Best March Madness Betting Apps 2023

March Madness is poised to grip the nation after the selection committee announced this year’s seedings on Sunday night. The eagerly anticipated bracket has now been set, and basketball fans across the country are trying to figure out which teams will progress to the latter stages. The action begins with the First Four clashes in Ohio on March 14-15, and there will be 64 teams left standing when the initial dust has settled.

The First Round then gets underway on March 16, and we can all look forward to several frantic weeks featuring all manner of drama, intrigue, excitement, controversy, heartbreak and jubilation. The madness concludes with the National Championship game on April 3.

The advent of legal sports betting in many different states means that millions of hoops fans can place wagers on the action this year. This guide explains how to bet on March Madness games, breaks down the March Madness betting options at your disposal and highlights the best March Madness betting sites.

Best Online Sportsbooks for March Madness Betting

The March Madness 2022 bracket has now been set, so you can start wagering on individual games and futures markets. Many people are wondering, when does March Madness begin? The March Madness start date is March 15, so it is time to find high-quality betting sites to bet on March Madness online. We can help you find the March Madness online betting site that is perfect for your particular needs. We will then explain how to maximize your chances of success when placing March Madness bets.

How to Choose a March Madness Betting App

There are five key areas we focus on when assessing the quality of March Madness betting apps and websites. The best March Madness betting apps excel within every category. We advise our readers to consider how important each category is to them, as that can help you make an informed decision about which March Madness betting app to download.

Banking Options

The best March Madness betting apps provide customers with a variety of secure and convenient banking options. You can normally use a credit card, debit card, e-wallets such as PayPal and Skrill, a branded Play+ card, a VIP Preferred e-check or an online bank transfer to fund a March Madness betting account. Most allow you to pay in cash at one of their retail sportsbooks too, or you can use a service like PayNearMe at a local store. Most of those options will be available for withdrawals too.

You should find a March Madness betting app that offers your preferred banking options. It is also important to select an app that suits your bankroll. For example, DraftKings is great for casual players, as the minimum deposit is just $5, whereas Caesars Sportsbook accepts very large payments, which makes it perfect for high rollers. The best March Madness betting apps also provide very quick payouts. BetRivers and FanDuel stand out in this regard.

Promo Codes and Offers

There are lots of March Madness betting apps to choose from, so they generally offer lucrative promotions to stand out. Right now, sportsbooks in the United States are operating at a loss, as they are simply focused on growing their customer bases. That means you can claim some very generous bonuses when you sign up with March Madness betting apps, and they then provide additional promotions to prevent you from switching to a rival.

The offers you can claim include huge odds boosts, risk-free bets, deposit match offers, loyalty programs, profit boosts, parlay bonuses and much more. Find a March Madness betting app that provides great bonuses, as that will wipe out the house edge on NCAA March Madness betting lines and leave you with a much better chance of earning a profit. Be sure to check out the BetMGM bonus code as well as the Caesars Sportsbook promo code, as those two operators tend to be among the most generous with welcome offers.

Customer Support

Access to attentive customer support agents on a 24/7 basis can be a vital lifeline for anyone swept up in the mayhem of betting on March Madness. If you need help with a deposit, withdrawal, bonus terms, placing a bet or understanding wagering rules, you should be able to speak to a polite, knowledgeable representative via live chat without delay. Caesars and BetMGM stand out as March Madness betting apps with excellent customer service departments.

User Friendliness

The best March Madness apps are clean, functional, fast, reliable and very easy to navigate. You should be able to find the betting lines for March Madness in seconds, and your various betting options should be laid out in a neat and accessible manner. This allows you to place bets quickly and effectively, and it is especially important for live betting. Some of the best March Madness betting apps also provide a wealth of additional features, such as same game parlays, stats, streaming, cash out and bet editing capabilities. BetMGM and BetRivers excel when it comes to features, while DraftKings and FanDuel stand out for overall user friendliness.

Competitive March Madness Odds

Beginners might not know that rival March Madness betting apps provide different odds and betting lines on the same game. Sometimes they read the game differently, but some apps simply offer above average odds on a regular basis. You should try to hunt out the best March Madness online betting odds on each game, as that will maximize your chances of long-term profits over the course of the tournament. It can help to sign up for accounts with a few different March Madness betting apps, allowing you to choose the app that offers the best odds on each game you are interested in.

March Madness Betting Odds 2023

The Gonzaga Bulldogs are the early favorites in the NCAA basketball championship odds. The Zags went all the way to the National Championship game last year, when they had the chance to complete the perfect season, but they suffered a surprise defeat to Baylor. They are extremely formidable once again this year, led by a backcourt duo of Chet Holmgren and Drew Timme. A month ago, they were priced at +650 to seize the championship, but the odds have dropped significantly after some impressive wins over talented rivals. FanDuel is currently offering the best futures March Madness odds on Gonzaga. Their key challengers include Arizona, Kentucky, Baylor, Duke, Auburn, Kansas and Purdue.

Can I bet on March Madness in the US?

You can bet legally on March Madness in many different states. In some, only retail sports betting is possible right now. That is the case in Arkansas, Delaware, Maryland, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Dakota and Washington. Nevada is skewed toward retail betting too, but online wagering apps are available. In some states, there are monopoly-controlled online sports betting markets, including Montana, Oregon, New Hampshire and Rhode Island, plus the district of Columbia. These are the states with open and competitive markets for March Madness betting sites: 

Betting on March Madness in Arizona

The Arizona sports betting market rolled out in late April 2021, so this will be the first year for March Madness betting. You can bet on all games and futures at sportsbooks in Arizona, but sportsbooks are forbidden to offer prop bets on college sports. That means you will have to stick to standard spreads, totals and moneylines. March Madness betting apps in Arizona include DraftKings, Caesars, FanDuel, BetMGM and BetRivers.

Betting on March Madness in Colorado

This will be the second year for betting on March Madness in Colorado. Last year, sportsbooks took $301 million worth of wagers in March, and they will expect to exceed that tally this time around. Prop bets are also unavailable on college basketball in Colorado. There are more than 20 March Madness betting apps to choose from, including the top six operators featured on this page.

Betting on March Madness in Connecticut

You have three choices when placing your college basketball best bets in Connecticut: DraftKings, FanDuel and PlaySugarHouse. You can bet on every game featuring teams based outside of the state. If you want to bet on UConn, only futures are permitted.

Betting on March Madness in Illinois

There are lots of high-quality 2022 NCAA Tournament sites to choose from when placing March Madness bets in Illinois this year. The leading IL sportsbooks are DraftKings, FanDuel and BetRivers. BetMGM also recently launched in Illinois, while Caesars has ramped up its presence in the state by unveiling a large new welcome bonus. You can place online March Madness bets on games featuring teams based outside of the state. If you want to bet on a game featuring an in-state team, you will need to visit a retail sportsbook in Illinois.

Betting on March Madness in Indiana

Anyone in Indiana can bet on March Madness via mobile apps and websites such as DraftKings, Caesars, FanDuel, BetMGM, BetRivers and PointsBet. However, prop bets are not permitted. There are no restrictions on which teams or games you can bet on.

Betting on March Madness in Iowa

Hawkeye State residents can choose from a wide array of great March Madness betting sites and apps. Caesars is the most popular option in the state, but heavy hitters like FanDuel and DraftKings are also available. You can bet on in-state teams. Some game props are possible, but you cannot place player props on college athletes.

Betting on March Madness in Louisiana

DraftKings, Caesars, FanDuel, BetMGM BetRivers and Barstool all went live with Louisiana sports betting sites in January 2022, making it the latest state to offer online sports betting. There are no restrictions on the games and markets that Louisiana basketball fans can bet on, so in-state teams and props are available.

Betting on March Madness in Michigan

When it comes to Michigan sports betting, DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars, BetMGM and BetRivers are among the best March Madness betting apps in Michigan. They are permitted to offer wagering on in-state teams, and there are no prop betting restrictions at a Michigan March Madness betting site either.

Betting on March Madness in New Jersey

Betting on March Madness will be a popular pursuit in New Jersey this year. Wagering on games featuring in-state college basketball teams is not permitted, but anyone in the Garden State can bet on all other games. You will find a wealth of March Madness betting options on each game at the state’s leading sportsbooks, including FanDuel, DraftKings, PointsBet, BetMGM, Caesars and PlaySugarHouse.

Betting on March Madness in New York

New York swiftly overtook New Jersey to become the largest state for sports betting after its first online sportsbooks launched in January 2022. NY betting sites handled $2.4 billion in wagers in the first five weeks of trading. The state is expected to set a national record in March. Sportsbooks cannot offer betting on in-state teams, but all other March Madness games will be available.

Betting on March Madness in Pennsylvania

There are no college betting restrictions on Pennsylvania betting sites. That means anyone in the state can choose from a wide range of betting markets on games featuring teams such as the Villanova Wildcats. FanDuel is the number one March Madness betting app in Pennsylvania, but there are lots of great alternatives, including DraftKings and BetMGM.

Betting on March Madness in Tennessee

You will be able to bet on every March Madness game at Tennessee online sportsbooks. Player props are not permitted, and you cannot place March Madness live betting game props either. The best March Madness betting apps in Tennessee include BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings and FanDuel.

Betting on March Madness in Virginia

Virginia is another state that does not permit betting on games featuring college teams based within the state. All other college betting is fine, so March Madness betting sites should be popular in the Commonwealth throughout the tournament.

Betting on March Madness in West Virginia

You can place March Madness bets at FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars and PointsBet in the Mountain State. There are no college betting restrictions, so you will find March Madness prop bets along with the standard spreads, moneylines and totals.

Betting on March Madness in Wyoming

This will be the first state for legal March Madness bets in Wyoming. There are two sportsbooks offering March Madness odds: DraftKings and BetMGM. You only need to be 18 to use a March Madness betting site in Wyoming, whereas the minimum age in other states is 21. All forms of March Madness live betting, pre-game betting and futures betting are permitted in the state.

Top March Madness Betting Sites in the US

We have reviewed every March Madness betting site in meticulous detail, and we ultimately decided that these are the top six March Madness betting sites for 2022:

DraftKings Sportsbook

We rate DraftKings as the best all-round March Madness betting site this year. It has celebrated the tournament by launching a “Bet $5, Win $200” welcome bonus. New customers can bet $5 on any team to win a March Madness game. If that team wins, the player will get eight free bets worth $25 each, along with the cash winnings from the qualifying bet. There are also March Madness survival pools, bracket battles and other promotions, and DraftKings has a great loyalty program too. It has a simple, effective interface and competitive betting lines on college basketball.

States Available: AZ, CO, CT, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MI, NH, NJ, NY, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY

Caesars Sportsbook

Caesars Sportsbook is also offering a very large welcome bonus for new customers as March Madness approaches. You will get a first-deposit match of up to $1,250, plus 1,000 Tier Credits and 1,000 Reward Credits when you sign up. It also offers a wealth of odds boosts for anyone that likes to bet March Madness online. It is another user-friendly March Madness betting app, and it has great customer service. It is popular with high-stakes bettors too, as it accepts large bets and it has a strong VIP program.

States Available: AZ, CO, IL, IA, KS, LA, MI, NJ, NV, NY, PA, TN, VA, WV

FanDuel Sportsbook

FanDuel Sportsbook recently reported that it accounted for 40% of all sports bets placed in the United States last year. It is not hard to see why it has emerged as the most popular sports betting brand in the country, as it provides a hugely impressive mobile app, lots of attractive bonuses, competitive lines, quick payouts and strong customer service. Its welcome bonus is a No Sweat First Bet up to $1,000. It does not offer a loyalty program, but it compensates with a strong selection of additional bonuses for all customers and some fantastic March Madness odds boosts.

States Available: AZ, CO, CT, IA, IL, IN, LA, MI, NJ, NY, PA TN, VA, WV

BetMGM Sportsbook

BetMGM will typically provide more betting options on a March Madness game than DraftKings, FanDuel and Caesars. That is irrelevant in states that forbid March Madness prop bets, but it is a great asset in other states. It also provides excellent features – including the ability to edit open bets and a very strong stats hub – along with loads of great promotions for college basketball bettors.

States Available: AZ, CO, IA, KS, LA, MI, NJ, NV, NY, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY

PointsBet Sportsbook

PointsBet offers more March Madness bets than any of its rivals. Once again, that is only relevant in certain states. You can bet on fixed-odds markets and PointsBetting markets, which are akin to contracts for difference on financial derivatives, but tied to sporting events. It is a very slick March Madness betting app, with terrific promotions, and it provides a very compelling alternative to the other sportsbooks on this list thanks to its unique betting markets.

States Available: CO, IL, IN, IA, NJ, NY, VA, WV

BetRivers Sportsbook

BetRivers is now firmly established as one of the top six online sportsbooks in the country. It offers a risk-free first bet up to $500 for new customers, and it also provides profit boosts and some fun sweepstakes and contests for March Madness. The betting site is intuitively designed, and it also boasts great features, including live streaming, stats and cash outs. Another advantage is the payout speeds: BetRivers automatically processes more than 80% of withdrawal requests, meaning your funds often arrive instantly.

States Available: AZ, CO, IL, IN, IA, LA, MI, NY, PA, VA, WV; CT and NJ as PlaySugarHouse

Best March Madness Betting App Features

Mobile sportsbook apps ensure that you never miss the opportunity to bet on a game during the chaos of the NCAA Men’s Division 1 Basketball Tournament. The games come in thick and fast during the tournament, and you will not always be by your computer, so it is useful to download an app on your mobile device. The best apps for March Madness bets are ultra-reliable, quick and easy-to-use, making it very convenient to bet on NCAA games no matter where you are. The DraftKings, FanDuel and BetMGM apps have extremely high user ratings on the Apple Store and Google Play, making them excellent choices.

How to Bet on March Madness

It helps to understand the key wagering options before honing your March Madness betting strategy. The best March Madness betting operators will provide you with lots of different options on each game. We have broken the key options down and explained how to read March Madness odds.

Understanding March Madness Betting Odds

March Madness odds are invariably presented in the American format at online sportsbooks in the United States. That means they will begin with either a plus or a minus. If the odds start with a plus symbol, it tells you the profit you would earn from a $100 bet. For example, if Indiana is priced at +130 to beat Michigan, it tells you to expect a $130 profit from every $100 wagered on the Hoosiers. You get your stake back if the bet wins, so the total return would be $230.

A minus symbol tells you the amount you would need to wager to win a $100 profit. For example, if Michigan is -150 to beat Duke, you would need to bet $150 on the Wolverines to generate a $100 profit. These are only guides. You could, for example, bet $20 on Duke and earn a $26 profit if successful, or you could bet $20 on Michigan and earn a $13.33 profit if successful in this hypothetical example. The higher potential profit on Indiana tells you that it is the underdog.

You may see the odds in decimal or fractional formats, but you can easily change them to American odds. If you want to know what they mean, decimal odds tell you the total return you will get from a winning bet, including your profit and the return of your stake. For example, American odds of +130 equate to 2.30. You multiply your stake by 2.30 to calculate your total return. Fractional odds tell you the profit you stand to earn. You multiply your bet amount by the fraction to calculate your potential profit. American odds of +130 equate to fractional odds of 13/10 and American odds of -150 equate to 4/6.

Moneyline Betting

This is a simple bet on which team will win a game. The oddsmakers weigh up the strengths and weaknesses of both teams and release moneyline odds on the chances of them winning the game. For example, you might find odds of -375 on Baylor to beat Oklahoma, and +280 on Oklahoma to win the game. The odds tell you the profit available on each team if the bet is successful, along with its implied probability of winning. In this example, the odds show that Baylor is a heavy favorite.

Point Spread Betting

This is the most common of all the March Madness bets. The sportsbooks give the team they believe to be strongest (the moneyline favorite) a points handicap, which allows them to offer a similar set of odds on either team covering the resultant point spread. Sticking with the example above, you might find Baylor as the 8.5-point favorite. You could bet on Baylor -8.5 at -110, meaning it would need to win by 9 points or more, or you could bet on Oklahoma +8.5 at odds of -110, meaning it could win or lose by 8 points or fewer.

Over/Under Betting

This is another very popular option at March Madness betting sites. You just have to predict the total points that will be scored in a game. The sportsbooks set a total points line, such as 134.5, and you can guess whether both teams will combine for more points than that figure or fewer. The odds on either side are normally -110, but you can find alternatively total lines that skew the odds too.

Live Betting

Some sites allow you to continue betting on March Madness games after they have started. It allows you to watch the game unravel, decide how it will pan out and place bets from a strong position. The live odds on spreads, totals, moneylines and so on will be continually updated throughout the game to reflect the score and the general shape of the game.

Prop Betting

In some states, you can place prop bets on March Madness games. They are not tied to the result of the game. They focus instead on whether a particular event will happen in a game. There are game props, team props and player props. Examples of March Madness prop betting options include:

• The total points (over/under) a specific team will score in a game.

• The first team to reach 20 points.

• Whether the total points at the end of the game will be odd or even.

• The total points, rebounds, assists or threes a player will manage in a game.

March Madness Odds 2022 (Futures)

You can place bets on which team will be crowned the national champion months before March Madness takes place. The odds change over the course of the season, and they shift dramatically during the tournament itself, as various teams are eliminated. This market is known as futures betting, and it is not necessarily tied to the result of an individual game. You may also find Final Four odds, which allow you to bet on whether a team will reach the final four, but the most common futures market is on who will win March Madness.

Past NCAA Basketball National Champions

Many bettors wonder about the highest seed to win March Madness. Lots of No 1. seeds have won in recent years. The lowest seed to win NCAA Tournament glory in the past decade was No. 7 seed Connecticut, while the lowest ever was No. 8 seed Villanova in 1985. These are the last 10 national champions:

• 2021: Baylor (1)

• 2020: Canceled due to COVID-19

• 2019: Virginia (1)

• 2018: Villanova (1)

• 2017: North Carolina (1)

• 2016: Villanova (2)

• 2015: Duke (1)

• 2014: Connecticut (7)

• 2013: Louisville (1)

• 2012: Kentucky (1)

FAQ

When does March Madness Start?

March Madness begins on March 15 with the First Four. The main bracket of 64 teams will be set after that round, and basketball fans can look forward to several weeks of frenetic action until the National Championship on April 4. If you are looking for a March Madness betting site, check out our detailed guide on how does March Madness work.

When is March Madness Selection Sunday?

Selection Sunday took place on March 13, so we now know which teams have been selected and seeded, allowing fans to start thinking about their brackets. We can now look forward to another exciting tournament featuring the most talented collegiate athletes in the business. If you would like to place March Madness bets, check out our “how do you bet on March Madness?” guide.

Can I legally bet on March Madness games?

Lots of states allow you to legally bet March Madness online, including Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming. You can enjoy legal March Madness betting at retail venues in other states too. Our best bets for March Madness guide has all the details.

When is the March Madness National Championship game?

The March Madness National Championship game takes place on April 4 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. There are already NCAA Tournament odds and NCAA basketball Vegas odds March Madness on which team will be crowned champion, with Gonzaga the early March Madness favorites. These NCAA Tournament odds will shift during the weeks ahead.

When does March Madness end?

It concludes with the March Madness Championship game in New Orleans on April 4. The best sportsbooks have already released betting odds to win March Madness. They will change as teams are eliminated in the weeks ahead. If you are wondering “how does March Madness betting work?” you can check out our in-depth guide to the best March Madness bets.

How does March Madness seeding work?

A committee of experts meets to discuss the overall quality and credentials of each team, focusing on its record, the strength of schedule it faced and how impressive its performances have been. This committee ranks the teams from 1 through 68, and they are then split into four regions, each with a No. 1 seed. This process often impacts the betting odds on March Madness.

Where can I bet on March Madness?

You can find betting odds for March Madness at lots of different online sportsbooks. However, it is important to seek out a high-quality, user-friendly sportsbook that offers competitive March Madness betting lines, lots of March Madness prop bets, great bonuses and swift payouts. Our guide to March Madness sports betting rounds up the top choices and lays out their strengths and weaknesses.

When does the March Madness Bracket come out? 

The March Madness bracket has now been revealed after Selection Sunday took place on March 13. Many people are now working on a March Madness betting strategy and looking for the best place to bet on March Madness. If you want to know how to bet on NCAA March Madness games, check out our guide today.

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