic.twitter.com/iILzABTCuo

— President Biden (@POTUS) March 16, 2023

While POTUS crowned the Villanova Wildcats on the women’s side, he opted for some Wildcats hailing from the West Coast on the men’s side.

The 2-seed Arizona Wildcats begin their title quest against 15-seed Princeton on Thursday.

Obama sharing his brackets comes as little surprise — it’s in keeping with a tradition the noted college basketball fan began in 2009.

Obama picking Duke to win it all in the men’s tournament? That is a bit more unexpected.

Duke, a No. 5 seed, is the lowest-ranked team Obama has ever picked to win the title. His Blue Devils selection marks only the third time he has predicted a non-No. 1 seed would cut down the nets in 14 tournaments.

However, No. 44 does have a habit of riding with perennial powerhouses. In those 14 men’s tournaments, Obama picked North Carolina three times, Kansas three times, Michigan State twice, Gonzaga twice, Kentucky once, Indiana once and now Duke twice.

It’s the best time of year! My #MarchMadness brackets will get busted soon enough, but here are my picks.

Who do you have winning it all? pic.twitter.com/H3MdBkJCmY

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) March 15, 2023

On the women’s side of things, Obama played it a little safer. His champion of choice? The reigning South Carolina Gamecocks.

Obama’s vote of confidence in Dawn Staley & Co. is in keeping with his trend of picking the No. 1 overall seed (8 out of 13 tournaments). While this is his third time choosing the Gamecocks, his overwhelming favorite over the years has been UConn, whom he has selected on eight occasions.

Between the men’s and women’s tournaments, Obama has successfully predicted champions eight times since 2009.

If you’re a Duke or South Carolina fan, here’s hoping for lucky No. 9 (and 10).