There’s no sporting event quite like it. March Madness is a unique, fiery contest in which 68 of the finest college basketball teams in the country battle it out to create new sporting legends and crown new NCAA basketball champions.
March Madness betting sites can make this thrilling tournament even more interesting, especially when you consider it’s a prediction challenge distinct from any others. It’s therefore one which must be considered uniquely, both practically and in terms of betting strategy. The good news is that despite these complexities, many Americans will have plenty of excellent March Madness betting options.
To understand the legality of March Madness college gambling, it’s important to wrap your head around the laws in the USA more generally. The current state of affairs – whether we’re talking about March Madness bracket betting or anything else – comes from the overturning of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. Essentially, this Act made online gambling, including college basketball betting, illegal in the overwhelming majority of the US.
In 2018, this was declared unconstitutional, allowing for individual states to decide for themselves for the first time whether they wanted to make gambling legal. Many of them have. However, that doesn’t necessarily provide a green light for March Madness betting sites.
Individual state laws, licensing, and regulation mean different rules and restrictions apply in different areas. Many states have chosen to allow sports betting but not college betting, and some restrict in-state college betting (so you can’t bet on games featuring teams from your area). It all depends on where you live, so be sure to check out the table below to discover if March Madness is legally available for you to bet on.
State | College betting available? | Any additional restrictions? |
---|---|---|
Alaska, Alabama, California, Hawaii,
Georgia, Idaho, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah | X | N/A |
Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Tennessee | ✓ | College player props are prohibited |
Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, North Carolina, West Virginia, Wyoming | ✓ | None |
Connecticut | ✓ | Betting on in-state teams is not permitted unless they’re playing in a tournament with four or more teams |
Illinois, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey. Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington D.C., Wisconsin | ✓ | Betting on in-state teams is not permitted |
Massachusetts | ✓ | Betting on in-state teams is not permitted unless they’re playing in a tournament with three or more teams |
New York | ✓ | Betting on in-state teams is not permitted and college player props are prohibited |
Virginia | ✓ | Betting on in-state teams is not permitted, plus there’s no live betting on college sports allowed, and no college player props |
March Madness sport gambling is one of the most popular betting events of the year for American states where sports betting is legal. If you’re unfamiliar with this one-of-a-kind tournament, this might be something of a surprise. After all, you would expect most of the attention to go to the professional leagues.
However, all the way from the opening games to March Madness final 4 online gambling, this is a sporting extravaganza which is extraordinarily entertaining to watch and bet on throughout. Here’s why:
One of the reasons this tournament captures the imagination of the nation and March Madness betting sites do such big business is that everyone has some team to root for. The fact there are 68 teams from all over the country means there’s a regional passion that ignites every game.
If you’re lucky enough to go to a game, then you’ll know what I’m talking about from the noise of the live crowd at virtually every contest. And of course, this is also really important for March Madness college gambling. More fans means betting sites are incentivized to be as competitive as possible in terms of odds and in providing their finest betting promotions.
There’s arguably no tournament in sports that produces more unexpected winners. Put simply, there are so many untested variables here that it means that, unlike with tried and tested professional teams, the underdogs have a serious chance of making it further than anyone thought possible.
2023 saw the defending champions and number 1 seed drop out in the March Madness Sweet 16 online gambling markets. This is great if you’re looking at March Madness college gambling long odds markets, and, in general, it just makes for a more entertaining contest.
This is a knockout tournament. Teams play until one remains, from 68 to those tantilizing March Madness final 4 online gambling odds. Simplicity is usually a good thing for online betting, and I’m sure March Madness betting sites will make the most of the one and done format.
I think the more basketball betting events for March Madness betting sites, the better. It means more people get to enjoy the games they’re most interested in. And, of course, there are more things for you to bet on. Well, 68 teams in a knockout tournament means a whopping 67 games of incredible action over a mere few weeks. March Madness betting sites will have no shortage of odds to offer you.
Now, I think the likes of the March Madness elite eight online gambling options would be a hit regardless for all of the reasons above, but timing certainly helps. There’s not anything else really big going on in American sports in March between the Super Bowl and NBA playoffs. This means many American March Madness college gambling sites are going to go all-in on making this their top priority.
If you’re in a state where betting on college sports is available, there are usually not too many other restrictions beyond some jurisdictions blocking betting on in-state teams and player props.
Deals are very much available, both from general sportsbook promotions and in the form of event-specific offers. This is especially the case when you get down to the likes of March Madness sweet 16 online gambling and beyond.
March Madness college gambling sites commonly use their best sportsbook promotions, like free bets, welcome offers, insurance promotions, bet boosts and special markets to attract you to them during this ultra popular event.
Betting on March Madness may be simple in terms of the format of the tournament, but it remains one of the most unpredictable tournaments in the US. Now, this helps keep things exciting and can be advantageous if you’re able to spot the best quality odds when March Madness bracket betting.
By following these five simple March Madness college gambling tips, I think you’ll be much closer to making the smartest bets possible.
I’ve made the first part of this simple for you. Check out my table on this page (just above here) to find out if college betting is available to you and if there are any other relevant restrictions to March Madness sport gambling. If not, make sure that when choosing a site that you ensure there’s no additional regional restrictions preventing you from playing.
If you like to go for long odds, then in a tournament like this, the big returns are best found at the start. That’s really when there are the most unknown variables, so if you want to simply take a punt for the fun of it, and to provide entertainment throughout the tournament, going as early as possible can maximize your enjoyment. Your chances of winning may be small, but it might be an interesting way of using March Madness betting sites.
There’s more to find about NBA teams and players compared to college games. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find plenty of information on the teams you’re considering betting on. Just as is the case with all sorts of betting online, March Madness college gambling is something best enjoyed by an informed party.
March Madness is over quickly, so it’s a smart idea to try and wrap your head around the general field of teams to contextualize your predictions. I’d say one of the easiest ways of doing this is by selecting several weaker teams that you don’t think are likely to go very far. From there, you can go through the rounds across March Madness elite eight online gambling all the way to the finals, making a logical step-by-step series of predictions. This can provide a baseline from which to build your bets.
The fans can be rowdy and the atmosphere electric, and that’s why the home field advantage can have a big impact on the result of a game. Before you place a bet, don’t forget to take a look at where the game is actually happening, and take that into account.
The popularity of this tournament means that wherever it’s available, there’s usually a ton of fantastic betting sites to choose from. With that in mind, I’ve picked five commonly available world-class options to get you started on your search.
First and foremost, it’s important to note that if what you’re looking for from March Madness college gambling is simply the straightforward betting markets – you want to back a team in the March Madness final 4 online gambling showdown, for instance – FanDuel can provide exactly that to impeccable standards.
But where they really go above and beyond – not just in their generous promotions, amazingly user-friendly site and fantastic customer service – is in their innovative contests and fantasy betting options. And if that’s new to you, they’ll even teach you how.
An incredibly consistent sports betting site all round, BetMGM are especially excellent at providing a great experience for American users specifically. For instance, the NBA is a massive part of what they offer, with odds front and center, ultra competitive and frequently backed by some very generous promotions.
And you know what I said about making sure you know what’s available to you geographically when looking at March Madness betting sites? That’s no fuss here: they have you land on a regionalised version of the site before you even log in.
The only real downside to choosing bet365 over all the other March Madness betting sites is that they’re very international, meaning that American sports aren’t always the focus they are elsewhere. But realistically, you’re talking about a few seconds of extra searching to be able to enjoy one of the most refined experiences in online betting.
I’m talking around-the-clock, world-class customer service, more payment methods than you could ever need, the most competitive odds, a delightful experience on desktop and app, unbeatable technical performance and odds and promotions that make the most of March Madness sweet 16 online betting and beyond.
You can take pretty much everything I said about bet365 and apply it to Caesars. And while that may initially seem surprising, they’ve taken advantage of their ties to William Hill to come out with one of the all-round greatest online betting experiences available.
I’d say there’s the odd technical hiccup that I’ve noticed – more so than at some rock-steady alternatives – but that’s rarely an issue. What you’re getting generally is one of the premier March Madness betting sites as good as Europe’s best, but with a US focus.
Put simply, DraftKings is one of the absolute best in the world for pools betting, traditional moneylines and, of course, fantasy betting. However you like your March Madness wagering, they’ve got you covered, with a quality of odds, experience, and coverage that never lets up whatever your preferences. They’re amazing on mobile too, making them arguably the most versatile of all March Madness betting sites.
Best of all though is how they handle big tournaments like this. They’re amazing for big contests – often free – which are really imaginative in their predictions. They don’t just offer the chance to win but help you appreciate these games in a whole new way.
If March Madness is coming up fast as you’re reading this, you’ve got nothing to worry about. Assuming you’re from part of the US where March Madness college gambling is possible, you can – using the advice, information and recommendations above – find a site which allows you to bet on each upcoming contest, and squeeze the most enjoyment out of every wager.
March Madness is an NCAA first division basketball tournament. It determines the championship of men’s college basketball at the top level of student athletics. It’s contested, as of the time of writing, between 68 of the best teams in the country at the division 1 level, in an elimination tournament. This means there are 67 games until we’re left with one winner, who must have remained undefeated throughout the whole tournament.
That depends on where in the US you live. Since the 2018 overturning of PASPA, each individual jurisdiction has been able to decide the legality of sports betting for themselves. Some also have additional restrictions on college betting. Check out the table on this page to discover if March Madness betting is available where you live, assuming you’re of age, which can vary between 18 and 21 depending on the state.
If college sports and March Madness are broadly available to bet on where you live, then the answer is very likely yes. There are two main categories of promotion to consider. One are those specifically available for a March Madness contest or the tournament in general. These will be advertised as such. But don’t overlook more general sports promotions, which may include these games in the markets they’re available to be used with.
21+ and present in VA. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.