March Madness is one of the most exciting sporting events in the United States, as upsets and buzzer-beaters highlight the action. Betting on March Madness is also exciting, as bettors across much of the United States can wager on this event legally.
Since the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 2018, many states have legalized sports betting. Here, we look at the best March Madness betting sites that can be used in many of those states for this year’s tournament.
Best March Madness Betting Sites
Our team of sports betting experts at ATS has compiled a list of the best March Madness betting sites. Continue reading to find out more about each of those sportsbooks, and what makes them one of the best sports betting destinations in the industry for the NCAA Tournament and beyond
DraftKings Sportsbook
- New Player Offer: Bet $5, Get $300 in Bonus Bets If Your First Bet Wins + 3 Months of NBA League Pass
- Available in: AZ, CO, CT, DC, IN, IA, IL, KS, KY, LA (select parishes), MA, MD, ME, MI, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, VT, WV or WY
- Full Review: Click Here
DraftKings Sportsbook is among the best March Madness betting sites, thanks in large part to the huge number of betting markets to choose from. Bettors can wager on everything from game results to in-depth props at this popular sportsbook.
Bettors can also enjoy a healthy group of pre-made parlays at DraftKings, which make parlay betting fast and easy. DraftKings regularly combines game results and props for bettors, showing them the price ahead of time, so bettors can pick out a parlay without having to spend the time putting them together themselves.
FanDuel Sportsbook
- New Player Offer: Bet $5 Get $300 in Bonus Bets If Your Bet Wins!
- Available in: AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, VT, WV, WY
- Full Review: Click Here
There may not be a more popular sportsbook out there than FanDuel Sportsbook right now. Their college basketball betting options are a big reason for that, as bettors will be sure to enjoy the huge priority they put on March Madness. FanDuel, like DraftKings, will also have plenty of pre-assembled parlays and highlighted bets ready to go for bettors in addition to the more traditional markets they offer.
One area that really sets FanDuel apart from the rest of the best March Madness betting sites is their frequent odds boosts. Bettors can find an entire section dedicated to odds boosts on the home page of their app, which is regularly occupied by boosts for trending sporting events, a category March Madness certainly falls into.
Caesars Sportsbook
- New Player Offer: Bet $1, Double Your Winnings Your Next 20 Bets
- Available in: AZ, CO, DC, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, NC, NJ, NV, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, WY, WV
- Full Review: Click Here
Caesars Sportsbook has also proven itself as one of the top March Madness sportsbooks, with its odds being one of the major highlights of its offerings. Bettors can routinely find better odds at Caesars than they do elsewhere on markets such as moneylines and futures. That has the potential to come in handy during a tournament where the margins can be so slim between each team.
BetMGM
- New Player Offer: Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Back if your First Bet Does Not Win
- Available in: AZ, CO, IN, IA, IL, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI, NC, NJ, OH, PA, TN, VA, DC, WV, WY
- Full Review: Click Here
BetMGM certainly has a place among the best March Madness betting sites. BetMGM gives bettors personalized promotions on a regular basis, such as bet insurance and parlay boosts that can be used on sporting events such as March Madness. Those parlay boosts can really boost the value of bets, as they tack an extra percentage onto a bettor’s payout if their ticket is a winner.
What makes for a Great March Madness Betting Site?
There are many components to any great March Madness betting sites. How high a priority each of these are depends on the priorities of each individual sports bettor. But these five elements to any sportsbook are worth evaluating before deciding which sites to use when betting on the Big Dance.
Bonuses and Promotions
Finding a sportsbook bonus that is the most beneficial for you is certainly an important piece when deciding which NCAA Tournament betting sites to use. Below, we go over the different types of bonuses that bettors might see during tournament time. It is important to figure out which of these make sense for you to use based on your budget and what you want to get out of your sports betting experience.
Best Odds
No matter what your priorities are when betting on the college basketball tournament, finding a sportsbook that offers the best college basketball odds is vital. The better the odds are at a sportsbook, the easier it is to turn a profit at that site. While markets like point spreads and totals will be very similar, spotting differences in moneylines and futures markets can make a huge difference in the pricing a bettor is up against.
Plentiful Banking Options
Of course, it is impossible to use any of the best March Madness sportsbooks if you are unable to deposit funds into them or withdraw your funds from them. Because of that, it is so important for bettors to make sure that any sportsbook they are interested in using has banking options that they are able to utilize. Doing so will save time and make the sports betting experience as smooth as possible.
Customer Service
When starting out at any sportsbook, you may have questions about what to do, or need help accomplishing what you want to. That is where a strong customer service department comes into play, as the best sportsbooks for March Madness make resolving your inquiries a painless process. Be sure to look out for how you can get in touch with customer service, as sites tend to offer a combination of live chat, phone, and email support. Also, keep an eye on the hours of operation for each site’s customer service arm.
App Experience
There are a few things to consider when deciding which sportsbook app is right for you. Does the app load efficiently on your device? Is it easy to login and navigate to the sports you like to bet on? Is live betting easy to do? Make sure to answer these questions when checking out any sportsbook app to make sure your needs are met before you start wagering.
States with Legal March Madness Betting Sites
A large contingent of US states offer legal March Madness betting sites. Doing so is beneficial both for bettors and the states, as the states receive tax revenue from the sportsbooks and bettors can wager in a safe and regulated environment. For an up-to-date list of states where March Madness betting is legal and active, visit our sports betting state-by-state guide.
What Bets Can I Make on March Madness?
There are a ton of different bets that can be placed throughout March Madness, including single-game and multi-game options. The following betting markets tend to be the most popular when betting on the biggest games in college hoops.
Point Spread
Spread betting lets bettors wager on one side or the other to win a game, only with a twist. Instead of betting on one team or the other to win the game straight up, a point spread is applied to the side that you wager on. This can make point spread betting a challenge, but one that can reward bettors willing to take it on.
Moneyline
Moneyline betting is the market where bettors can simply bet on which team they think is going to come away with a win. The odds are set up differently for this market than they are for point spread bets, as there is no point spread to act as an equalizer. Instead, bettors have to risk more money on a favorite to win to achieve the same payout as wagering on an underdog.
Totals
Also known as over/under betting, totals betting is a form of betting pertaining to how much scoring will happen in a game. Bookmakers will set a point total for each March Madness game. It will then be up to bettors to decide whether they think the actual score will go over or under that projected total.
Parlays
Parlays will be especially popular during the NCAA Tournament. With parlays, bettors combine multiple betting picks into one ticket. All of those picks have to win in order for the parlay to be a winner. But with bettors needing several outcomes to win in order for their parlay to win, the rewards for taking this type of bet are potentially lucrative.
Futures
With futures betting on March Madness, bettors are able to wager on the outcome of the entire tournament or smaller sections of the bracket. For example, bettors can wager on who they think will win the entire tournament, reach the Final Four, or make it to the championship game.
What are the Best Betting Site Offers for March Madness?
As you can see above, there are several different types of March Madness sportsbook bonuses up for grabs. Here, we will explain what the main bonus types are and what makes them different from one another.
Bet and Get
Bet and get offers are exactly what they sound like, as bettors can wager an amount required by a sportsbook and receive a predetermined amount in bonus bets. For example, the Bet365 Bet $1, Win $200 offer falls into that category. Bettors can use that offer to wager $1 and get a guaranteed payout of $200, which is one of the best bet and get offers out there today.
Second Chance Bet
Formerly known as risk-free bets by many sportsbooks, second chance bet promotions can offer bettors peace of mind. With these offers, bettors can place their first wager at a sportsbook, and get their money back in the form of site credit or bonus bets if that first bet does not win. This offer guarantees that bettors will have at least the same amount of funds in their account that they started with after placing their first wager.
Deposit Bonus
Deposit bonuses have become rare in the March Madness betting scene, but they do still exist at some sites. With deposit bonuses, bettors can make their first deposit at a sportsbook, and receive an additional percentage of that deposit as a bonus. This type of offer guarantees that bettors will have more in their account than they deposited before placing a bet.
Why You Should Choose Legal Betting Sites for March Madness
There are a multitude of reasons to use legal and regulated March Madness betting sites rather than offshore operators. Legal sites are required to uphold the operational standards set by each state they are permitted in. That means they have to operate fairly, and protect the information of their customers.
Offshore sites, meanwhile, are not beholden to any of those rules. Since they are registered in other countries, bettors have no legal recourse if their money goes missing or their personal information is compromised. As a result, it is always smarter to go regulated when betting on March Madness.
March Madness Betting Sites FAQs
The legality of March Madness betting, and sports betting as a whole, varies on a state by state basis. Bettors should familiarize themselves with the laws in each state they live in or otherwise plan to bet in.
There are several quality sportsbooks worth using during March Madness. See the above list for our top picks, which include popular sites like BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel, and many more.
There are countless ways to bet on March Madness, from traditional markets like points spreads and totals, to exotic prop betting markets and futures wagers.
Yes, most states that have legalized sports betting offer some sort of mobile betting option. However, this can vary on a state-by-state basis as well.
Some sportsbooks do require a promo code to use a March Madness sportsbook promo, while others do not. Any promo codes that are needed can be found in our list of promotions above in this guide.
March Madness is scheduled to begin with the First Four on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. The tournament will conclude with the national championship game on Monday, April 8, 2024.
