Last updated on: September 10th, 2024
Legal March Madness Betting In 2024
March Madness has been known as one of, if not the most bet on sporting event each year and it isn’t hard to see why as there is nothing better than 66 teams battling it out to cash their odds of winning. These betting sites have tons to offer in the odds department that isn’t just betting on normal gamelines and futures odds. They have player props and game props available as well. Other than the odds though, you can enjoy several other benefits that these legal March Madness betting sites offer to ensure a great betting experience. When using Bovada, BetOnline, and the other legal March Madness sportsbooks we recommend, there are no restrictions for betting on in state college basketball teams including player props.
- Bovada is the best answer for where to bet on March Madness in 2024
- Claim up to $1,000 on a 50% Bovada match with code BVD1000 to bet on NCAAB
- Deposit with Bitcoin, credit cards, Venmo, Cash App and more at Bovada, BetOnline
- Bovada offers a $80,000 March Madness bracket contest to US residents with no entry fee
- Connecticut opened as the 2024 March Madness betting favorite with +400 odds at Bovada
Las Vegas was the popular go-to March Madness betting destination. Now, there are many legal ways to bet on March Madness. Around 30 states offer regulated Tournament odds and online sports betting is prevalent. Some states have a prohibition against certain collegiate sports bets. While some books don’t allow bets on local teams, others may restrict player props. Players should instead look to legal sports betting sites which have no restrictions. They are legal to bet on March Madness so long as users are 18+.
| Rank | Sportsbook | Bonus Offer | Play Now |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Exclusive 50% Bonus Code up to $1000!Read Review | BVD1000 in Cashier |
| 2 |  |
50% Up To $1,000Read Review | Visit BetOnline! |
| 3 |  |
50% Up To $1,000 Read Review | Visit MyBookie! |
| 4 |  |
100% Up To $300Read Review | Visit Xbet! |
| 5 |  |
50% Up To $1,000 Read Review | Visit SportsBetting! |
#1
Bovada Sportsbook
Bovada College Basketball Betting
The best combination of March Madness futures, present bets, and live betting options is available at Bovada. Their full-service sportsbook provides every type of bet a March Madness fan could want, including their very popular prop bets, making betting on March Madness at Bovada one of the easiest things you can do. Bovada offers bets on the spread, moneyline, total, first-basket, and many other styles, while offering the best odds in the industry.
Rating: 
- Mobile Betting
- Game Props
- Live Betting
- Good Reviews
- Futures odds
#2
BetOnline Sportsbook
Bet On March Madness From Your Phone
You can find ways to bet on March Madness from wherever you are using any mobile device that you have as long as it has access to the internet. Although they don’t have an app for you to download, to log in from your device, you need to enter their URL to the web browser on your device. From there you’ll be able to access all of their features. Some of the devices that you could use BetOnline with are iPhone, Android, Samsung, and many other smart devices.
Rating:
- Reliable Banking Methods
- Strong Server Connection
- 10+ Year Track Record
- Huge Assortment Of Odds
- No App Mobile Betting
#3
MyBookie Sportsbook
$1,000 New User Bonus
If you are one that thrives on bonuses for March Madness, MyBookie is your online sportsbook. They offer their new users a chance to make up to $1,000 in credit with their 100% first deposit match bonus. For those that have already taken advantage of that bonus, they also offer existing users a reload bonus of a 25% match on every other deposit up to $250 every time you deposit into your account that way you are never left without any bonus credits.
Ratings:
- Huge Player Bonuses
- Consistent Odds
- Easy Interface
- Rapid Live Betting
- Legal In Florida
#4
SportsBetting Sportsbook
Use Crypto To Bet on March Madness
As cryptocurrency has continued to evolve, SportsBetting continued to accept them allowing you to use them to bet on March Madness. They let you make deposits and withdrawals with up to 17 different forms of crypto and each of them have benefits to using them to bet on March Madness. No matter which crypto you choose to bet with, you won’t have to pay any transaction fees. They also have crypto-based bonuses.
Ratings:
- Efficient Site Layout
- Full Mobile Betting Suite
- Available Customer Service
- Trustworthy Banking Options
- Fast Payout Times
#5
XBet Sportsbook
Reliable March Madness Betting Site
For one of the most reliable and trustworthy online March Madness betting sites that are legal, look no further than XBet. They have all of the March Madness odds that you could ask for and offer you a safe platform to bet on. Protecting you on their site are encryptions that hold all of your financial and personal information from getting stolen. In addition to the safety measures that they have, you can also count on their customer service to be at your side 24/7 in case of any issues.
Ratings:
- Worry-free Legal Betting
- Exclusive Bonus Offers
- Constantly Updated Odds
- Premier User Experience
- Full Mobile + Live Betting
Are March Madness Brackets Legal?
March Madness brackets are perhaps the most common form of betting on the NCAA Tournament. They are completely legal in every state no matter if they have state-regulated sports betting or not. They can be done either with friends for cash prizes, or simply for fun. They could also be done in different, bigger groups as well which offer huge grand prizes. Other bracket tournaments are also found at legal sports betting sites such as BetOnline which holds a Sweet 16 bracket challenge every year.
NCAA Tournament Futures Odds
While online betting sites offer March Madness odds year round, the best odds can be found after the selection process is completed. For the 2025 tournament, Bovada posted the opening March Madness odds following the selection and before the play in games. Check out the current legal college basketball betting odds and other legal March Madness props for the best tournament in sports.
- National Champion 2025
- Duke +1000
- Kansas +1200
- North Carolina +1300
- Connecticut +1400
- Alabama +1500
- New Mexico +1500
- Houston +1600
- Arizona +1800
- Baylor +2000
- Kentucky +2000
- Arkansas +2200
- Auburn +2200
- Iowa State +2200
- Gonzaga +2500
- Purdue +2800
- Illinois +4000
- Michigan State +4000
- Tennessee +4000
Best 2024 March Madness Sportsbook Bonuses
Before choosing a sportsbook to bet on March Madness in 2024, it is important to know all of the legal sports betting bonuses available. US players in all 50 states can claim bonuses for betting on college basketball. Take advantage of our exclusive Bovada March Madness bonus with code BVD1000 for a 50% deposit match up to $1,000 with a 10x rollover attached.
Other sportsbooks accepting US players offer deposit match promos as well, making March Madness line shopping realistic. As the tournament takes place throughout March and the beginning of April, these betting sites offer reload bonuses as well. BetOnline offers a lifetime 35% crypto deposit match up to $350 on each deposit.
Legal March Madness Deposit Methods
Before you can actually get started with betting on March Madness, you’ll need to choose one of the many sportsbook deposit methods available. These deposit options range from everyday methods such as big named credit and debit card brands to several different cryptocurrencies. The legal betting sites that take all wagers on March Madness recommend using Bitcoin, as there are no fees with this method for any transactions that occur in the US.
- Credit/Debit (VISA, MasterCard, Discover, AMEX)
- Cryptocurrency (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Etc.)
- MatchPay
- Voucher
- Wire Transfer
- ECheck
Betting On March Madness With Cryptocurrency
While there are plenty of financial options when it comes to depositing or withdrawing into your March Madness betting accounts, none of them compare to cryptocurrency. Crypto sports betting has been one of the most convenient ways to bet on March Madness for several years and it isn’t hard to see why. First off, there are no extra fees linked to your transactions, quick processing times that are usually faster than other methods, and well over 10 to choose from depending on which site you look to bet with.
States With Legal March Madness Betting
NCAAB betting is available in states with legal sports betting for 2024. This means that residents of all 50 states can bet on March Madness from their phones with mobile sports betting sites like Bovada and BetOnline. For the most restriction-free college betting experience, check out Bovada, SportsBetting, and MyBookie, as they accept players from all 50 states together.
Why Does My Sportsbook Not Offer March Madness Odds
If you are playing from a locally regulated state, DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM do not allow many forms of college basketball betting. The restrictions vary from no in state college betting, no college betting of any kind, and no college player prop betting. Bovada, BetOnline, and other March Madness sportsbooks that are licensed overseas have absolutely zero restrictions on college betting and take players from all of the same states and more. You can even bet on in state college player props in Oregon or other strictly regulated states when using Bovada.
States Where Commercial Sportsbook Apps Restrict March Madness Betting
- Arizona – No March Madness player prop betting
- Colorado – No Match Madness player prop betting
- Delaware – No betting on in state college teams/players
- Illinois – No online betting on in state college teams and no online or in person player prop betting on in state teams
- Indiana – No in state betting on college player props
- Iowa – No college player prop betting on any teams
- Mississippi – No mobile college betting
- New Hampshire – No betting on in state teams of any kind
- New Jersey – No college basketball betting on any in state teams
- New York – No college betting/player prop betting on NY schools
- Oregon – No college basketball betting of any kind
- Pennsylvania – No college player prop betting
- Rhode Island – No betting on college basketball of teams in the state
- South Dakota – No in state college betting including player props
- Tennessee – Game lines only: no player/game props betting on college teams
- Virginia – No in state betting on college basketball games/player props
- Washington – No college betting on in state teams
- Washington, D.C. – Betting on DC college basketball is not permitted
- West Virginia – No college player prop betting
- Wisconsin – No betting on in state college basketball teams
March Madness Selection Criteria
The full March Madness bracket is revealed on CBS’s annual Selection Sunday show. Every Division I conference championship winner (32 total) earns an automatic bid to the tournament, while the other 36 at-large participants are selected by a 10-member committee, which is composed of athletic directors and conference commissioners from 10 different conferences. This committee is also responsible for seeding the bracket, designating regions, and determining matchups. There is a deal of mystery surrounding the process, which occurs behind closed doors, but we do know that the committee looks at a wide variety of factors when selecting at-large teams and seeding. Ranked by estimated importance, the primary factors for selection are:
- Strength of record (win-loss record adjusted for strength of schedule)
- Computer metrics and rankings
- Subjective committee analysis (the “eye test”)
- Record in true road games
- Overall strength of schedule
- Non-Conference strength of schedule
- Extenuating circumstances that might affect results (i.e., a suspension or injury to a star player)
The goal of the committee is to get the 36 best at-large teams into the field, regardless of which conference they play in or how big their national brand is. In recent years, the committee has also attempted to remove certain criteria that many perceived as unfair, including valuing end-of-season games more than games at the beginning of the year and showing favoritism toward teams with a weak strength of schedule and a good overall record. The only real concrete restriction remaining is that tournament teams must have a record above .500.
Live Betting On March Madness
As one of the best ways to get in on the action in March, live betting sportsbooks are available and accept wagers for all of March Madness. They are odds that continuously shift throughout the game based on each team’s performance in that very moment. What many bettors do is use this as an opportunity to hedge their bets in the event that the original bet they place is headed south.
Mobile Betting On March Madness
You will never be left in the dark when it comes to finding odds on March Madness as they are all available to you right from your phone. All of the March Madness betting sites on this page are each compatible with several mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets that all have access to the internet. The main thing to note is that none of the betting sites on this page have downloadable applications, the way you access them is through the web browser on your device. Some of the devices that can be used to access these mobile sportsbooks are:
- iPhone
- Android
- Samsung Galaxy
- Google Pixel
- Microsoft Surface
- iPad
- LG Wing
- Galaxy Tab
iPhone March Madness Betting
Betting on March Madness with an iPhone is easy, as the online sportsbooks are available throughout the US. These sportsbooks tend to operate outside of the App Store, but there are also sportsbooks available on the App Store. Generally, the sportsbooks on the App Store are the ones located in states that have sports betting regulated, while the ones that are not are international, and tend to have better player props.
Android March Madness Betting
Android bettors can wager on March Madness with their phones with no worries. The best international sportsbooks exist on the internet, which means you can access them on your mobile browser. These sportsbooks are not the only option – there are also state-regulated sportsbooks that exist on the Google Play store, but the international sportsbooks are more widespread.
Legal March Madness Wager Types
Before you overwhelm yourself and worry just about brackets, you should also understand legal March Madness betting. The single-elimination tournament is known for the Cinderella story of a team who went further than anticipated, the top dog who gets booted too early, and the streaking team who can’t seem to lose. Just ask participants of legal Florida sports betting, after Miami and FAU snuck into the Final Four in 2023. All of these can be gambled upon – it is just a matter of which style of betting you will participate in.
- Point Spreads – Every game has a spread, which is the expected result for the difference in points at the end of the game. The favorite will have a minus symbol (-), which is their projected winning margin. The underdog will have a plus symbol (+), which is their expected losing margin. A successful bet happens by picking the winner after the final score is adjusted by the spread. If the game ended exactly as anticipated, this would be considered a “push”. In that case, all bets would be void and your wager would be returned.
- Moneyline – The most straightforward way to wager would be to bet on the moneyline. Moneyline betting is simple as no spreads occur – you are only picking the winner of the game outright. Like spread bets, the team with the negative is the favorite and vice versa. The odds indicate the payout. For example, online sportsbooks show -150 for Gonzaga and +125 for Ohio State. Wagering on Gonzaga would need a bet of $150 to win $100 in profit, while those taking the underdog odds could profit $125 on a $100 wager.
- Total Points – Many times for basketball, the spreads can be difficult to determine because of last-second points. Likewise, game-winning shots can change the result in the last second. The speed of the game is another option you have when looking to legally bet on the NCAA Tournament by betting on the total points scored. Some basketball teams like to slow the pace and play every possession to the extent of the shot clock while others like to get a shot off as quick as possible. These styles of play make it easier to win money betting and determine trends in total points scored.
- Player Props – Player props are odds on specific players in the game. You have several options to choose from when betting on player props as well. That includes player point totals, odds on which player is going to score the first basket, total rebounds, total assists, player futures for the tournament MVP, and much more.
- Team Props – Similar to player props, team props lets you bet on one specific team from many different angles. You can bet on different teams point totals, their first and second-half odds, alternate betting lines on the spread and point total, in addition to plenty of others. The great thing about team props, specifically team total points is that you can use those to gauge the total points in the game as well.
- Futures – Futures betting is one of the more popular bets that you can make as it is betting on the outcome of the tournament itself. You can bet on futures odds a full year in advance as the odds for March Madness open right when the prior tournament finishes. Futures odds also extend to betting on the different region outcomes, tournament MVP, team to score the most points, and much more.
March Madness Betting Trends
#1 Seed Betting Trends
Itching to capitalize on a possible upset from the #16 seed? The odds may be high but the probability is extremely low. Throughout the entire history of March Madness, a number one seed has only lost in the first round to a 16 seed two times (2018 when the Virginia Cavaliers lost to the UMBC Retrievers and 2023 when Purdue lost to FDU). All stats below are taken from when 16 seeds were added to the tournament in 1985.
- #1 seeds are 150-2 against the 16 seed since they were added in 1985.
- #1 seeds won two games 86% of the time, exiting the first weekend 2-0.
- Only eight times have two #1 seeds have met in the Championship Game.
- None of the #1 seeds made the Final Four in either 2006 or 2011, or 2023.
- Public data shows brackets average 1.8 #1 seeds in their Final Four.
#2 Seed Betting Trends
- #2 seeds in the weakest #1 seed’s quadrant make the Final Four more often than the #1 seed.
- The public averages one #2 seed in the Elite 8 every season and 0.5 #2s in the Final Four.
The 8 Vs. 9 Matchup
The eight and nine seeds are practically split over the last 30+ years of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. However, it is the next round where the data gets interesting. If winning the first round, 8 seeds have a 9.7% win rate to get to the Sweet 16. As for the 9s, they have a 4.9% win rate.
- 9 seeds hold a slight advantage over 8 seeds, winning 50.7% of games since 1985.
- One 8 seed has won the Tournament while five teams ranked eighth have made the Final Four.
- Only one nine seed has made it to the Final Four, who ended up losing in the Championship.
How Many Upsets Happen Each March Madness?
If you are looking to capitalize on some longshot upsets during March Madness, it’s good to look at the tournament’s upset averages. When it comes to betting on the bracket, keep in mind that an annual average of 12.7 upsets happen each year during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. The fewest upsets that occurred in March Madness was four in 2007 and the most being 19 in 2014.
Upsets Per Round In The Men’s Basketball Tournament
| Round: | Average Upsets: |
|---|---|
| Total Upsets | 12.4 |
| First Round | 6.2 |
| Second Round | 3.7 |
| Sweet 16 | 1.7 |
| Elite Eight | 0.5 |
| Final Four | 0.2 |
Betting On The Cinderella Team
A team ranked #7 to #11 is the best place to find a Cinderella team. In fact, in every year but two since 2011, the Final Fours have seen a #7-#11 seed make it.
- 11 seeds are almost even against six seeds over the last decade.
- #12s can dominate early on, but are 1-20 overall in the Sweet 16.
First Round Upset History
| Matchup: | # Of Upsets: |
|---|---|
| No. 10 seed over No. 7 seed | 59 |
| No. 11 seed over No. 6 seed | 59 |
| No. 12 seed over No. 5 seed | 53 |
| No. 13 seed over No. 4 seed | 32 |
| No. 14 seed over No. 3 seed | 22 |
| No. 15 seed over No. 2 seed | 11 |
| No. 16 seed over No. 1 seed | 2 |
Second Round Upset History
| Matchup: | # Of Upsets: |
|---|---|
| 6 seed vs. 3 seed | 29 |
| 7 seed vs. 2 seed | 27 |
| 10 seed vs. 2 seed | 19 |
| 11 seed vs. 3 seed | 18 |
| 8 seed vs. 1 seed | 16 |
| 12 seed vs. 4 seed | 13 |
| 9 seed vs. 1 seed | 6 |
| 13 seed vs. 5 seed | 3 |
| 14 seed vs. 6 seed | 2 |
| 15 seed vs. 7 seed | 4 |
Final Four Betting Trends
Look to make number 11 the mindset going into making a bracket or betting on March Madness. In the last few decades, the sum of the seeds in the Final Four has averaged 11 but the possibilities and combination of teams can be mind-boggling. Many look at KenPom rankings – which are a great indicator. However, if betting once the tournament has begun, look for teams that are doing well against the spread in the tournament.
| NCAA Tournament Champions: | ATS In Tournament: |
|---|---|
| 2024 Connecticut | 6-0 |
| 2023 Connecticut | 6-0 |
| 2022 Kansas | 3-3 |
| 2021 Baylor | 5-1 |
| 2020 | canceled |
| 2019 Virginia | 3-3 |
| 2018 Villanova | 6-0 |
| 2017 UNC | 3-2-1 |
| 2016 Villanova | 6-0 |
| 2015 Duke | 6-0 |
| 2014 UCONN | 6-0 |
| 2013 Louisville | 4-2 |
| 2012 Kentucky | 4-1-1 |
| 2011 UCONN | 5-1 |
| 2010 Duke | 5-1 |
General NCAA Tournament Betting Trends
- 1 Seeds have gone 22-12 in the National Championship game.
- Seeds 6, 7 and 8 all have one National Championship.
- 4 seeds have made the final four times and have two wins.
- 5 seeds have made the National Championship four times and lost all four.
- 15 seeds have only made the Sweet 16 twice.
- 5 seeds have gone 8-2 in the Elite 8
- Seeds 13-16 have never made the Elite 8.
- 11 Seeds have gone 0-4 in the Final Four.
- There are over 65,000 ways to fill out a bracket.
- Teams that make their first National Championship often find themselves losing.
- The Eastern time zone has claimed well over 90% of the last two decade’s championships.
The Effects Of Travel During The NCAA Tournament
An interesting thing sports bettors should note when looking to bet the over during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is how well teams fare when playing close to home. Teams that play closer to home end to play better offensively. Both underdog and the favorites that play closer to home are more likely to cover the spread according to MyBookie.
Legal March Madness Payouts
Getting paid out from an online sportsbook after cashing your March Madness ticket is another step that you need to familiarize yourself with. While there are many online sports betting withdrawal methods up for grabs, some options are better than others. The sportsbooks taking March Madness bets from all US players do not always offer payouts back onto your debit card. Cryptocurrency, P2P apps, and bank transfers are the most commonly used withdrawal methods at March Madness sportsbooks.
- Cryptocurrency
- Check by courier
- Wire Transfer
- Money Order
- Voucher
- MatchPay
Requesting A withdrawal From A Legal March Madness Betting Site
Payouts are the first thing you think of after cashing a March Madness betting ticket and the main thing that you should know how to do is request a payout. Requesting a payout is not hard at all as there are just four steps for you to follow to get it done. The entire process can be found right here.
- Click the “payouts” tab on your betting account
- Choose the withdrawal option that you want to use
- Insert the dollar amount of how much you want withdrawn
- Confirm you are requesting a withdrawal from your account
Are Online Betting Sites With March Madness Odds Safe?
Yes, you have absolutely nothing to worry about when using these legal March Madness betting sites as they each take safety to a new level. They each use several different encrypted links that are there to secure both the web browsers of the betting site as well as the servers on your end. With them in place, all of your information is protected from financial information to personal information, and much more you won’t ever need to worry. Also, they have 24/7 customer service that is there to help answer any questions you might have regarding your safety.
Legal March Madness Betting FAQs
How Can I Watch March Madness?
Those that bet on March Madness games will want to watch how their wagers play out. There are a few different avenues that bettors can go about this. Every single game will be broadcast by either CBS, TBS, truTV, or TNT. If you have a cable package but don’t have access to a TV you can always use the site or app known as March Madness Live. However, if you don’t have access to cable at all, there are several other ways to stream the games. The most popular services to handle that would be Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, and of course fuboTV.