The Big Dance is quickly approaching, and many who are new to sports betting are asking us how to bet on March Madness. We wanted to create a page to help you get a grasp of the basics for the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament
March Madness showcases the top 68 teams in a single-elimination bracket tournament for three weeks in March. 67 games will be played in that time frame, which packs a lot of betting opportunities into a tight, almost chaotic timeframe.
The teams are seeded based on their regular-season standings, into 4 divisions, with 16 teams per division. The tournament starts with the “First Four” which contests the lowest-ranked teams to determine who will win the No. 16 seeds for the first round of 64. The first and second rounds knock the competition down to the Sweet 16, then the Elite Eight, and Final Four.
The betting opportunities are optimal, during the first round there can be as many as 16 games in a single day, creating one of the busiest betting slates in sports. Selection Sunday will take place on March 15, 2026, when the tournament bracket is revealed, teams are seeded, and sportsbooks release their betting lines. Bracket picks must be submitted before the first games of the First Round on March 19–20, 2026.
If you’re new to betting, read on – we have plenty of NCAA Basketball betting tips and some 101 content that can help you learn how to bet on March Madness.
March Madness Sportsbooks Bonuses & Promotions
March Madness isn’t just one of the most exciting events in college basketball—it’s also one of the biggest opportunities for sports bettors. With 67 games over just three weeks, sportsbooks compete to offer the best bonuses, promotions, and contests to attract bettors. Whether you’re a new player looking to maximize your first deposit or a seasoned bettor taking advantage of reload bonuses and special offers, there are plenty of ways to boost your bankroll.
Many sportsbooks introduce exclusive March Madness promotions, including bracket contests, risk-free bets, odds boosts, and cashback rewards. Understanding these offers can help you make the most of your wagers, increasing your chances of winning while enjoying a more rewarding betting experience.
Below, we’ll break down the most popular and valuable promotions sportsbooks are offering for March Madness 2026, so you can find the best deals and make the most of the tournament.
| Bookie | Welcome Bonus | Ongoing Promotions | Loyalty Program | Payment Bonuses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
50% up to $250 (card) | Parlay boosts/free bets/refer-a-friend | Yes (tiered rewards) | Crypto bonuses + exclusive promos |
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50% up to $250 (card) | Free bet reloads/contests/odds boosts | Yes (VIP program) | Crypto welcome + reload bonuses |
| Lucky Rebel | 125% up to $1250 (sports) | Reloads/cashback/seasonal NFL promos | Yes (LB Rewards) | Crypto welcome + reload bonuses |
| Everygame | 100% up to $500 (non-crypto) / 50% up to $1000 (crypto) | Crypto reloads/parlay contests | No formal tiers | Crypto reload promos |
 |
100% up to $1000 | Odds boosts/reloads/free bets | Yes (VIP program) | Bitcoin bonuses |
| SportsBetting.ag | 50% up to $250 (sports) | Horse racing rebates/refer-a-friend | Yes (rewards program) | Crypto accepted |
| BookMaker | 25% up to $500 | 20% crypto reload bonus | Yes (VIP club) | Crypto bonuses |
 |
225% up to $3625 (crypto) | 200% crypto bonus/free bets/reloads | Yes (rewards program) | Crypto bonuses |
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50% up to $200 (cash) / 100% up to $200 (crypto) | 100% crypto reload/limited free bets | Yes (VIP program) | Crypto bonuses |
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125% up to $2500 (crypto only) | Rebate offers/contests | No loyalty program | Crypto accepted + reloads |
Last updated on: March 12, 2026
Best March Madness Betting Sites for 2026
We’ve carefully selected the top sportsbooks for March Madness 2026, offering the best odds, promotions, and user experience for bettors looking to maximize their wagers.
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BetOnline
BetOnline is a top-tier sportsbook known for early odds, high betting limits, and fast payouts. It consistently ranks among the best platforms for March Madness betting, offering a comprehensive selection of markets including moneylines, spreads, totals, props, and live betting.
One of BetOnline’s biggest strengths is its live betting platform, which allows bettors to wager on games in real time with updated odds. It also offers bracket contests with huge cash prizes and exclusive March Madness promotions like odds boosts and free bets.
With its strong reputation, fast withdrawal speeds, and diverse betting options, BetOnline is perfect for casual and professional bettors alike. Whether you’re looking for pre-game wagers or live betting action, BetOnline provides one of the best overall experiences for March Madness 2026.
MyBookie
MyBookie is a user-friendly sportsbook designed for both casual and experienced bettors. It stands out for its intuitive interface, fast bet placements, and excellent mobile experience, making it a top choice for March Madness betting.
One of MyBookie’s best features is its bracket contests, where bettors can enter for a chance to win large cash prizes. The sportsbook also offers a wide range of player and team props, making it ideal for bettors who enjoy diverse wagering options.
For live betting enthusiasts, MyBookie delivers real-time updated odds, allowing bettors to make quick and strategic bets as games unfold. Its customer support team is available 24/7, ensuring users have a seamless experience.
With its generous promotions, exciting contests, and strong betting options, MyBookie is an excellent sportsbook for March Madness 2026.
Bovada
Bovada is a well-established sportsbook known for competitive odds, a clean interface, and a fantastic live betting platform. It caters to both new and experienced bettors, offering moneylines, spreads, totals, player props, and March Madness futures.
Bovada provides early betting lines, allowing users to get the best possible value on wagers before the odds shift. It also features live betting, where users can bet on games as they happen, with real-time odds updates.
The site is optimized for mobile users, making it easy to bet on the go. Bovada’s reputation for fast withdrawals, solid customer support, and high-value promotions makes it a top sportsbook for March Madness 2026.
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XBet
XBet is a straightforward sportsbook that offers quick bet placement, competitive odds, and a strong mobile experience. Designed for bettors who prefer a hassle-free betting experience, XBet provides a clean interface and smooth navigation.
One of XBet’s strengths is its fast payout system, especially for crypto users. Withdrawals are processed quickly, allowing bettors to access their winnings without long delays. XBet also offers 24/7 customer support, ensuring players get assistance whenever they need it.
The sportsbook’s live betting platform is well-designed, with real-time odds adjustments to help bettors make quick, informed decisions. Whether you’re betting on a favorite team or looking for an underdog upset, XBet provides a simple, effective, and rewarding betting experience for March Madness.
BetUS
BetUS is a long-standing sportsbook offering one of the biggest welcome bonuses in the industry. Known for its extensive betting markets and expert analysis, BetUS is a great option for March Madness bettors looking to maximize their action.
BetUS offers a wide range of March Madness betting options, including team and player props, live betting, and bracket challenges. It also provides free betting analysis and expert picks, helping bettors make informed decisions.
One of the sportsbook’s biggest advantages is its VIP program, which rewards loyal players with exclusive promotions, reload bonuses, and cashback offers. BetUS also supports fast withdrawals, ensuring that bettors can access their winnings quickly.
With its massive bonuses, detailed betting analysis, and extensive March Madness markets, BetUS remains one of the best sportsbooks for March Madness.
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Everygame
Everygame, formerly known as Intertops, is one of the most established sportsbooks in the industry. It is known for its early betting lines, solid mobile experience, and reliable customer service.
Everygame provides early release odds, ensuring that bettors can lock in the best lines before they shift. It also offers competitive moneylines, spreads, totals, and a strong selection of prop bets for every game in the tournament.
One of the standout features of Everygame is its frequent free bet promotions, which allow players to wager without risking their own money. The site also supports fast payouts through multiple banking options, making it a convenient choice for bettors.
With its trustworthy reputation, diverse betting markets, and rewarding promotions, Everygame is a great sportsbook for March Madness.
March Madness 2026 Schedule
- Selection Sunday: Sunday, March 15, 2026
- First Four: March 17–18, 2026
- First Round: March 19–20, 2026
- Second Round: March 21–22, 2026
- Sweet 16: March 26–27, 2026
- Elite Eight: March 28–29, 2026
- Final Four: Saturday, April 4, 2026, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana
- NCAA Championship Game: Monday, April 6, 2026, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana
March Madness Betting Types
If you’re new to online sports betting, or just betting in general and want to learn how to bet on March Madness, we recommend sticking to the three main betting types: Moneyline, Point Spreads and totals.
Of course, there are plenty more options available than just these three, like props and futures, but let’s stick to the March Madness betting basics today:
How to bet on the March Madness Moneyline
Picture this, a March Madness match up between Michigan and Villanova, and you log into your sportsbook and see these NCAA March Madness odds:
- Michigan +125
- Villanova -145
Your job is to figure out which team will win straight up. Simple enough, right?
The bookmakers have set the March Madness betting odds based on who they think will win the game, and labeling the team with the negative number (in this case Villanova) the favored team to win. Michigan +125 means a $100 bet wins $125 profit. If you chose Villanova, your winnings would only equate to about $68.
Betting the moneyline in March Madness is simple enough, and you are likely already doing all of the research for your March Madness Bracket, so sticking to your picks and doubling down on a few moneyline bets will make it a little more exciting!
How to Bet on March Madness Point Spreads
Betting the point spread can be a bit more tricky, but a fun bet nonetheless.
The sportsbook’s oddsmaker will decide on a spread based on the matchup, and your job is to determine if the team you select will cover the spread.
For example, if we are using the Michigan and Villanova example above, and Villanova is still the favorite and the oddsmakers project a 10 point spread, their NCAA Bracket odds would look like this:
- Villanova -10
- Michigan +10
If you think Villanova will beat Michigan by more than 10 points, pick Villanova. When it comes to Michigan, they are essentially awarded a 10 point lead before the game even starts, so for a bet on them to cash, they have to beat Villanova, or lose by less than 10 points.
This sounds easy enough, but as we all are aware, March Madness can be extremely unpredictable, and some spreads can be very low, like one or two points which can make your choice very tough!
How to Bet March Madness Totals
Betting the totals can be one of the easier options when it comes to March Madness betting, but at the same time, it can be fairly risky depending on how accurate your sportsbook’s oddsmakers are.
The oddsmakers will choose a total number of points that they think both teams will score collectively, and you have to decide if the actual total will be higher or lower than their number.
For example, if the same teams above are playing and the total is 145, and the final score was 82-71 (153) you would have won if you picked the OVER.
This wager is a great option for those who aren’t overly familiar with the teams playing and can be a great place for those who don’t follow basketball to get in on the March Madness betting action.
March Madness Parlay Bets
As mentioned above, March Madness is a great time to combine some March Madness bets together into a parlay ticket where you can maximize the March Madness odds to generate more winnings. On some days, there are 20 games per day, which can help you to increase your potential payout if you make the right picks!
To create a March Madness parlay ticket, you simply need to combine two or more of the betting types above, which combines their odds as well. You can mix some underdog point spreads with a few moneyline favorites, and a total to even out the odds and make it worth your while.
The only catch is that all legs of your bet have to cash to win. Even if one game is a push, let’s say you selected the underdog on that 10 point spread, and they lost by exactly 10 points, your entire ticket is a dud.
March Madness Bracket
Most sports fans will participate in some sort of March Madness bracket contest or pool, regardless of their college basketball knowledge. Most newbies can start browsing some content from college basketball beat writers in early March, to get a good vibe of the teams, and once Selection Sunday rolls around and the teams are announced, do some more in-depth research.
Where teams are seeded will play a huge role in how your March Madness bracket pans out – as there will surely be some lopsided matchups, as well as some really big upsets. The odds of picking a perfect March Madness bracket are slim, but not impossible. Research, and following some of the shark’s leads will help you with your picks in the long run.
It’s very possible to win your pool or a contest without a perfect bracket. If you’re entering a point-based contest, you do have a margin of error but it really matters on who else is in your pool and their scores.
Our main recommendation to new March Madness bettors or even bracket players is to not pick too many upsets in the first round of the playoff tournament. Yes, it’s single elimination and there are upsets in the first round, but the main bulk of upsets don’t come until the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight rounds.
Don’t forget to have fun with your March Madness Bracket and take a few risks!
Online March Madness Contests
If you’re looking to enter some March Madness contests, there are so many online sportsbooks that offer some fun, and even free, online contests for players who want to try their luck against thousands of other college basketball fans.
Head over to our March Madness Contests page for a more in-depth review of the 2026 March Madness contest offering from online sportsbooks.
Betting on March Madness Futures
Sportsbooks release March Madness futures odds months before the tournament begins, allowing bettors to wager on teams to win the championship or reach later rounds. The March Madness Futures odds were released almost instantaneously. A futures bet is when you place a wager on a team long in advance to win the tournament, or even make it to the final four. Sportsbooks offer these with inflated odds to make March Madness as it’s really difficult to predict what is going to happen so far into the future.
These tickets pay out well if you do make the correct guess. And the sooner you lock in your bet, the better, as the March Madness betting odds continuously change during the regular season. Taking a team before they start to get hot? You could win hundreds or thousands on a $10-30 bet.
This year should be an interesting tournament because we have a rare occurrence where several teams are sitting in the +800 to +1500 range, which proves that it could be anyone’s game in the end and that makes oddsmakers nervous.
March Madness Betting Odds
Betting odds for March Madness 2026 are constantly changing as teams compete throughout the season. Keeping track of the latest odds to win the national championship, game lines, and prop bets can help bettors find value and make informed wagers – for both the men’s and women’s March Madness:
| 2025/26 NCAAB Championship | |
|
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | +900 | +910 | +900 |
| Duke | +1000 | +1050 | +1000 |
| Connecticut | +1400 | +1400 | +1400 |
| Louisville | +1700 | +1800 | +1700 |
| Auburn | +1800 | +1800 | +1800 |
| Purdue | +1900 | +1900 | +2000 |
| Brigham Young | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Kentucky | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Arkansas | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Kansas | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Alabama | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Texas Tech | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Michigan | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 |
| St. John's | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 |
| Tennessee | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 |
| Michigan State | +3000 | +3000 | +3000 |
| Gonzaga | +3000 | +3000 | +3000 |
| Iowa State | +3000 | +3000 | +3000 |
| Arizona | +4000 | +4000 | +4000 |
| Baylor | +4000 | +4000 | +4000 |
| UCLA | +4000 | +4000 | +4000 |
| North Carolina | +4000 | +4000 | +4000 |
Last updated on: March 12, 2026
March Madness Betting FAQs
Let’s take a look at some of your most common questions regarding the chaos of March Madness betting!
1. What is the best sportsbook for betting on March Madness?
There are several top sportsbooks for March Madness, including BetOnline, Bovada, MyBookie, XBet, BetUS, and Everygame. Each offers competitive odds, welcome bonuses, live betting, and unique promotions to enhance the betting experience.
2. What types of bets can I place on March Madness?
Bettors can wager on moneylines, point spreads, totals (over/under), player and team props, futures (championship winner), and live bets. Many sportsbooks also offer bracket contests and odds boosts throughout the tournament.
3. How do I claim a welcome bonus at a sportsbook?
To claim a welcome bonus, sign up at a sportsbook, make a deposit, and enter any required promo code. Most bonuses come in the form of a deposit match, where the sportsbook gives you extra funds based on your initial deposit amount.
4. Is live betting available for March Madness?
Yes, all major sportsbooks offer live betting during March Madness. This allows bettors to place wagers in real-time as the action unfolds, with odds adjusting based on in-game performance.
5. Can I bet on March Madness using cryptocurrency?
Yes, many sportsbooks support cryptocurrency betting, including BetOnline, BetUS, and Bovada. Crypto users often receive higher deposit bonuses, faster withdrawals, and lower transaction fees compared to traditional banking methods.
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