March Madness tips off today, March 14, with the First Four games of the tournament. There will be countless games to wager on from now until the National Championship game, but there are also a variety of other fun bets to consider and follow during the tournament.
We put together a list of some of the March Madness Best Bets on the market along with a little insight for sports bettors to consider. If you’re looking for additional NCAA Tournament wagering options, this list is for you.
March Madness Best Bets
These wagers and more are available at all of the best online sportsbooks, so do yourself a favor and browse your favorite app to find a betting market you love.
Texas to Make the Elite 8 (FanDuel Sportsbook: +176)
Texas’ odds to win the title took a significant jump after it handed Kansas its worst loss of the season to claim the Big 12 Tournament title. The Longhorns held the No. 1 national ranking for a short time this season and have the second-most wins against Quadrant 1 schools. Additionally, The Longhorns fell into a favorable part of the bracket. Their toughest possible opponents before the Elite 8 are Xavier and Texas A&M, who the Longhorns would be major favorites against.
Given the Longhorns just won the toughest conference in basketball this year, taking them to reach the Elite 8 with the level of competition in their way isn’t a bad wager option at all.
Bet on Texas at FanDuel Sportsbook and claim a $1,000 No Sweat First Bet
Memphis to Make the Sweet 16 (DraftKings Sportsbook: +400)
When you think about the American Athletic Conference, it’s usually Houston and no one else. However, the Memphis Tigers have played Houston well all season and beat them to win the conference tournament — although Houston was without Marcus Sasser. The Tigers also pushed Alabama all the way to the buzzer in a close loss and defeated Texas A&M, so they are no strangers to competing with good teams, including No. 1-ranked opponents beyond Houston.
Memphis must go through Purdue to get to the Sweet 16, and it has a good chance of pulling out the upset. Purdue relies heavily on its big man Zach Edey, who is averaging 22 points per game. After him, the Boilermakers don’t have much firepower. Memphis isn’t the best defensive team and has relatively small big men in comparison to Edey, who it will be forced to trap.
If it works, Memphis’ offense is explosive enough to get past Purdue. Between Kendric Davis and DeAndre Williams, the Tigers have two players who can fill it when needed as opposed to Purdue’s one. Purdue is on upset watch as early as the second round.
Bet on Memphis to upset Purdue with $1,250 in bonuses from DraftKings Sportsbook
Arizona to Win the South Region (Caesars Sportsbook: +400)
Arizona and Alabama are the cream of the crop in the South region. If it’s these two on a collision course to determine who wins it, Arizona has the edge due to the efficiency of its offense. Both offenses are among the highest scoring in the nation, but Arizona shoots the ball four percentage points better from beyond the arc, and five percentage points better from the field. Arizona also has the better scorers from top to bottom.
That’s a significant edge for two teams that are dependent on offense to win games.
Bet on Arizona to upset Alabama with a $1,250 bonus from Caesars Sportsbook
Texas to be the Home State of the Champion (BetMGM Sportsbook: +210)
Everything is bigger in Texas, and so are the odds. Texas has three teams in the top 10 odds to win it all — Texas, Houston, and Baylor. Houston is the favorite, and Texas and Baylor competed in the toughest conference in the nation. Texas and Houston would have to play each other in the Elite 8, but whoever wins would have a significant shot at winning it all.
Baylor is on the opposite side of the bracket and would avoid both Texas teams until the National Championship game. Baylor would have to go through Arizona and Alabama in its region, which would take a lot. However, Alabama’s inefficiency would give the Bears a chance, and Arizona isn’t as battle-tested due to its conference.
Bet on the Longhorns to rule the Lone Star State with a $1,000 first bet from BetMGM Sportsbook
Article contributed by David Fletcher
