Best March Madness Betting Offers & Sites

Q: How do you bet on March Madness?

First, you must sign up at an online sportsbook that offers March Madness betting. Next, you must find a deposit option and fund your account. The final step involves visiting the sportsbook area and adding one or more bets to your slip.

Q: Is a team out of March Madness if it loses?

Yes. March Madness is a single-elimination tournament—if a team loses a game, it's immediately knocked out with no second chance. The structure progresses from the First Four to the 64-team bracket, then through the Sweet 16, Elite Eight, Final Four, and ultimately the National Championship. You must win every round to keep advancing.

Q: Has a 16-seed ever beaten a 1-seed in March Madness?

Yes, it has happened twice in NCAA Tournament history.2018: UMBC upset Virginia 74–54, the first time ever a 16-seed defeated a 1-seed2023: Fairleigh Dickinson shocked Purdue 63–58, the second historic upset.Such upsets are very rare (~1.25% probability).

Q: Has anyone ever had a perfect March Madness bracket?

No one has ever officially completed a perfect bracket across all 67 games. The mathematical odds are astronomically low (estimated at 1 in trillions or more), even as research attempts to model it using simplified assumptions.The closest anyone has come publicly is a bracket surviving through the Sweet 16, and even that is exceedingly rare.

Q: Do sites offer March Madness bracket contests?

Yes. Top sites host free or paid bracket contests every March with prizes ranging from bonus bets to $1 million jackpots. Brackets must be completed by tipoff of the first full round, and prizes are often awarded for perfect picks, highest point totals, or beating celebrity brackets.

Q: Can I bet on March Madness from my phone?

Yes, you can legally bet on March Madness using mobile apps from licensed sites. These apps let you place pre-game and live bets, check odds, and access promos on the go. Most apps are available on iOS and Android devices and use geolocation to ensure compliance with local laws.

Q: When do March Madness odds get released?

March Madness game lines go live as soon as matchups are announced on Selection Sunday, typically in mid-March. Each game features a point spread, where the favorite must win by more than the spread number, and the underdog can lose by less or win outright to cover. You can also bet moneyline (pick the winner) or over/under (combined total points scored). Spreads make games between uneven teams more competitive from a betting standpoint.Future odds on the National Champion are also available months in advance, often starting right after the previous tournament ends.Odds can change rapidly.

Q: Can I live bet on March Madness?

Yes, live or in-play betting is one of the most exciting ways to engage with March Madness. You can bet on updated spreads, moneylines, and totals as the game unfolds. Top sites offer live stats, play-by-play updates, and real-time odds so you can react to momentum shifts during the tournament.

Above, we’ve designed a quick comparison tool to help you find the best March Madness betting site.

You can select up to three betting sites from the list above and click Add to Compare to compare their offers, features, payment methods, and more side-by-side.

If you’re unsure which online site suits you, this tool can help you quickly spot the right fit. Give it a try and see how the options stack up. You should always choose a site licensed in your state, offers easy navigation, and gives value through promotions.

Note that betting offers vary based on your location.

How We Test and Rate March Madness Betting Offers & Sites

We at Gambling.com have decades of combined experience testing and reviewing sports betting sites. After years of analyzing sites and reviewing feedback from real bettors, we’ve seen firsthand what makes or breaks a great betting site. Our goal is to connect you with books that aren’t just safe but offer great odds and a smooth experience from sign-up to payout.

Our team of industry-leading experts grades each of the betting sites they review on a scale of one to 10 across 10 different categories that we deem to be most important to sports bettors. To determine these scores, we don’t just sit behind a screen and rate sites—we test them, compare them, and really dig into the user experience to see how they stack up. Our process ensures we only recommend betting sites that meet our high standards.

We are committed to promoting responsible gambling. That’s why we only review fully licensed operators and offer tools and resources that address responsible betting practices.

How to Bet on March Madness

Choose from our list of top-rated March Madness betting sites above and use our verified links to navigate to the sign-up page. Once you’re there, follow these steps:

Complete the registration by entering personal details, such as your name and age, required for verification and tax purposes.
During the registration process, enter your promo code, if applicable.
Choose a payment method and make a deposit.
Place your first bet.

It’s that simple!

March Madness Bet Types

Legal March Madness betting draws over $3 billion in wagers annually, making it one of the world's biggest sporting events to wager on.

You'll have many March Madness betting options to choose from once the Division I Basketball Tournament tips off. March Madness odds update as the tourney rolls on.

In addition to the standard bet types, some sites allow individual player props. However, be advised that some U.S. jurisdictions do not allow betting on in-state college teams or player props.

Moneyline: Moneyline betting is the simplest basketball wager because it only requires picking the winning team. The odds will differ depending on whether you bet on the favorite or the underdog.
Point Spread: Spread betting, also known as handicap betting, assigns a point spread to each team to even the playing field, giving the underdog a head start. If the favorite starts with a point deficit (-6.5), the underdog begins with a point surplus (+6.5). In this example, the favorite must win by seven points or more. Meanwhile, the underdog would have to win or lose by six points or less.
Totals: Betting on the over/under, also known as the total, is among the most popular betting types. An online betting site sets a total line, and you bet over or under that mark. If you take the over on a 140.5 line, you'd need two teams to combine for 141 points or more.
Props: Prop bets offer the chance to wager on outcomes besides final scores and winners. Examples of props include leading scorers, leading rebounders, and the John Wooden Award winner. Team prop bets are wagers on specific team totals. Props can include wagers on points for specific quarters or halves. Individual player props are typically over/under bets on markets such as Total Points and Total Rebounds.
Live Betting: Some betting sites feature lines even after a game has started. Therefore, you can enjoy more gambling action until the final buzzer through in-play betting. Common live bets involve updated moneylines, spreads, and totals.
Futures: Futures betting revolves around a distant outcome that could be weeks or months away. For instance, an October preseason bet on March Madness would qualify as a wager. However, you'll still see plenty of futures available on March Madness betting sites after the event begins and progresses through the rounds.

Essential March Madness Betting Tips

One of the most fun things for any college basketball fan to do during March and April is selecting their brackets for the Big Dance. The betting favorites could determine the team with the best chance to win the March Madness tournament.

Testing your college basketball game expertise and using your betting knowledge is the key to your success in March Madness bracket betting.

Compare Odds
Some betting apps display significantly different tournament odds, especially in early rounds. You always want to find the best prices for betting on college basketball. You'll find the most significant discrepancies in the first round when matchups are more uneven.
Track Underdogs in Smaller Conferences
Some conferences don't get much publicity nationwide but still produce good teams. Small schools may be underdogs, but they can still topple the giants. This is especially true of teams that rely on a quirky style, such as playing uptempo or shooting countless threes.

For example, the Horizon League (e.g., Milwaukee, Cleveland St., Oakland) doesn't receive much press but has a 19-19 March Madness record since 1985. Schools from under-the-radar conferences typically offer more value on betting lines.
Watch for Reverse Line Moves
A reverse line move is when betting sites shift odds unexpectedly.

For example, let's say that Virginia (-8.5) has 80% of the public betting action. Nevertheless, most sites downgrade Virginia's spread advantage to -7. This move indicates that smart money is on the underdog, and you might want to consider joining the sharps.
Consider Seed History
Upsets happen quite often in March Madness, especially in the first round. Since 1985, the No. 10 seed has won almost 40% of the time against the No. 7 seed. The No. 12 seed has won at a surprising 35.4% clip against the No. 5 seed.
Focus on NBA Talent for Future Champions
The National Championship winner usually has at least two to three future NBA players. You can often scout potential tournament winners by who has the most pro talent.

What Is March Madness?

The NCAA Division I basketball tournament, often called "March Madness," is a single-elimination tournament that determines the national championship team at the end of the college basketball season.

How Does the March Madness Bracket Work?

Sixty-eight teams are selected in the men's and women's tournaments, which are organized into four regions with 16 teams that form a bracket. (In recent years, two play-in games have been added before the tournament officially begins to determine the "First Four" to advance in the tourney.)

The tournament progresses through the following rounds:

First round: 64 teams
Second round: 32 teams
Sweet Sixteen: 16 teams
Elite Eight: 8 teams
Final Four: 4 teams
National Championship: 2 teams

The first round features more upsets and chances to pick long-shot teams. Oddsmakers also have slightly more trouble perfecting odds with many games involving lesser-known teams.

You can continue finding upsets and value until around the Elite Eight, when the field tightens up. This isn't to say that you can't still make some money on underdogs. But your best opportunities may lie with live betting and prop bets at this point.

Some sites offer March Madness bracket contests. These competitions allow fans to pick the national title winner and earn prizes.

Important March Madness Dates

March 15: Selection Sunday
March 17-18: Men's First Four
March 19-20: Women's First Four
March 19-20: Men's Round of 68
March 20-21: Women's Round of 68
March 21-22: Men's Round of 32
March 22-23: Women's Round of 32
March 26-27: Men's Sweet 16
March 27-28: Women's Sweet 16
March 28-29: Men's Elite Eight
March 29-30: Women's Elite Eight
April 3: Women's Final Four
April 4: Men's Final Four
April 5: Women's NCAA championship game
April 6: Men's NCAA championship game

Responsible Gambling with March Madness Betting Sites

We at Gambling.com take responsible gambling very seriously. Our main goals are to connect you with reliable betting operators while maintaining a safe gambling environment for all users.

College basketball betting sites must follow strict protocols to spot, prevent, and reduce gambling-related harm. These aren't optional measures; they're legal requirements and essential safeguards that protect vulnerable players from developing problematic habits.

We always keep these requirements in mind whenever we review and rate a betting site, and we only partner with licensed operators that adhere to legal standards. Moreover, all betting sites we review here have responsible gambling tools and resources to help you stay in control of your betting.

March Madness FAQs

How do you bet on March Madness?

Is a team out of March Madness if it loses?

Has a 16-seed ever beaten a 1-seed in March Madness?

Has anyone ever had a perfect March Madness bracket?

Do sites offer March Madness bracket contests?

Can I bet on March Madness from my phone?

When do March Madness odds get released?

Can I live bet on March Madness?

References

NCAA.com News

Best March Madness Betting Offers