How to Bet on March Madness - Everything You Need to Know for March Madness Betting
How to bet on March Madness. Your complete guide to March Madness betting: when, where and how to bet and win on March Madness.
March Madness betting is one of the most popular events to bet on during the sports year. Season after season, there are several buzzer-beaters and upsets that make for an exciting month. In this article, we will showcase where to bet on March Madness, as well as some betting tips that can help you learn how to make your best bets for March Madness.
๐ Where is March Madness Betting Legal?
Given the popularity of March Madness betting, bettors in the states below are fortunate to have legal online sports betting where they can place bets on the NCAA Tournament. If you are located in one of the states below, you are free to place bets on March Madness.
- Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia or Wyoming
If you see your state listed, continue reading to learn how to bet on March Madness online.
๐ How to Bet on March Madness
If you are new to sports betting, it can be hard to know how to bet on March Madness. Luckily, we have created a step-by-step guide that walks you through the process of placing your best bets on March Madness.
- Pick a sportsbook that offers March Madness betting and create your account. In the next section, we will show you where to bet on March Madness at some great sportsbooks.
- Claim one of the new-user promos from your selected sportsbook.
- Make a deposit into your account using one of the available deposit methods. Make sure you meet the minimum deposit requirement for the welcome offer you are claiming.
- Navigate to the NCAAB or March Madness betting section using either the mobile app or desktop interface.
- Choose a specific game and market for your first bet.
- Review your selection and submit your bet.
Itโs that easy! Now that you know how to bet on March Madness, you can get in on the excitement of the NCAA Tournament.
๐ป Where to Bet on March Madness Online
In the last section, we taught you how to bet on March Madness online. In this section, we will show you where. Below, we have listed a few of our favorite March Madness betting sites and highlighted some of the key features that make each a great place to bet on the Big Dance.
March Madness at FanDuel
FanDuel Sportsbook is a fantastic place for March Madness betting. FanDuelโs Same Game Parlays are extremely popular, as they allow bettors to combine multiple bets from the same game for a chance at a big payout. For example, you could bet on a teamโs money line, the over and a player prop and create a parlay with great odds.
Speaking of money lines, you can claim $200 in bonus bets through the FanDuel new-user promo when you win a bet of just $5 on any market, including a heavy money-line favorite. Click our links to claim the FanDuel welcome offer ๐ so you can begin March Madness betting.
March Madness at DraftKings
Another great sportsbook for March Madness betting is DraftKings Sportsbook. DraftKings has an impressive mobile app that allows its users to seamlessly navigate between all of the March Madness betting markets. In addition to point spreads, money lines and totals, DraftKings also has a wide variety of player props.
Thereโs also the welcome bonus that unlocks an instant $150 bonus. Simply deposit $5 and wager $5 on anything. Win or lose, you get $150 in bonus bets. If you win, you receive the winnings on top! If youโre looking for where to bet on March Madness, join DraftKings ASAP โณ
March Madness at BetMGM
BetMGM Sportsbook offers a great March Madness betting experience thanks to its incredible first-bet bonus. New BetMGM customers can claim $1,500 in first-bet coverage when they join BetMGM Sportsbook using the BetMGM promo code FANNATION. If your first bet doesnโt win, you'll receive bonus bets as a refund worth up to $1,500.
You can then use those bonus bets for all of your March Madness betting needs. Claim the welcome offer and see everything BetMGM has to offer by โก๏ธ clicking here to join โฌ ๏ธ BetMGM ASAP.
March Madness at Caesars
When people ask us where to bet on March Madness, we always recommend Caesars Sportsbook. Caesars has extremely competitive odds, particularly in the futures market, plus an incredible rewards program.
Caesars bettors earn rewards that can be redeemed for stays at Caesars properties in Las Vegas, as well as other rewards. Get in on the action at Caesars by registering here ๐๐ผ for a new account with the Caesars promo code FNEG1000 to earn a first-bet bonus up to $1,000.
March Madness at Bet365
Bet365 is a great place to submit all of your best bets for March Madness. One thing we love about Bet365 Sportsbook is the fact that you get a choice between two fantastic sign-up offers when you join Bet365. One offer guarantees $150 in bonus bets when you place your first $5 bet, while the other promotion is to take advantage of the โFirst-Bet Safety Netโ.
The โFirst-Bet Safety Netโ provides up to $1,000 in first-bet insurance in case your first bet doesnโt win. Claim either promo by clicking here to sign up โ๐ผ for a new account at Bet365. If you're located in NJ, use the Bet365 promo code FANNATION, while users located in AZ, IA, IN, KY, LA and OH can use the Bet365 promo code FNPROMO.
๐ธ How March Madness Betting Works
Weโve now shown you where to bet on March Madness at some of our favorite sportsbooks. Now itโs time to teach you how to bet on March Madness online. Use the process below to begin March Madness betting now.
- Log in to your account at your preferred sportsbook
- Click on the March Madness betting tab
- Pick a game, such as Duke vs. Oral Roberts
- Choose a betting market from the game; for example, you could bet on โOver 142.5โ in the game totals market
- Enter the amount you wish to bet
- Submit the bet and cheer on your wager
๐ฏ Popular March Madness Betting Types
One thing that makes March Madness betting extremely popular is the variety of betting markets available for each and every game. In this section, we will highlight some of the popular markets for NCAA Tournament games.
๐ March Madness Parlays
Parlays are popular in all sports, but especially during March Madness betting. During the early rounds of the NCAA Tournament, there are many games happening at once. Oftentimes, March Madness bettors will create a parlay in which they combine bets from multiple games. For example, you could create a parlay in which you pick the winner of each game that day of the tournament. If you hit all of the legs of your parlay, youโre in store for a big payout!
๐ March Madness Same Game Parlay
A special type of parlay is the Same Game Parlay. With a Same Game Parlay, you would simply be creating a parlay where all of the legs come from markets within the same game. For example, you could bet on one teamโs money line, the first half under and the number of three-pointers made for a particular player. Just like in a standard parlay, you need to win all of the legs in order to profit.
๐ March Madness Teasers
Teaser bets involve moving the line of the game so that your bet has a better chance of winning. To account for this, you would need to combine multiple bets into a parlay. Letโs take a look at an example of a two-team, four-point teaser.
If you have two teams whose point spreads are +10 and -5.5, you would be able to move each line four points. This would make the new spreads +14 and -1.5. Each bet now has a better chance of winning, but you must win both bets in order to secure a profit.
๐ March Madness Futures
Futures bets are different from most of the bet types mentioned so far, as futures involve multiple games. They are extremely popular during March Madness betting because there are many different offerings. For example, you can bet on the team that you think will win the National Championship, a team you think will make the Final Four or the player that will win the Most Outstanding Player.
๐ Other Popular March Madness Bets
Most of the common March Madness betting markets have already been mentioned, but some sportsbooks have certain prop markets such as the lowest seed to reach the Final Four, which number one seed will be eliminated first and other markets that arenโt directly tied to a specific game.
๐ฎMarch Madness Odds & Betting Lines Explained
In this section, we will take a look at some specifics of how to bet on March Madness. Here are some examples of traditional March Madness betting markets.
- Point Spread: A bet on the point spread in a March Madness game is a bet on the margin of victory in the game, such as in the example below:
- Kansas -7.5 (-110) vs. Miami +7.5 (-110)
- Money line: A money line bet is picking the team that you think will win the game. Youโll see the odds in the below format:
- Drake (+140) vs. Auburn (-160)
- Total (Over/Under): When betting on the total, you are simply deciding if the game will finish with more or less combined points than the line. For example, you may see something like this:
- Virginia Tech vs. Houston: Over 129.5 (-115) vs. Under 129.5 (-105)
- Halftime lines: All of the above markets will be available in both full-game and halftime lines, meaning you could bet on something such as the first-half over instead of the full game.
๐ง How to Read March Madness Odds & Betting Lines
This section will be a continuation of our guide on how to bet on March Madness. Weโll use the same examples from the previous section to keep things simple.
- Point Spread: Kansas -7.5 (-110) vs. Miami +7.5 (-110)
The point spread in this example indicates Kansas is favored by 7.5 points against Miami. If you think Kansas will cover the spread, they would need to beat Miami by at least eight points for your bet to win. If you think Miami keeps the game close, your bet would win if they win the game outright or if they lose by no more than seven points.
- Money line: Drake (+140) vs. Auburn (-160)
Remember, betting on the money line is just picking the team that will win the game. The odds are paramount in the money line market, as they will determine the payouts. In this example, you would need to wager $16 on Auburn to profit $10 but would only have to bet $10 to profit $14 if Drake wins the game.
- Total (Over/Under): Virginia Tech vs. Houston: Over 129.5 (-110) vs. Under 129.5 (-110)
In this example, the total is set at 129.5, which means a bet on the over would win if at least 130 points are scored between the two teams, while a bet on the under would win if less than 129 total points are scored.
๐ Why Bet on March Madness?
March Madness betting is without question my favorite event to bet on. I love the first two days of the tournament, where there are exciting matchups all day long. I learned how to bet on March Madness online a few years ago through some of my friends and it is now an annual thing for me. Typically, I place large bets on a few matchups I feel strongly about, then place on small bet in which I parlay all of the dayโs games.
If you havenโt learned how to bet on March Madness yet, I suggest reading the rest of this article and then joining one of the great sportsbooks mentioned in this piece.
๐ March Madness Betting Trends
March Madness betting trends involve looking at historical data in order to make smarter bets. Useful trends are ones that have a large sample size, but it is important to realize that utilizing trends does not guarantee success.
A popular March Madness betting trend is looking to bet on first-half unders, as NCAA Tournament games typically take place in unfamiliar gyms. Trends may have rationale such as this, but remember, just because trends have been historically successful does not mean that they will always win.
๐ค March Madness Betting Strategies
There are many strategies that can be used for how to bet on March Madness. Letโs take a look at a few examples of March Madness betting strategies below.
Basic
A basic March Madness betting strategy might be following experts within the March Madness betting space. For example, you could watch videos from YouTube, read betting articles or listen to podcasts for insight on some bets that could be wise. However, remember that no one is guaranteed to win, no matter how much March Madness betting knowledge they may have.
Intermediate
An intermediate March Madness betting strategy could be intensely watching the games. The format of the NCAA Tournament means that the winners of the first round will obviously play in the second round. By watching the games, you may have picked up on something that could lead to a great bet. For example, you may have noticed that a team struggled when they were pressed late in the game. This could lead you to make a bet against them in their next game against a team that tends to press a lot.
Advanced
Advanced March Madness betting strategies tend to use advanced statistics. There are many analytics sites that can help with how to bet on March Madness. Some examples would be KenPom, BartTorvik, ShotQuality and Synergy.
โ Things to Avoid When Betting on March Madness
March Madness betting takes a lot of time and energy. It also takes discipline. All bettors have bad stretches, but those that last avoid making the common mistake below.
- Chasing losses:
- March Madness presents an exciting betting opportunity due to its multitude of daily games. However, this abundance of games can also pose a risk. Consider this scenario: You kick off your day with a $50 profit from the morning games, feeling confident. Yet, as you wager on the afternoon matches, luck turns against you, resulting in a $200 loss overall.
- Even though you donโt see a particular matchup you like in the dayโs remaining games, you place a big bet on a team to cover the spread, hoping that you can get back your losses. Instead, they donโt cover the spread and now your bankroll is empty. Smart bettors never fall into this trap.
๐ฑ Betting on March Madness Games With Mobile Apps
Using mobile apps is one of the best methods of how to bet on March Madness online. The apps allow for quick navigation through all of the odds for each game so that you can quickly submit bets before the lines move. Some of the apps even allow you to watch the games via a live stream. Most of the apps can be downloaded through either the App Store or Google Play Store.
โ FAQs
โ What is the Over/Under in March Madness Betting?
The Over/Under involves predicting the combined number of points that will be scored in a certain game. For example, an over/under could be set at 138.5. A bet on the over would win if at least 139 points are scored, while a bet on the under would win if less than 139 points are scored.
โ Can I Bet on Individual Player Performances for March Madness?
Yes, many of our favorite March Madness betting sites have the option to bet on individual player performances via the player prop section.
โ How Much Money is Bet on March Madness?
In 2023, it was estimated that $15.5 million was bet on March Madness.
โ Can March Madness Betting be Profitable?
Yes, March Madness betting can be profitable, but winning is never guaranteed.
โ How to Bet on March Madness & Win
Throughout this article, we have given you some tips on how to bet on March Madness. These tips will help you with your best bets for March Madness, but there is no guarantee that you will win, no matter how much knowledge you have.
Enjoyed this article? Further enhance your betting experience with our guides, handpicked for you:
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