Bracket Bucks winner Steve Elliott of Shelbyville (second from left) is taking home a 32-inch Sony flat screen TV after becoming the local winner of the "BracketBucks" contest sponsored by the Times-Gazette and Kincaid Service Company. From left: Calvin Kincaid, Elliott, Mark Kincaid and T-G Advertising Manager Sissy Smith. (T-G Photo by Brian Mosely)

Steve Elliott of Shelbyville was the local winner of the "BracketBucks" contest sponsored by the Times-Gazette and Kincaid Service Company. He received a 32-inch Sony flat panel television from Kincaid.

It was a bright spot in an otherwise difficult week for Elliott, who was laid off Friday by his employer.

Elliott, with 1,992 of the possible 2,000 points, was one of seven people (out of nearly 500,000) who missed being the nationwide contest winner by a single point. August Sander, 17, of Greensburg, Pa., was the nationwide winner with 1,993 points. Sander will receive $25,000 in the contest, which was organized by Denver-based Power Points Inc.

Elliott said he had no special formula for choosing his NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament bracket.

"I just went with the favorites until the end," he said, "and then I flipped a coin."

Calvin Kincaid of Kincaid Service Company said the promotion brought a lot of attention to the business; he said the store's phone rang at least 10 times a day from callers who wanted to know how the contest had turned out.

More than 100 newspapers nationwide participated in the contest. The object of the game was to score points for picking winners of the 64 games in the tournament.

Awakened from his bed late Friday night to get the big news, nationwide winner Sander replied, "Cool."

The junior at Greensburg-Salem High School, who runs cross-country track, said participating in the contest is "a family tradition. We've been doing it for years."

Ever been this close to winning?

"Never anywhere near it," he said. "I have no idea how I did it."

Asked if he has plans to attend college, Sander replied, "I do now." First choice is Temple University in Philadelphia. He wants to study business and accounting, although he's already pretty good with numbers, at least in this contest.

Sander, along with thousands of other contestants, correctly picked all four of the Final Four teams in the tournament, along with the finalists, Kansas and Memphis, and the eventual champion, Kansas. His key to victory was correct guesses in several, key early-round games -- although even he didn't have Davidson University advancing to the final eight teams in the tournament.

"I was hoping Davidson would get into the Final Four but now I'm glad they didn't. I love March Madness. It makes me feel good to know these guys aren't much older than I am."

Tim McGovern, president of Power Points Inc., said that, as usual, nearly one-half million entries were received. "I love it when a young person such as August wins the money. You never know what it might mean to their future."

Asked if he wouldn't rather buy a new car than go to college, Sander replied, "I think college is more important."

Sander entered the contest through the Tribune-Review newspaper in Greensburg.