Besides the NFL Super Bowl, there’s no single sports event inside the United States that’s more gambled on than the NCAA March Madness tournament. It’s hard to put an exact number on how much money is bet on March Madness, but the figure is estimated to be well into the billions of dollars. If you’re reading this, chances are you want in on the March Madness betting yourself.

Welp, you’ve come to the right place. Over the course of this guide, we’ll give you all the know-how on how to bet on March Madness — sportsbooks, promotions, types of wagers, and even some March Madness betting strategies for success.

Before we get started, here’s the latest March Madness odds. The odds to win March Madness were lasted updated on March 27, 2023, and obviously, will be in flux once the NCAA basketball season gets underway. Houston and Alabama are favorites to win the 2023 March Madness, though the big names like Baylor and Kansas are well amongst it.

2022/23 NCAAB Championship BetUS Bovada MyBookie
Connecticut Huskies -125 -125 -130
San Diego State Aztecs +365 +360 +360
Miami Hurricanes +490 +490 +500
Florida Atlantic Owls +600 +600 +600

Top Sportsbooks For March Madness Bracket Betting

The NCAA Tournament is the pinnacle of college basketball — the top 68 teams in the nation, duking it out in a single-elimination tournament. That win-or-go-home format is why it’s earned the “March Madness” moniker. All 67 games are contested within a three-week span so March Madness bracket betting opportunities everywhere come tourney time.

To capitalize on all these opportunities, you’ll need an online sportsbook that carries all the March Madness gambling odds under one roof. In that regard, plus other bettor-friendly features, these next three sportsbooks should be atop every bettor’s to-join list:

BetOnline’s March Madness’ Lines

Bettors far and wide rave about BetOnline‘s bet selection. It’s all-encompassing — no matter the sport, league, or country. That certainly applies to the bookie’s March Madness bets, too.

You name the March Madness bet type — moneyline, in-play, props, futures, etc. — and it’s there for the taking at BetOnline. Not only that, but the prices are top-of-the-line, almost mimicking the NCAA March Madness odds you’ll find from powerhouse Las Vegas casinos.

March Madness Bets at BetNow

Loyalty is a big part of BetNow’s charm. The bookie offers a “lifetime VIP” program to its players. Every time a bettor re-ups their account on BetNow, they’re eligible for an additional 10 or 15 percent bonus. To earn the deal, simply fund your account for the first time. If that initial deposit is at least $500, you qualify for the 10-percent deal, while a deposit of $2000 or above earns the 15-percent promo.

This loyalty program really pays off while in March Madness. With the sheer amount of betting options available, there’s a good probability you’ll need to re-add funds to your account. If so, why not earn extra free play out of it? Of course, this loyalty service can be used year-round at BetNow, even beyond the NCAA tourney.

BetUS has Huge March Madness Pools

BetUS always has a great welcome bonus. They let you choose between 100% and 125%. Of course these come with different rollover requirements and maximum payouts. Every choice comes with its advantages and disadvantages. We love being able to choose.

They have a total of one million dollars in prizes for their March Madness brackets. These are given out both for pools and perfect brackets.

March Madness Bonuses And Contests

We’d be amiss not to mention the plethora of promotions available during March Madness. Sportsbooks roll out their biggest and best deals of the year right before the tournament starts as they try to lure bettors to its site for the tourney. Some of our personal favorites are the following:

  • BetOnline: This sportsbook has a $100,000 March Madness pick-em contest. With an entry fee of just $15, players submit their bracket picks and contend for 300 different prizes. The grand award, however, is a $15,000 reward for the best bracket picker.
  • BetNow: You’ll also find a bracket challenge at BetNow. However, this one is free of cost. Dubbed the “Million Dollar March Madness bracket”, there are 30 prizes up for grabs, none bigger than the $350,000 stake for the top bracket entrant.
  • BetUS: Win a million bucks by pulling off the nearly impossible. For a perfect March Madness bracket, they will give you a million dollars. For a perfect top eight, you will get $10k.

You’re in good hands at any of the aforementioned sportsbooks. For a complete list of betting site recommendations, check out the table below. Included are long-form reviews and sign-up bonus details.

    View All Sports Betting Sites

    March Madness Betting Games

    In simple terms, you can place March Madness betting games into one of two buckets — daily and futures wagers. Here's what you need to know about each:

    Daily Bets

    Like we mentioned before, there are 67 different games in the NCAA Tournament. Each of those will come with the following bet types that can be made both pregame or in-play:

    • Moneyline: This wager is as simple as picking which team will win outright. Typically, moneyline March Madness betting odds will be more lopsided in the early-round games (e.g. one seed versus 16 seed), before becoming more neck-and-neck in the final rounds.
    • Spread: This bet adds a "handicap" to each team. Therefore, the favorite must win by a certain point-spread, while the underdog must keep the game within that same spread, if not, win outright.
    • Over/under: Nevermind who wins and by how much points, over/under is a gamble on how many points will be scored by both teams combined by either halftime or game's end.
    • Props: Some of March Madness best bets are props. These are essentially "side wagers" on specific outcomes within games. March Madness prop bets included which player will make the most three-pointers or even, what color tie a coach will wear.

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    Futures

    Perhaps the most popular way to bet on March Madness is via a futures bet. Typically, this is a wager on which team will win the entire tournament. Remember those odds to win the NCAA championship from earlier? Welp, those are future NCAA Bracket odds.

    As the name implies, futures wagers are made well in advance. Most bettors place a futures bet before the regular season starts and again before March Madness.

    Obviously, picking the exact team in a field of 68 to cut down the nets is a high-risk, high-reward play and the odds reflect that. Our advice is to spread your money around on a few different teams. This acts as an "insurance" per se and if one does indeed pan out, the winnings from that will more than makeup for the losers.

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    March Madness Betting Tips

    Over the years, we've learned a thing or two about winning at the best bets March Madness. This know-how has come from personal experience and observing other players so without further ado, here are some must-follow March Madness betting tips:

    Ride The Hot Hand

    Timing is everything when it comes to the NCAA Tournament. The teams that are peaking at the right time tend to steamroll through its bracket. Similarly, the opposite applies to shaky teams entering the field.

    More than anything, we attribute the phenomenon to confidence. If a team's strung a few wins together to end the season, it starts believing it can make a deep run. And folks, believing is half the battle — especially under the bright lights of March Madness.

    Making Picks Based On Reputation Alone

    Far too often, we see bettors get swept away by the sport's hoopla. This manifests itself in a few ways. One, they automatically assume a prestigious program — think Duke, North Carolina, or Kentucky — will "run the table" based on its history alone. Two, bettors fall in love with a "one and done" prospects that are NBA bound. Or three, both those examples dovetail (e.g. Zion Williamson's single-season at Duke).

    Don't let the hoopla get to you — no matter what ESPN or social media is ablaze about. Any betting pick you make during March Madness should be based on research and data, not hype.

    March Madness Schedule

    The March Madness Schedule is subject to change, we will update the dates when they are released.

    Other March Madness Resources

    While we covered the "meat and potatoes" of March Madness betting just now, we have more resources for bettors looking to get an edge. Check out these other betting guides:

    March Madness 2023 Teams

    1. Gonzaga
    2. Arizona
    3. Kansas
    4. Baylor
    5. Auburn
    6. Kentucky
    7. Villanova
    8. Duke
    9. Wisconsin
    10. Tennessee
    11. Purdue
    12. Texas Tech
    13. UCLA
    14. Illinois
    15. Providence
    16. Arkansas
    17. UConn
    18. Houston
    19. Saint Mary's (CA)
    20. Iowa
    21. Alabama
    22. LSU
    23. Texas
    24. Colorado St.
    25. Southern California
    26. Murray St.
    27. Michigan St.
    28. Ohio St.
    29. Boise St.
    30. North Carolina
    31. San Diego St.
    32. Seton Hall
    33. Creighton
    34. TCU
    35. Marquette
    36. Memphis
    37. San Francisco
    38. Miami (FL)
    39. Loyola Chicago
    40. Davidson
    41. Iowa St.
    42. Michigan
    43. Wyoming
    44. Rutgers
    45. Indiana
    46. Virginia Tech
    47. Notre Dame
    48. UAB
    49. Richmond
    50. New Mexico St.
    51. Chattanooga
    52. South Dakota St.
    53. Vermont
    54. Akron
    55. Longwood
    56. Yale
    57. Colgate
    58. Montana St.
    59. Delaware
    60. Saint Peter's
    61. Jacksonville St.
    62. Cal St. Fullerton
    63. Georgia St.
    64. Norfolk St.
    65. Wright St.
    66. Bryant
    67. Texas Southern
    68. A&M-Corpus Christi

    March Madness FAQs

    • Is March Madness betting profitable?

      With any sports betting market, the more research you do the more chance there is that you’ll be successful when betting. As such, we’d advise you do your homework if you want to find profit wagering on March Madness.

    • When is March Madness?

      March Madness is always around Easter time each year, with the 2023 March Madness taking place between March 14th and April 3rd.

    • Do March Madness betting lines offer props?

      It certainly does. March Madness’s popularity means there is a broad range of prop betting markets available at any time.

    • Is March Madness betting popular?

      March Madness betting is popular, especially among North American bettors, where college sports are one of the most popular betting markets available.

    • Which is best bookmaker for March Madness betting?

      We cannot tell you which bookmaker is the best for March Madness, though there are various options available which we have highlighted in our list of recommended bookmakers.

    Meet the author

    Quinn Allen

    Quinn Allen is a journalist who writes betting previews across the sports world. He’s also a Senior Editor at ClutchPoints. Quinn has been writing for OSB since 2022.