Dave Portnoy will be 48 on Saturday, but the Barrestool Sports founder has absolutely no mood to celebrate.
Portnoy went to Instagram on his birthday morning and explained that March Madness has soured his mood this year – and also many other years.
'Okay, Saturday March 22, my birthday. People who know me know that I am not a birthday. I am not a birthday, if people wish me a happy birthday, I don't get it.
'Everyone was born, it is nothing to create on. Pretty literally every person is born on earth and has a birthday, nothing special.
'So instead of birthday wishes I will take winners. Because every year I live, exactly around this time my birthday has not really been the best because I am slaughtered in the tournament. And this year is no different.
'So this year I wish winners. I get a birthday parlay, my very first birthday parlay – McNees State, Michigan and St John's. I won one a few days ago, since then I have not won. Instead of birthday wishes … let's just win.
'Forget the F ** ING Birthday, I don't care for my birthday. Wish me winners. Let's win because I need them. '
McNees State, the 12th seeds, would cause a huge shock if they defeated Purdue after they had previously eliminated the fifth seeds Clemson.
Mcneese first plays today, followed by second seed St John's against Arkansas and then fifth seed Michigan against the fourth ranked Texas A&M.
But the struggles of Portnoy are in line with millions of Madness fans of March – although his bets probably cost him much more than most.
According to data from the NCAA, there are almost no perfect brackets after a number of surprise results in the opening phase of the competition.
From the early hours of Saturday, ESPN's Tracker stated 121 perfect brackets – against 1,098 early in the day – remained from the 24 million on his site after the Friday evening Leisten.
More to follow
