4/6/2022

How To Bet On March Madness Games

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February is drawing to a close, which means it’s almost time for the NCAA Tournament. While the NBA is king in terms of popularity in the US, millions of Americans will suddenly transform into college basketball experts at some point over the next few weeks. Filling out a bracket is essentially a rite of passage for Americans nowadays.
The NCAA Tournament is also one of the more popular events for betting on the American sports calendar. Americans reportedly wagered more than $8 billion on the 2019 NCAA Tournament, which was a new record. One would imagine March Madness will continue to set records in that regard moving forward, especially with the way sports betting is expanding in popularity and legality throughout the United States. About 47 million Americans bet on March Madness last year, which comes out to one of every five adults in the country.

  1. How To Bet On March Madness Games Today
  2. How To Bet On March Madness Games
  3. How To Bet On March Madness Games Online
  4. How To Bet On March Madness Games 2020
  5. How To Bet On March Madness Games

If you’re going to find yourself in Las Vegas for the event, we’ve listed the best sportsbooks in Las Vegas that offer March Madness betting. Now, this leads us to the next thing that all bettors should take into account:

If you’re looking to make cash on March Madness, then the thing to do is to bet on single games and not brackets. The bracket game is really an exercise in guesswork, while single game betting involves analysis and skill. In this article, we’re going to consider what types of games you should bet on in the big NCAA Basketball tournament.

Everyone has their own strategy when it comes to filling out their brackets. Some take a deep dive into the numbers in an attempt to become as educated as possible about every team in the tournament. Others take a more simplified approach, like choosing which mascot they prefer or picking a team based on how cool the uniforms look.

How
  • Seeding Matters in March Madness Betting. 68 teams qualify for the tournament on a yearly basis.
  • Derivative odds allow you to bet on segments of March Madness games, such as results from the first half. Derived from the full-game spreads, totals, and moneylines, these markets are.
Filling out a bracket is hardly an exact science, and the same can be said for betting on the Big Dance.

That said, there are steps you can take in order to give yourself an edge. If you’re new to betting on the NCAA Tournament, be sure to take heed of the following 5 tips that can help you become a profitable college basketball bettor in March.

1 – Seeding Matters in March Madness Betting

68 teams qualify for the tournament on a yearly basis, but all teams are not created equal. In an attempt to keep things interesting, the NCAA convenes a committee of experts in order to seed all 68 teams based on perceived quality. The best teams in the country get higher seeds, while lesser teams get lower seeds.

A well-known program like Duke, North Carolina or UCLA is generally going to be better than the Austin Peay States, UTEPs and Florida Atlantics of the world. This obviously isn’t the case every year, but high seeds generally make for smart bets when it comes to the NCAA Tournament. In fact, no team seeded No. 1 in a region lost their first-round game until Virginia fell at the hands of UMBC in 2018. Before that upset, No. 16 seeds were 0-132 all-time against top seeds in first-round matchups. As of now, the record for 16s is 1-139 against teams seeded No. 1.

In the history of the Final Four, the higher seed has covered the spread a whopping 75 percent of the time. Upsets happen every year, but the smart money is still behind the favorites.

2 – Take Note of Defense

The college game is generally less fluid than the one we see at the professional level. College games are only 40 minutes long as opposed to 48-minute NBA games, and scoring is at a premium. Teams that coast through the regular season thanks to a high-scoring offense usually come to find that breaking down a top-tier defense is more complicated once you get to the tournament.

So, betting on teams that excel on defense is a wise move. Teams that rely too heavily on offense while ignoring the other end of the floor are prone to falling flat in the tournament. One poor shooting performance can lead to an early exit. The defense is all about the hustle. A team that plays with a defense-first approach is more able to grind out a result despite a rough shooting performance than a team that doesn’t give as much effort on that side of the court.

If you’re betting on a quality defensive team, it’s also smart to bet the under in those same games.

3 – Take Personal Bias Out of the Equation

This tip applies to betting on all sports, not just college basketball. In most cases, people like to back their favorite teams to win. If you went to college in Oregon, for example, you’re going to have a hard time not betting on the Ducks to win every game they play. That’s just the nature of being a fan.

However, betting with your heart is an easy way to lose money in a hurry. Fans generally think their own favorite team is better than it really is, which can lead to some disastrous betting decisions. The smartest thing you can do as a bettor is to either avoid betting on games involving your favorite team or take an honest approach to it.

Frankly, the games involving your favorite team will be more fun to watch if you aren’t also having to sweat a point spread along the way. Personal biases also apply to fill out your bracket. Don’t bet on a team to win a game just because you previously picked them to advance to the next round in your office pool.

4 – Don’t Bet on Every March Madness Game

With 68 teams in the field, there are plenty of betting options when it comes to March Madness. The fact that it’s a single-elimination tournament makes the stakes incredibly high. There are also enough games to where you can take a more disciplined approach to the action you want to get.

It can be easy to get caught up in the spectacle of the NCAA Tournament. If you do a basic level of research, you’ll probably start to feel as though you’re an expert. However, part of the charm when it comes to March Madness is the uncertainty. Needless to say, nobody saw UMBC beating Virginia in 2018 before it actually happened. Upsets are the hallmark of the NCAA’s signature event.

While betting on every game might seem fun at first, it won’t take long for you to realize that it was a mistake. Not every game is going to have great value from a betting perspective, which is why you have to be diligent about picking the right bets. Avoiding doubling down and chasing your losses is also a smart way to manage your bankroll.

5 – Location Matters

The NCAA Tournament takes place at a variety of sites all over the United States, and often times the locations are chosen strategically to help higher seeds.

For example, it’s never surprising when a team like UCLA will get a favorable regional schedule that includes games in Los Angeles, San Diego, or some other nearby city.

Home court advantage matters during the regular season, and it’s even more meaningful at “neutral site” tournament games. Fans are more likely to travel in support of their favorite team if the tournament games happen to be located conveniently close to campus. Oddsmakers are on top of things, but any little edge can help you as a bettor.

Conclusion

There are no tried-and-true methods to ensuring that you’ll be profitable in your March Madness betting endeavors. However, following these easy tips will at least give you a head start if you’re dipping your toes into the NCAA Tournament betting pond for the first time.

Betting on sports, in general, is all about strategy. Placing a bet without the right hacks or a competent guide often results in a disaster. Betting can be both entertaining and quite lucrative if you know how to play.

After going through series of NCAA games from almost every year and a few random college basketball games, I’ve compiled a list of March Madness Betting tips, good betting sites, helpful hacks, in-game, and future betting strategies that could make betting a lot more fun. Whether you are a betting dummy (soon to be sharp), an amateur or a March Madness fanatic, this guide will serve you with the best tips, tricks, and tactics on how to bet on March Madness.

How To Bet On March Madness Games Today

You’ll be a pro in no time. Let’s do this.

Best March Madness Betting Sites

One of the most important ways to ensure a fantastic betting experience is to find a credible betting site. Every gambling site has its sportsbook, but only a few sites can provide you with the right March Madness Betting Odds.

Have you been worried about how to find the perfect sportsbook with the surest odds? Worry no longer.

Here is a list of betting sites that can help you secure the most profitable March Madness Betting games.

Since it was launch in 2009, 888 sports have grown to be a notorious gambling giant. With a well-managed & entertaining sportsbook, variety of March Madness betting lines, and bonuses, the site guarantees its users a fantastic experience.

Due to its flexibility & versatility, the site affords its customers the luxury of a standard mobile application with a super indulging interface. Users can thus access the 888sport via the website and a mobile application. They also have land-based casinos with special March Madness Vegas Odds.

The gambling site also treats it’s first time users to a Bet €10, Get €30 sign-ups bonus (amidst other bonuses), which can only be activated via a promo code.

With the fastest payouts, an authentic sports playbook, a variety of bet options, and an easy sign-up process, you can never go wrong with 888sport.

William Hill is a globally accessible sportsbook notable for its proficiency in diverse sports, especially March Madness betting games. Asides it having over two (2) million user base, it also furnishes its users with diverse banking options, hands-on customer service, few enticing bonuses, and a mobile application. Consequently, users can access William Hill’s service at its land-based casinos, a website, and a mobile application.

With William Hill, you get 10% of your live betting losses back as free bet credit on select sports. You can also watch live matches via William Hill Radio or Betting TV.

That’s not all. Upon registration, you can access the site’s free betting guide (which also features a few March Madness betting tips).

William Hill stays true to its age-long legacy of providing users with entertainment and a standard sportsbook.

Ladbrokes is as old as gaming itself. Though it fails to wow its users with bonuses, it provides one of the most dependable sportsbooks around.

This bookmarker treats it’s users to daily NBA tips, which always come in-handy for March Madness betting games. Ladbrokes provides its newcomers with modest incentives, a hassle-free registration process, and a mobile application accessible by both Android and Apple users.

With over a century of existence, Ladbrokes serves you with the best March Madness odds, a no extra fee payout system, and a deposit option of as low as €5.

Betting on March Madness: Full Guide

Helpful Stats & Facts

There is nothing as safe as proper preparation and the right guide. I hardly have issues betting on games I’m well-grounded in.

Well, guess what? You do not always have to be grounded to win. All you need are the right hacks. So, I compiled a March Madness Betting tips list that could prepare you for the optimum betting experience.

1. Assess teams and their players: The good thing about March Madness betting games is that there are records of previous matches at the tip of your fingers. So before you place a bet, take time to watch records of previous matches of the bookmarkers favorite.

How To Bet On March Madness Games

Also, study the performance of the bookmarkers favorite or underdog in games preceding the March Madness tournament. Have they been fair or foul? This knowledge will help you bet better. The bookmarker is not perfect, and not all wins can be as clear as #1 vs. #16 first-round game.

So once Selection Sunday is over, and games have been fixed, study each team properly, especially if you plan on betting on #8 vs. #9 first-round game.

2. Watch out for “Cinderella teams”: First off, note that the word “Cinderella team” is usually used to refer to competitors who achieve a lot more than what is generally expected from them.As I’ve already stated, bookmarkers can sometimes pick favorites or underdogs based on surface predictions. But these predictions sometimes fail if you, as a bettor, is not observant enough. There have been moments in March Madness betting games when the bookmarker’s underdog won the game and even proceeded to become part of the “Sweet 16”, “Elite Eight,” or even the “Final Four.” For example, in 2018, The Ramblers broke the record as the first 11 seed to reach a Final Four. Also, in 2013, Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) popularly known as “Dunk City,” not only scaled through the first round; they were also the first 15 seed to ever get to the Sweet 16 (though they eventually lost to Florida in the sweet sixteen). In 1983, North Carolina State Wolfpack was a 6 seed that ended up as the tournament winner.Tides change in every game, and when the bookmarker notices the gradual change in the tide, it tends to adjust its spread or payout to reduce potential losses. As a smart bettor, you should refrain from following the bookmarker sheepishly to avoid losses.
3. Expand your bookmarkers network: Since you’ve already been provided with a list of credible bookmarkers, it’s advisable not to put all of your eggs in one basket. Even with my level of expertise, I still do not bet on March madness with a single bookmarker.Open accounts with various credible bookmarkers. That way you afford yourself a wide range of march madness odds to choose from.

4. Not all NCAA bettors will win. Hard fact, but it’s true. According to March Madness betting statistics, over 40 million US Adults wager on NCAA basketball. Most will lose. But the good news is, you do not have to be amongst the ones who’ll lose. If you adhere to the rules in this guide, you’ll do fine.

5. NCAA team rankings do not necessarily project the future performance of teams.

6. When you win, your original stake will be returned alongside your earnings.

7. When betting on the Moneyline, note that there is no price for second place. You either win or lose.

8. When most bettors seem to place bets on a particular team, bookmarkers tend to adjust the spread and the payout to reduce losses. Be careful!

Most Popular Types of March Madness Bets

How To Bet On March Madness Games Online

Unlike other sports, betting on basketball, particularly March Madness, is a lot easier. However, prior knowledge of common March Madness betting types is required to ensure a successful betting experience.

When it comes to college basketball betting in general, the sportsbook menu portrays the three major bet types:

Betting on the Moneyline: This is the most popular type of bet when it comes to sports betting in general. With college basketball, it is the most common and easiest March Madness Betting line. It simply means placing your bet on a team to win a game. When you bet on the Moneyline, how much you win depends on the odds, and how much money you are willing to risk.

If you intend to bet on the Moneyline, here are simple facts you must know:

  • A three-digit number often portrays the Moneyline.
  • a positive Moneyline tells you how much you stand to win on a $100 bet (note that $100 is the standard betting amount in most cases).
  • a college basketball team with a negative Moneyline is the bookmarkers’ favorite.
  • a college basketball team with a positive Moneyline is the bookmarkers underdog.
  • a negative Moneyline shows how much you’ll have to bet in order to win $100.
  • when it comes to betting on the Moneyline, it’s either all or nothing. You either win or lose, there’s no price for second place.
  • In first seed matches, especially games between #1 and #16, bookmarkers most times do not offer the option of wagering on the Moneyline.
  • Sportbooks will normally not offer the option of wagering on the Moneyline if the spread is more than 15-points.

Wagering against the spreads: The first row usually states the spread (also known as the great equalizer). Betting against the spread tends to prove more complicated than other bets, but the positive and negative denotations still apply like the Moneyline. Going by our chart, if you wager on the favorite with the spread set at -5.5 points, the favorite must win by 6points for them to have covered the spread. If they do, you win. If, however, you wager on the underdog, even if they do not win the match, you still win.

This may seem like an easy play, but it’s a lot more complicated than that. To calculate your win on a spread wager, you have to consider the bracket’s digits immediately at the spread point, which indicates the NCAA tournament odds for each spread. In our playbook, we have 110 in both brackets with negative denotations. It simply means that for you to win $100, you have to stake $110 for each spread.

When placing a wager against spreads in March Madness betting games, you have to note the following:

How To Bet On March Madness Games 2020

  • Spread betting is available at all March Madness rounds.
  • Some spreads can be really narrow.e.g. #8 vs. #9 seeds usually have narrow spreads. Spreads for #1 vs. #16 seed or #2 vs. #15 seed can be quite huge.
  • Bookmarkers tend to adjust the spread or payout when more bettors wager on a particular team. While it seems unfair, they have rights reserved to do so. So be careful.

Over/Under wagers: Unlike the two other betting types, here you’re not pledging your loyalty to any college basketball team. You are only concerned with the outcome or total score of the game. Once the bookmarker projects a number of points to be won in a game, all you have to do is a wager on whether the actual number of points scored will be Over (more) or Under (less) than the bookmarkers projection. If you bet on Over and the total score is more, you win. If not, you lose. It’s a very simple and straightforward betting type. Remember that you have to consider the March madness odds to win. To calculate your win, consider the payout digits in the bracket.

Sometimes, the NCAA championship odds can be set at a whole number instead of half, as we have in our make-do sportsbook. In such cases of total scores ends at the bookmarkers projection, bettors for the Under and Over win.

Asides from these three major bet types, there are a few other common March Madness bet types:

Future bets: this is simply placing a wager on who wins an upcoming championship title or an individual player award. Future bets are usually placed long before teams are determined.

There is also the option of wagering on what teams will qualify for the “Final Four“. This wager can be quite easy to predict as games are on. But you should never place a future bet on the final four. It’s risky

March Madness Betting Strategy

Now that you have a list of credible bookmarkers, a few hacks, and bet types, the next thing you need is Strategy. That’s what differentiates you from the other bettors’ March Madness Betting Statisticspredicts will lose. Here is a simple strategy:

Specialize in live/ in-game betting: the thing about betting in-game or on live games is that at a certain point, you can withdraw your bet if the game seems to in the opposite direction. When you withdraw your bets in live games, you can reduce the damage, gain a little profit and your original stake. For example, instead of betting on a full match, you can bet on the first half, study the game, and then wager in the second half.

Top Tips for Betting on March Madness

How To Bet On March Madness Games

Armed with a Strategy, you will still be needing a few top tips for betting on March Madness.

1. When you bet on March Madness games, always pay attention to the efficiency, tempo, offense & defense levels of a team before you place your wager.

2. High ranking college basketball teams do not necessarily guarantee an excellent performance. Be on guard.

3. Only place bets when there is value.

4. Future bets are not always guaranteed. Avoid them as much as possible.

5. Never bet more than you are willing to lose.

6. Placing wagers on #1 vs. #16 seed or #2 vs. #15 seed can be profitable, as the most time, the bookmarker’s favorite tends to win. However, watch out for Cinderella teams (teams from North Carolina have that tendency).

7. Do not wager on every single game.

8. Bet on March madness with your head and never with your heart.

Summary

Basketball games, especially National Collegiate Athletics Association tournaments, can serve entertainment purposes and be friendly to your pocket at the same time. All you need is the right guide, tactics, a credible bookmarker, and consistency.

These tips not only teach you how to bet on March madness, but it also promises you a smooth betting experience. They do not, however, guarantee constant wins. Even the best of bettors lose sometimes. However, if you are smart, consistent, and adherent to these tips whenever you’re playing March Madness betting games, you will be making strategic and huge wins.

Remember, it’s all about strategy and tactics. Bet with your head, never with your heart, and only when there is value. All the best in your betting experience. Good luck.