Bracket Challenge!

Get $1000 in Free Bonus Money

2024 March Madness Schedule

Here is an extensive look at the 2024 NCAA Tournament schedule, including who will be hosting and where the games will be played.

First Four

March 19-20, 2024
University of Dayton Arena – Dayton, Ohio

First Round

March 21, 22
Barclays Center, Spectrum Center, Gainbridge Fieldhouse, CHI Health Center, PPG Paints Arena, Vivint Smart Home Arena, Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, FedExForum.

Second Round

March 23, 24
Barclays Center, Spectrum Center, Gainbridge Fieldhouse, CHI Health Center, PPG Paints Arena, Vivint Smart Home Arena, Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, FedExForum.

Sweet 16

March 28, 29
T-Mobile Arena, Madison Square Garden, T-Mobile Center, KFC Yum! Center

Elite Eight

March 30, 31
T-Mobile Arena, Madison Square Garden, T-Mobile Center, KFC Yum! Center

Final Four

April 6
State Farm Stadium

2019 March Madness Odds and Team Previews

East Region

South Region

Virginia, of course, last year notoriously became the first top seed in tournament history to go down to a #16 seed in the first round, and here they are, back again in a top slot, sure to be looking for redemption.

Analytics are giving the Cavaliers quite a bit of respect, with many outlets rating them as having a slightly better chance to win a national title than Duke. They’re the only team in the country ranked in the top five in adjusted offense and defense at KenPom.

But the betting markets don’t yet agree. At BetDSI, Virginia is being offered at 7-1 odds to win the national title, the longest odds of the 4 #1 seeds this year.

The Cavaliers will try to win it all by once again doing what they’ve always done - playing their unique brand of pack-line defense, that has been so utterly dominant in the regular season, yet so curiously underwhelming in the NCAA Tournament.

The talent on the team is as strong as ever. But their history of struggles in the postseason is not limited to last season. Since 2001, Virginia has lost in the NCAA Tournament six times as a higher-seeded team.

Tennessee is a dangerous #2 seed in a region where the top seed may be particularly vulnerable, and there may be betting value with the Volunteers to win it all this year at odds of 14-1, which is currently being offered at BetDSI.

It was only a month ago that the Vols were being seriously considered as the best team in the country, until they lost at Kentucky. But they also beat Kentucky twice this year, as well as #1 seed Gonzaga.

The Volunteers are balanced, they have depth and experience, they feature a go-to star in Grant Williams, as well as a supporting star with NBA potential in Admiral Schofield.

The one area of concern for Tennessee is their mediocre 36% 3-point shooting, which might not be a big liability against many opponents, but could be vital if they wind up facing Virginia in the Elite 8, as shooting over the Cavaliers’ defense from three is the only way to beat them.

Purdue is a #3 seed and is 30-1 at BetDSI to win the National Championship.

The Big Ten was considered to be the best conference in college basketball this year, and the Boilermakers impressively finished at the top of the standings. Their loss in the conference tournament though, may give them a psychological edge for a bounce back in the Big Dance.

Purdue shoots a high percentage of their shots from 3-point range, and they’ll need to avoid going cold to make a deep run.

Kansas St was a good bet overall on the year, and particularly so down the stretch of the regular season, but they may be without star forward Dean Wade, which is a huge loss for the Wildcats.

Kansas St’s numbers this year are significantly worse with Wade out, and it’s unclear how productive he will be if he does play.

The Wildcats won a share of the Big 12 regular season title as a result of their successful emphasis on defense, but their poor shooting from the free throw line and 3-point range are likely to hurt them in the NCAA Tournament.

Even getting 66-1 on Kansas St to win it all is probably not worth a play.

Wisconsin plays great defense, and they feature a legitimate NBA prospect in stud forward Ethan Happ.

But beyond Happ, their offensive depth is limited, which is why they generally faltered ATS during the regular season when they were an underdog and facing tournament-caliber opponents.

Wisconsin is scrappy, and they’re capable of hanging close with elite competition. But pulling out multiple wins against legitimate top-tier teams will likely be a challenge for the Badgers, who are 86-1 to win the tournament at BetDSI.

Villanova didn’t suffer a letdown this season after winning their second national championship in three years last year and losing a huge amount of talent. The Wildcats came back and still won the regular-season and tournament titles in the Big East.

As always, Villanova’s strength is its three-point shooting, but they were notably inconsistent this year, and were unimpressive down the stretch of the Big East season, losing 6 of their last 9 games ATS, and struggling against teams they should have handled more easily.

Still, this program has proved itself, and advanced analytics have the Wildcats generally rated a bit higher than the betting markets seem to. BetDSI is offering Villanova at odds of 40-1 to win it all.

Cincinnati is a gritty, tough team that plays strong defense, has a nicely positive turnover margin of +3.35 on the year, and features the AAC Player Of The Year guard Jarron Cumberland.

They may also have gotten a bit underseeded in the #7 slot and should come out focused and determined.

BetDSI has the Bearcats at odds of 100-1 to win the title, and they may at least be a good bet to make a deep run and have ATS value on their point spreads. They’re a grinding team that is not likely to get blown out and may be flying a bit under the radar.

Cincinnati is a gritty, tough team that plays strong defense, has a nicely positive turnover margin of +3.35 on the year, and features the AAC Player Of The Year guard Jarron Cumberland.

They may also have gotten a bit underseeded in the #7 slot and should come out focused and determined.

Oklahoma was a great bet on the year, finishing at 19-10-3 ATS overall, but they wound up near the bottom of the Big 12 standings, and many have questioned their #9 seeding.

The Sooners played solid top 25 defense this year but they had major issues offensively, and they didn’t do well at all during the regular season when facing tournament-caliber opposition.

They do feature a deep rotation, with 9 different players getting double digit minutes, but they probably won’t be a Cinderella team this year.

Iowa was a poor bet overall on the year, finishing at 13-20 ATS, and they were particularly bad down the stretch. The Hawkeyes lost 5 of their last 6 games in a row straight up, and went an abysmal 1-9 ATS over their last 10.

Iowa’s vulnerability this year is on defense, which is sure to catch up with them in the tournament, more likely sooner than later.

The Hawkeyes played a tough schedule, but overall they were dominated by the tournament-caliber teams they faced, and they should be sent home by one this year relatively quickly.

St Mary’s caught everyone’s attention with an upset win over Gonzaga in the WCC conference title game, and they now have people filling out their brackets wondering how much of a fluke that result was or not.

St Mary’s does play a style of ball that can be tough to prepare for, as well as keep them in games when they’re having an off night or up against a tougher opponent.

They play at a very deliberate pace, but are at the same time efficient on offense, and are good at taking opponents out of their preferred game plans.

The Gaels could be a Cinderella team this year, and they are being offered at 300-1 to win the tournament at BetDSI.

Oregon has reportedly taken sharp betting action on their point spread for their opening round game against Wisconsin, despite the fact that the Pac-12 is seen as a weak conference this year.

The Ducks have won 8 in a row both straight up and ATS, and it’s possible that they peaked with their dominant win in the Pac-12 tournament title game.

On the other hand, advanced analytics seem to be grading the Ducks favorably, admiring their defensive metrics and predicting them to be one of the double-digit seeds with a high likelihood of being a Cinderella team.

BetDSI has Oregon at odds of 200-1 to win the NCAA Tournament.

UC Irvine, a #13 seed, and 200-1 to win the tournament at BetDSI, is one of the trendy picks this year for a first-round upset.

The Anteaters dominated their conference tournament, they were a great bet at 20-13-1 ATS overall on the year, and their success was predicated on fundamental factors that will be in play in the tournament. Irvine is a particularly good rebounding team, and they returned all 5 starters this year from last year’s team.

The knock on Irvine heading into the tournament is their relatively weak overall strength of schedule. But their dominance against the teams they played suggests that a Cinderella run from them may be an expectation worth betting on.

Old Dominion was unreliable on offense this year, but they were elite enough on defense to thrive in the Conference USA and make the tournament.

ODU likes to slow the pace to a crawl, which might make them a good bet against the spread in tournament games where they are a sizable underdog, as they happen to be in their opening game.

But their limited offense just won’t be enough to propel them to a deep run once they match up with elite teams with more powerful offenses than they are used to holding down.

The Monarchs do have a nice win over Syracuse on their resume this year, but they likely have no betting value to win the tournament even at odds of 500-1, which is currently being offered at BetDSI.

Gardner-Webb has the unenviable task of facing #1 Virginia as a #16 seed the year after the Cavaliers were shamefully chucked by a #16 seed for the first time in NCAA Tournament history.

The Runnin’ Bulldogs did beat Wake Forest and Georgia Tech outright this year, and they also closed the season on a nice 7-1 ATS run, so they may be worth consideration for an ATS cover this year against Virginia, but an outright win is unthinkable against an elite team that will be anomalously focused and determined.

West Region

Gonzaga is the top seed in the West, and they have the third-shortest odds to win the NCAA Tournament at BetDSI, at +550.

Gonzaga does have a history of early tournament exits, but they may be psychologically primed to avoid that fate again this year after their shocking loss to St Mary’s in the West Coast Conference tournament finals.

On paper, the Bulldogs look extremely impressive. They’re first in the country in offensive efficiency at KenPom, and first in effective field goal percentage.
They’re less reliant on 3-point shooting than many other teams, and their elite half-court offense featuring stud big man Rui Hachimura could prove to be a key factor in intense, tightly-contested games deep in the tournament.

Gonzaga is legitimately elite, and they have to be looking to atone for their conference tournament loss this year, as well as their history of underwhelming NCAA Tournament results.

The Bulldogs were also a good bet overall on the year, finishing at 21-12 ATS, and it’s quite possible that the market is continuing to give them too little respect with their futures odds to win the tournament.

Michigan’s bread and butter this year is their elite defense, which is ranked second in adjusted efficiency at KenPom.

But they’ll need to get consistent offensive production as well to win it all, and what they’ve shown this year overall on offense doesn’t inspire confidence.

The Wolverines are a #2 seed and 14-1 to win the title at BetDSI, but they don’t have reliable outside shooting and they lack depth down low. And on top of that, they don’t shoot free throws well, which is likely to be crucial in close tournament games.

They’ve enjoyed success this year because their defense has been just that great, they don’t turn the ball over, and their big wings are usually too difficult for inferior opponents to match up with.

But in the tournament, it feels like Michigan might be at a disadvantage against the more complete elite teams.

Texas Tech is 22-1 to win the National Championship at BetDSI, and they may be a dangerous team heading into the Big Dance after a first-round exit in the Big 12 Conference tournament.

The Red Raiders have the top defense in the country according to KenPom, and when their offense picked up down the stretch of the regular season, they became an ATS juggernaut, covering 8 of their last 9 regular season point spreads.

The defense will be there for Texas Tech in the tournament. The big question is, will their improved 3-point shooting continue, or will they revert back to their anemic offensive ways of the beginning parts of the season?

Florida State is tall and long, they feature a deep rotation of athletic players, and they will present serious matchup problems on defense for anyone they meet in the tournament, including top-seeded Gonzaga.
The Seminoles’ challenges will be to find consistent scoring and to avoid turnovers.

But Florida State has already beaten a #1 seed in Virginia this year, and they did so in a dominant fashion.
At 30-1 to win it all at BetDSI, there may be some betting value with Florida State.

FSU also trended Under in non-home games this season, going 6-12 O/U outside of Tallahassee.

Marquette is a #5 seed and 66-1 to win the National Championship at BetDSI, both of which seem a bit generous in light of the Eagles’ stumbles to the finish line this year. Marquette lost 5 of their last 6 games straight up, including 4 in which they were favored.
Still, they seemed like a different team earlier in the year, when they were covering point spreads game-in and game-out.

Marquette had problems with turnovers during their bad run down the stretch, and that is a key issue that will need to be fixed for them to have a good showing in the tournament. But if they can solve those turnover problems that have plagued them recently, they do have a complement of potent 3-point shooters who can be difficult to shut down.

Buffalo is currently far and away the class of the MAC, and even though expectations were high this year for the Bulls, they still retained betting value, finishing the year at 18-14 ATS. That includes a 2-5 ATS finish where the market began to adjust and more accurately set Buffalo’s point spreads.
A deep tournament run would surprise few and is being predicted by many.

Buffalo is improved from last season, they’re deep and senior-heavy, and they rank highly both on offense and defense. They play at a fast pace but are also Top 20 in the country in not turning the ball over.

The table seems to be set for the Bulls to shine in the tournament this year, but as we know, with March Madness, always expect the unexpected.

Nevada’s season saw them starkly undervalued to start, going 6-1 ATS in their first 7 games, and then equally overvalued at the end, losing 7 of their last 8 ATS. Astute college hoops handicappers were able to ride both waves and identify market mis-pricings of Nevada in both directions.
The question is, what can we expect to see from the Wolf Pack in the Big Dance?

They were labeled a Final Four team by some respected analysts in the beginning of the season, but fatigue may have come into play recently, as their top three players all have averaged at least 34 minutes per game this season. The break may do this team a lot of good, and we might see a form from them closer to what we saw at the start of the year. Or not.

Neither a Final Four appearance nor an opening game loss would be a surprise from Nevada. But if you want to bet them to win it all, BetDSI is offering them at 100-1.

Syracuse’s system has proven it can work reliably come tourney time, and this year’s version of the Orange already has a straight up win over Duke to their credit.

They also have three double-digit home losses as a favorite on their resume as well.

It’s never a shock when a reasonable Syracuse team makes a very deep run, and you can get 150-1 for the Orange to win it all at BetDSI.

Their offensive numbers this year, though, are less promising than they’ve been in recent tournaments. So a patented Syracuse run where they stifle opponents’ 3-point shooting and scrap out win after win might be a bit less likely than in years past.
But Jim Boeheim’s team has a habit of turning up it’s best version of itself in the Big Dance.

Baylor impressively overachieved this season, overcoming modest expectations and injuries to make the NCAA Tournament.

They’re lacking in talent compared to many other teams in the tourney, but they play with heart and tenacity, and that shows up in their impressive offensive rebounding numbers. Like many mid-range seeds, their ceiling is high but their floor is low.

Baylor closed the season way overvalued, going 1-8-2 ATS over their final 11 games.

The Bears’ grit and determination probably won’t get them a National Championship, but they’ll be a tough out until they’re finally beaten.

Florida is a #10 seed and 200-1 to win the NCAA Tournament at BetDSI, but they may be a team that is flying a bit under the radar, and there was some notable early sharp action that came in on Florida for their opening game.

The Gators prefer a slower pace, and despite lacking true star power, they seem to be finding a winning team identity at the right time.

Florida was also a particularly good bet, as well as an under-trending team, in games away from their home court this season.

Outside of Gainesville, the Gators were 13-6 ATS, as well as an amazing 3-16 O/U. They had an up-and-down season, but played a tough SEC schedule and may be a lower seed with Cinderella potential.

The Pac-12 was considered to be a relatively weak conference this season, so Arizona State may be at a disadvantage heading into their NCAA Tournament play-in game.

The Sun Devils probably don’t have the offense to make up for their vulnerable defense against tournament teams, and a deep run by Bobby Hurley’s squad seems hard to imagine.

They’ll probably try to just go as far as their offense will carry them, so perhaps Overs will be the way to look to play Arizona State games as long as they remain in the tournament.

Advanced analytics suggest St John’s has no business being in the tournament, with many reputable outlets ranking them in the 70s nationally.

The Red Storm do have impressive scoring talent on their roster, particularly star guard Shamorie Ponds, but their defensive numbers are bad and their strength of schedule this year was questionable.

They weren’t a good bet on the year overall, opening and closing the regular season with runs of ATS losses.

Murray State is 250-1 to win the NCAA Tournament at BetDSI, and while few are calling for the dangerous Racers to win it all, they do appear to have emerged as a popular pick for a classic #12 vs #5 upset this year.

Murray State features Ja Morant, a projected NBA lottery pick, leading their offense which is 11^th in the nation in scoring, and they proved their ability to hang with Power Five teams in hostile environments earlier this year with close straight up losses but ATS wins in games on the road against Alabama and Auburn.

The tournament figures to be a showcase for Morant, and Murray State may have point spread value in the process as a result.

The Racers are very vulnerable defensively though, and especially from two-point range. So if Murray State does make a deep run, look for them to have more problems when facing teams that can take advantage of them closer to the basket.

Northern Kentucky was first in the Horizon League standings this year, but they were somewhat surprisingly overvalued, and were actually a poor bet overall, going 12-20 ATS.

They also lost ATS both of their games this season when they were big underdogs and stepping up in class against UCF and Cincinnati.

They have good offensive efficiency numbers though, and they shoot well from 3-point range, so they will have the potential to get hot and steal a game or two.

But all signs indicate that the Norse are not ready to pull out wins against upper-level teams, and they probably aren’t a good bet to make an unexpected run this year.

Montana took some initial sharp action on their point spread as a big underdog for their opening round game against Michigan, but that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s betting value with their odds to win the tournament, which currently sit at 1,000-1 at BetDSI.

Montana’s fortunes in the tournament this year aren’t likely to be much different from last year, as they return a similar team. They have impressive guards who can score and hit from 3-point range at a high percentage and put up points in spurts against anyone when they get hot.

But the Grizzlies just don’t have the defensive presence or the size to be likely to make a deep run in the tournament.

Midwest Region

North Carolina is an impressive team this year, clearly deserving of a #1 seed, and they even outperformed their market valuations down to the wire, winding up 21-10-2 ATS overall.

The key for UNC is playing at breakneck speed on offense, getting fast break points in transition, and then dominating the battle of any ensuing boards.

If they can be drawn into a slowed-down style of play, their athletic talent on offense can be effectively neutralized.

The Tar Heels are also one of the best defensive teams in the country, and BetDSI has them at odds of +475 to with the National Title.

Kentucky is a young team as usual, and this year’s version of the Wildcats plays at a slow pace and takes relative few 3-point shots.

Their strength is their strong and deep frontcourt that rebounds well and plays excellent interior defense, and their resume boasts nice wins over North Carolina, Tennessee, and Kansas.

But the Wildcats may be vulnerable to opponents who can shoot well from three and start hitting their shots. Kentucky might not have an answer defensively or be able to keep up offensively.

Kentucky is 12-1 to win it all at BetDSI, and as formidable as they are down low, it doesn’t feel like this is their year to go all the way.

Houston is a dangerous #3 seed heading into the tournament, playing great defense and with depth.

They were an excellent bet on the year, going 21-12-1 ATS, although they did fail to cover 4 of their last 6.

The Cougars will definitely be stepping up in class in general in the Big Dance, as their overall level of competition during the regular season was not terribly difficult. They may handle it without a hitch, though and make a deep run.

Some analytics suggest that Houston was legitimately deserving of a #2 seed.

Kansas heads into the tournament with a #4 seed and 50-1 odds at BetDSI to win it all, after starting the year ranked #1 in the AP’s preseason poll.

The Jayhawks suffered key personnel losses during the regular season, but they will still send out a talented roster featuring elite players such as Dedric Lawson.

But the Jayhawks have significant issues with their outside shooting as well as their offensive rebounding, and while they’re still going to be strong defensively in the tournament, it might not be their year to make a challenge for the title.

Auburn is an explosive offensive team led by speedy guard Jared Harper. The Tigers play fast, they force turnovers, excel in transition, and take and make a lot of threes.

They closed the season covering 5 of their last 6 games, including two impressive straight up wins over elite Tennessee.

At BetDSI, Auburn is 40-1 to win the NCAA Tournament, and there may be some betting value there. The Tigers clearly are a team with a high ceiling and a legitimate chance of beating any elite team on any given night.

The Tigers were still only roughly .500 against tournament-caliber teams overall on the year. But their offensive numbers and two late-season wins over Tennessee are undeniably impressive.

Iowa St is deep and talented, and a team that can beat anyone if their offense gets going, but also a team with a low floor on any given night.

The Cyclones don’t play defense all that well, but they don’t have to, as their game plan is usually just to get into a shootout and hope to come out on top.

Iowa State went 6-3 straight up against Top 25 opponents this season, and a deep run in being predicted by some.

BetDSI has the Cyclones at 40-1 to win the Chanmpionship.

Wofford is 125-1 at BetDSI to win the NCAA Tournament, but they’re ranked 19^th nationally in adjusted efficiency by KenPom, driven by their impressive three-point shooting accuracy, hitting over 41% from 3-point range as a team.

Ominously, Wofford did not fare too well in the handful of games in the regular season where they stepped up in class. They got a nice straight up win over South Carolina as a sizable underdog, but their other 4 games as a big dog all wound up as ATS losses.

Regardless, the offensive firepower is there for Wofford, they have some size as well, and their team strengths may match up particularly well for them if they face Kentucky in the second round.

Utah St had low expectations coming into the season in their first year under new Head Coach Craig Smith, but spurred by effort and great rebounding numbers, they wound up winning the Mountain West conference tournament and landing in the Big Dance.

Their talent is limited, and their efficiency numbers on the year are good but far from great.

The Aggies were given a #8 seed, but they’re 500-1 to win it all at BetDSI, and not likely to make a deep run this year. They did close the season on a nice 7-2 ATS run.

Washington is an interesting team to consider heading into the tournament.

The Pac-12 was notably subpar this season, and while the Huskies got some nice results in conference play, they also wound up going 1-7 straight up on the year against teams that wound up in the NCAA Tournament.

But, they do play a tricky brand of 2-3 zone defense that can pay unexpected dividends in the tournament, as we also see with Syracuse.

The Huskies are 200-1 to win the national title at BetDSI, and they do seem to be getting written off by many analysts, which may in retrospect prove to have been hasty.

Seton Hall is the classic NCAA Tournament team that’s hard to get a read on, due to the impressive highs and concerning lows they displayed during the regular season.

The Pirates struggled at times in the Big East in general, with a porous defense that got exposed by average offenses. But they also enjoyed impressive wins over Kentucky and Maryland, and closed the season with 5 straight ATS margin covers.

They also benefited from line value when they were away from home, going 12-6 ATS on the year in games played outside of New Jersey.

Ohio State finished in the middle of the pack in the Big Ten standings, and they were a good fade overall as well, finishing 14-19 ATS on the year. But they’re strong defensively and it’s not unthinkable that the Buckeyes could take on a Cinderella role this year.

Ohio State has gone just 7-13 straight up since January 1, but they seem to have fared better in their small sample size of games played on neutral courts this year, outperforming market expectations and covering the point spread in all four of their neutral site games.

The Buckeyes are not a great team, but after a relatively uninspiring season, they could be primed to catch people by surprise in the tournament.

New Mexico State is one of the lower seeds that looks particularly promising heading into the tournament. They rebound very well, they run an efficient offense, and they’re deep, rotating 9 or 10 players with double-digit minutes.

The biggest question mark for the Aggies is the fact that they weren’t tested with a difficult schedule this year, but their toughest game came against Kansas, and in that one they got an easy cover as a big underdog in a game that went down to the wire.

Their odds to win the tournament are 250-1 at BetDSI, and while that’s not likely in the cards, a Cinderella run with point spread value attached to it is entirely possible.

Northeastern is a #13 seed and at BetDSI they’re being offered at 1,000-1 to win it all.

The Huskies have problems rebounding and on defense, so they’ll have little margin for error with their bread and butter - 3-point shooting - in the tournament.

Northeastern likes to play a deliberate pace and try to get up a three, and they do have shooters who can get hot, in which case the Huskies could put a scare into a superior opponent.

But if the bombs aren’t falling for Northeastern, there’s nothing else they can do to keep themselves competitive with top competition.

Georgia State impressed in the Sun Belt this season by hitting almost 40% from 3-point range, with four of their 5 starters shooting over 40% from 3, and that is a weapon that will keep them poised for an upset in early rounds of the tournament this year.

The Panthers won outright against both Alabama and Georgia this year, so they are clearly capable of hanging with teams from top conferences for an entire game.

Ironically, Georgia State’s free throw shooting has not been good this year, but they may at least have point spread value in the tournament, as they closed the season with a 7-1-1 ATS record over their last 9 games.

Iona had the athleticism to win the MAAC conference tournament this year, but they have glaring holes in their game that likely spell utter doom for them when they match up with top-ranked North Carolina in the opening round.

The Gaels like to run and they can be effective from 3-point range, but they have awful rebounding numbers, which would be bad for them against anyone in the tourney, but will be particularly so against UNC.

They also can’t defend the three.

An upset by Iona over UNC is very, very unlikely.

March Madness Bracket Challenge Terms and Prizes

March Madness Betting History

March Madness is the annual Division 1 Men’s NCAA Championship Tournament that features the top 68 college basketball teams as ranked by the NCAA selection committee. The tournament was created in 1939 by the National Association of Basketball Coaches, most notably Ohio State University coach Harold Olsen.

March Madness Betting has reached international notoriety and rivals the Super Bowl, Kentucky Derby and other major global sporting events. Even though the March Madness nickname got its roots from a historical 1930’s Illinois High School basketball tournament, the NCAA credits Bob Walsh of the Seattle Organizing Committee for officially appointing “March Madness” as the name for the NCAA Tournament in 1984, which went on to become officially trademarked by the NCAA.

The NCAA Tournament has several rounds. They are currently called:

The First Four
The Second Round (also known as the “Round of 64”)
The Third Round (also known as the “Round of 32”)
The Regional Semifinals (participating teams are popularly known as the “Sweet 16”)
The Regional Finals (participating teams are commonly known as the “Elite Eight”)
The National Semifinals (participating teams are officially referred to as the “Final Four”)
The National Championship

March Madness Betting The First Four

March Madness First Four Betting is usually well balanced due to the equality of teams playing their way into the coveted 64 bracket spots. Point spreads in these games are typically low, and there is a lot of value in playing underdogs as straight up winners.

These games garner a lot of two-way action from the betting public. The name “First Four” actually refers to the number of games played, not the number of teams. The First Four betting matchups are derived from the lowest four at-large qualifying teams and the lowest four automatic bid conference champion teams.

March Madness Betting Round 2

The March Madness betting season is one of the few times that players look at the underdogs as a preference with a lot of media emphasis focused on the Cinderella teams taking on the NCAA traditional powerhouses. Usually this does not work out so well on the outright winners, yet there are a lot of underdogs that do go home but cover the spread.

It is not uncommon to see gamblers taking a lot of longshots on the big underdogs as outright winners. Everyone loves a good story, and big payout opportunities abound in this one-and-done March Madness Betting environment.

This season, March Madness Betting Round 2 is comprised of the finalized teams filling out the traditional bracket of 64 after the bubble teams have competed to make it to the Big Dance. In total, 32 second-round games are played on Thursday and Friday following the First Four round. After this round the field is whittled down to 32 teams.

March Madness Betting Round 3

After March Madness Betting Round 2 has concluded, players that were looking at the underdogs as a preference are now a bit more focused on one Cinderella team and a lot more action swings towards the NCAA traditional powerhouses. In March Madness Betting Round 3, there are a lot of favorites that do advance in the NCAA Tournament, but don’t cover the spread. There are a lot of live dogs in this round! The third round consisting of 32 teams is played on Saturday and Sunday immediately following the second round. At the completion of the third round, Thursday’s winners playing in eight games on Saturday and Friday’s winners playing in the remaining eight third-round games on Sunday decide which teams move on to the next round, which is commonly known as the “Sweet 16.”

Weet 16 Betting

This is where the NCAA tournament gets serious, and the teams that have made the grade to get here are all contenders. Sweet 16 betting is unique in that teams from large and small colleges are in full belief that they have what it takes to win the NCAA tournament.

Betting these games is exciting and any result is possible. Sweet 16 betting trends tend to lean to the large universities to carry the day, but not without a battle. Double-digit spreads are really attractive to underdog bettors in the Sweet 16 betting round. Eight semifinal games are played between Thursday and Friday. From here eight teams known as the “Elite Eight” are set to do battle over the weekend.

Elite Eight Betting

Elite Eight betting kicks off with teams getting ready for their biggest games of the year in order to decide the regional champions. This round tends to favor the large universities that have played well on the road throughout the season. This round is usually comprised of high-seeded teams and small point spread differences.

Moneyline wagering is popular in the Elite Eight betting round based on the fact that most covers lead to outright wins. Public betting action is usually well balanced between favorites and dogs in the Elite Eight betting round. Saturday features two regional final games matching Thursday’s winners and Sunday’s final games feature Friday’s winners. The four regional champions move on to the “Final Four” round.

Final Four Betting

This round is the closing round of the NCAA Tournament, and Final Four Betting usually leans towards the traditional powerhouses more than any of the other rounds. Underdogs do not get a great deal of respect here from the betting public unless of course the dog is a traditional NCAA Tournament power or past winner.

These matches decide the National Championship game and carry a great deal of betting interest from all over the globe. Well-coached teams often provide a definitive edge in the Final Four Betting Round. The “Final Four” round is played on Saturday to decide the participants in the National Championship game.

All contestants must have a fully verified BetDSI account.
One (1) no deposit required free entry is awarded to all contest entrants.
For every deposit of $100 or more into your account between March 17, 2024 and 9:00am ET March 21, 2024, you’ll receive one (1) free contest entry. Example: Deposit $200, receive two (2) contest entries. Deposit $300, receive three (3) contest entries. Maximum four (4) entries per deposit.
Maximum of ten (10) free entries per contestant. This is inclusive of the one (1) no deposit required free entry and nine (9) free entries awarded for each $100 deposit during the qualifying period.
Players will have a ten (10) max entry cap.
Only active players are eligible to receive 100% of the prize money. An active player is defined as having at least $300 worth of sports wagers derived from a “real money” deposit (promotional winnings and free wager or bonus converted to a cash balance are not considered a real money deposit and are not applicable) between March 17, 2024 and the end of Round 2 of the NCAA Tournament on March 21, 2024. Contestants who fail to meet this requirement will only be awarded 10% of the listed cash prize amount.
Contestants must pick the winners of the 68 games in the 2024 NCAA Division 1 Men’s Basketball Championship Tournament. Points will be awarded for each correct pick. Entries must be completed online before the picks deadline at 12:00pm (noon) ET on Thursday, March 21, 2024.
Players can edit and submit their bracket as many times as they wish up until the picks deadline.
Games will be graded and the bracket will be updated at the end of each round

- Prizes will be determined by correct picks in the bracket and the cumulative total of points scored by each contestant.
- In the event of a tie, the position winner will be the contestant who most closely predicts the combined total amount of points in the National Championship Game on April 8th, 2024. In the case that more than one contestant correctly predicts the total score of the championship game, the winner will be determined by the earlier entry date and time. Only one winner per position will be allowed.
- Winners will be notified by email. It is the sole responsibility of the entrant to keep his/her email information in their account current and accurate. If after thirty (30) days the winner fails to acknowledge prize, his/her winning entry will be forfeited.

Cash prizes awarded are in US dollars or currency equivalent.

Position	Prize
Perfect Bracket	$1,000,000 (40-year annuity)
1st	$10,000 CASH
2nd	$5,000 CASH
3rd	$2,500 CASH
4th to 100th	15,000 BetPoints™
101st to 150th	7,500 BetPoints™
151th to 300th	3,500 BetPoints™
301st to 500th	1,000 BetPoints™
501st to 1,000th	500 BetPoints™
1,001st to 2,500th	100 BetPoints™
2,501st to 5,000th	75 BetPoints™
5,001st to Last Place	50 BetPoints™

All cash and bonuses awarded will be in the national currency of the winner’s account, excluding the Perfect Bracket $1,000,000 40 year annuity prize, which will be awarded to winner in USD currency.
In the event of an approved claim, Million Dollar Media will be issuing a check in the amount of $25,000 USD per year for 40 years to the grand prize winner. It will be up to the winner to convert the check from USD funds to their national currency – if applicable.
One (1) Grand Prize will be awarded to an eligible entrant only if he/she accurately predicts the outcome of all 63 games in the NCAA Tournament (“Perfect Bracket”). The Grand Prize (as hereinafter defined) will only be awarded if an eligible entrant submits a Perfect Bracket (the “Grand Prize Winner”).
If more than one (1) eligible entrant submits a Perfect Bracket and each is confirmed as a Grand Prize Winner, the Grand Prize will be equally divided among the contest’s Grand Prize Winners, with each Grand Prize Winner entitled to the Grand Prize Winner’s proportionate share of the Grand Prize.
Grand Prize: The grand prize (“Grand Prize”) will consist of one million dollars ($1,000,000) USD.
Prize Conditions: LIMIT ONE PRIZE PER ENTRANT. A Grand Prize Winner is not eligible to win a First Place Prize.
THE GRAND PRIZE WILL NOT BE AWARDED IF NO ELIGIBLE ENTRANT SUBMITS A PERFECT BRACKET.
The deadline for registering and entering submissions for the contest is 12:00pm (noon) ET on March 17th, 2024. Each registered contestant will be required to fully complete their bracket prediction for all (63) games in the designated 2024 Men's College Basketball Tournament by 12:00pm noon EST time on March 17th , 2024 .
BetDSI employees as well as family and household members of BetDSI employees may not participate in the 2024 March madness Bracket Challenge Contest.
BetDSI reserves the right to cancel this contest or refuse to accept any entry if we suspect any type of abuse to the contest rules. Furthermore, BetDSI may cancel the contest in the event of technical difficulties or other occurrences beyond the control of BetDSI.
All contestants agree to grant BetDSI unconditional use of their contest user name and likeness for promotion as advertising and announcements without compensation, consideration, notice review or consent.
All decisions regarding the interpretation of rules, eligibility, etc. for this promotion lie solely with BetDSI whose decisions are final.
All contest times are approximate. BetDSI reserves, in full, all rights in enforcing any time deadlines and BetDSI’s decision will be final.
All entries are subject to review and verification.
BetDSI reserves the right to modify or cancel this contest at any time for any reason, subject to any applicable regulatory approval provided that such modification shall not, as the date of such modification, materially alter or change any participant’s prize already awarded.