March Madness is without a doubt the biggest three weeks in US sports betting. With 68 teams competing in a single-elimination tournament, only one college basketball team will go home with the crown.

1. Ncaa Basketball Betting Picks
2. Ncaa Bracket Betting
3. Ncaa Basketball Betting Lines Today
4. Online Ncaa Bracket

NCAA Basketball Betting Odds, 2021 College Basketball Lines. College Basketball is available to bet on starting late October and run through until the end of the March Madness Tournament Finals in early April, the season really starts to heat up as the College Football ends and highlights key days of each week to feature college hoops. Different Days of the week to bet on NCAA. Brackets are the traditional way most Americans bet on the NCAA tournament. You fill out a full, 63-game bracket prior to the start of the NCAA Tournament and either pay to enter it into a pool or submit it to a. NCAA college basketball odds, point spreads, and betting lines (ATS, over under, money lines) updated multiple times daily.

Below, get VegasInsider’s expert March Madness picks, odds, and up-to-date NCAA Basketball news.

Plus, find the best online sportsbooks for March Madness betting. And don’t forget to fill out your 2021 college basketball bracket to bet on March Madness!

Featured Betting Resources

Most Popular March Madness Tools

NCAA Tournament Predictions

VegasInsider.com College Basketball expert Thom Cunningham will be providing his 'Bracketology' forecast up until the tournament and then offering his winner for the upcoming 2021 NCAA Tournament.

His current Final Four includes:

• Gonzaga
• Alabama
• Baylor
• Michigan

The link above shows all of his 68 teams that will be dancing this March from Indiana and who will advance after each round, starting with the 'First Four' action on March 18.

Betting News

The VegasInsider.com stable of College Basketball experts have been covering the action all season long with their betting preview and prediction pieces. They'll be providing analysis for all 67 games in the 2021 NCAA Tournament.

Prior to the event, be sure to follow their predictions on a daily basis on VegasInsider.com.

Scoreboard

All of your NCAA Tournament betting wagers can be followed throughout March Madness on the VegasInsider.com College Basketball Scores. The Scores are easily followed once you understand how they’re displayed and the role of each betting feature. All College Basketball Scores start with the Matchup, which has a designated home and away team.

All Games are listed in order of Rotation that are set by the sportsbooks. The Rotation numbers are assigned to each team and it identifies the bet that is being placed at an online sportsbook or in a casino. Those numbers eliminate any confusion between the bettor and the sportsbook. Along with rotation numbers, games are also listed by time and the VegasInsider.com College Basketball Scores show the Game Time in Eastern Standard Time Zone (ET).

Next to the rotations are the Teams that are playing, followed by the Betting Odds. The College Basketball Scores uses a consensus line that is created by multiple Las Vegas and Global sportsbooks. The Betting Odds display which team is the favorite in the matchup and that can be determined with a minus (-) sign followed by a number.

The March Madness scoreboard is updated as the games tip and you'll be able to track all your winning wagers for the 67 upcoming NCAA Tournament games.

College Hoops Tournament Overview

2021 NCAA College Basketball Tournament Dates

Each day of March Madness provides unique matchups and props to bet on and this year's event will be very unique as all games will take place from the state of Indiana, which is a legal betting state.

Bettors will have a total of 67 games to wager on from Thursday March 18, 2021 through Monday April 5, 2021 and the championship game will take place at Lucas Oil Stadium from Indianapolis, Indiana.

• Selection Sunday - March 14, 2021
• First Four - Thursday, March 18, 2021
• First Round - Fri/Sat, March 19-20, 2021
• Second Round - Sun/Mon, March 21-22, 2021
• Sweet Sixteen - Sat/Sun, March 27-28, 2021
• Elite Eight - Mon/Tue, March 29-30, 2021
• Final Four - Saturday, April 3, 2021
• NCAA Championship Game - Monday, April 5, 2021

With so many games over the three-week March Madness, you may find yourself needing a college ball cheat sheet for your basketball picks. What is March Madness anyway?

A popular annual NCAA men's basketball tournament, the event takes place over a three-week period. Unsurprisingly, the betting action on the NCAA Tournament brings in record handles for sportsbooks.

The tournament is a single-elimination format that consists of 68 teams. The schools that made the cut are announced on Selection Sunday – which is an event in itself. The 2021 selection show takes place on Sunday, March 14, 2021, at 6:00 p.m. ET and is televised nationally on CBS.

Pundits often try to predict the full bracket before the event and the term “Bracketology' is used in many sports betting circles. The brackets are divided into four regions, split up geographically in the United States. All of the March Madness games are played on neutral courts and the regional final takes place at a large venue. Sound like a real bracketologist in your March Madness pools with our expert NCAA tourney picks and top college basketball insights.

NCAA Tournament Format

The First Four games will take place on Thursday this season. This year’s games are scheduled for March 18th and they will be played at neutral locations in Indiana from Mackey Arena and Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

Eight teams will go head-to-head and the winners will advance to the field of 64 while the other four teams are sent packing.

The First Round action on Friday and Saturday is geared for both novice and professional bettors. The wagering opportunities are limitless with 16 games scheduled for both days and they’re broken up into four different sessions, with the opening tip beginning just after 12:00 p.m. ET.

As the field gets cut in half from 64 to 32, those winners will move onto the Second Round, which takes place on Sunday March 20th and Monday, March 21st. This round has been known to produce plenty of upsets.

The Sweet Sixteen is the next stage and bettors will have four games to follow on Saturday and Sunday, this year's matchups taking place on March 27th and March 28th.

Ncaa Basketball Betting Picks

The Sweet 16 venues in Indiana will take place at Bankers Life Fieldhouse and Hinkle Fieldhouse, home to the Indiana Pacers of the NBA and Butler Bulldogs of the Big East respectively.

The winners of those games will then meet on Sunday and Monday in the Regional Finals or what’s better known as the Elite Eight, which will take place at Lucas Oil Stadium from Indianapolis, Indiana.

Four schools will advance and another four will be eliminated.

Earning a trip to the Final Four is a major accomplishment in itself, considering there are over 350 eligible teams that are given the same opportunity. The 2021 Final Four will go down at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Another name for the Final Four is the national semifinals and those games are tentatively scheduled for Saturday, April 3, 2021.

The two semifinal winners will get a day off before meeting in the National Championship on Monday, April 5, 2021, at the same venue.

March Madness Bracket Schedule

While the full NCAA Tournament bracket won’t be up until Selection Sunday, get ready to bet on March Madness and follow all the action today!

VegasInsider.com produces its own Live Viewable Brackets. This is a necessary betting resource for March Madness. For desktop users that prefer to fill out their bracket, you can do so with the VegasInsider Printable Bracket.

Keep an eye on the latest odds to win the 2021 NCAA men's college basketball tournament to learn which teams are the favorites when you fill out your bracket.

Win Your March Madness Bracket

Betting in the office pool? Dominate your friends using our VI Expert March Madness picks. With our seasoned handicappers, get key insights for all your NCAA bracket betting odds. From Final Four picks on who will win the NCAA, to this year’s underdog, make sure you’re ready for any March Madness upsets!

March Madness Betting

First, make sure to check out how to bet on March Madness. Now then, it’s important that you’re in a state that has legalized sports betting. Even better, bet on March Madness online in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and West Virginia!

So, which sportsbook should you bet with? While there’s always an element of personal preference, certain online sportsbooks offer better welcome bonuses than others.

In our experience, DraftKings, FanDuel, and PointsBet are top 3 contenders for online basketball betting. Check out our full reviews for the lowdown on why you should bet with these excellent sportsbooks.

College Basketball Betting Types

• Money-line: This is an easy one. Simply pick which team will win outright. Say Notre Dame is up against San Diego State in a Final Four matchup – pick one team over the other to bring home the win. New bettors especially bet on the money-line as it's the simplest way to bet on a game.
• Point Spread: Like money-line, here you choose a team to win or lose outright. However, the difference lies in guessing how much they win/lose by. This number is a specific points total set by the sportsbooks. Our advice? Check out the team’s average points per game over the season.
• Totals: Also called over/under, this bet determines whether the final score will – combined – will be over or under what the sportsbook thinks.
• Props: Oftentimes these are in-play bets. They can relate to brackets and player stats, or even fun things like a halftime show or what the mascot will do.
• Futures: Feeling the itch to bet already? Futures can be placed weeks or sometimes months ahead of the game. For example, maybe you think Ole Miss will bring it home this year. Place a bet now ahead of Selection Sunday to get in on the ground floor. Just pay attention as the odds can change, and your choice can even be knocked out!
• Parlays: Called accumulator bets in the UK, parlays are a series of bets. March Madness is the perfect time for parlays, where you can lay down a small bet of say $10 across five games. Win all five and you could be looking at a hefty return.

March Madness Expert Picks, Predictions & Tips

The VegasInsider.com College Basketball stable of experts will be ready to fire up selections for the 2021 NCAA Tournament.

Get the Full March Madness Package

Looking to improve your March Madness odds? Here are some key things that can make a difference when betting on the NCAA Tournament.

Everyone Loves an Underdog

A good comeback story is nothing to shake a tail at. Undoubtedly, these “Cinderella' teams make the college basketball season extremely popular. Since underdogs show up each year, consider placing a bet on some underdogs.

A Sure Thing is Never Certain

Down and out now that your Final Four choice lost in round one? Don’t sweat it, upsets happen all the time – remember this year’s Super Bowl? As long as all your picks don’t turn into an upset, there is always a chance to make it to the finals.

Top Teams Bleed Blue

Across the US, the top NCAAb teams are called “Blue Bloods'. Usually, they can be a safe bet during March Madness. That said, Blue Bloods don’t always win, so watch out! However, they usually stay in the tournament until the final rounds.

NCAA Tournament Memberships

VegasInsider.com is offering great opportunities to see a variety of NCAA Tournament predictions from all of our college basketball experts.

March Madness Betting FAQ

Below, our team at VegasInsider has collected some common questions about the NCAAb Tournament.

Which teams are in March Madness this year?

Ncaa Bracket Betting

Until Selection Sunday, the final 68 teams are still up in the air. Make sure to tune in March 14th, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. ET to find out!

How do I set my March Madness bracket?

Well, by using our VegasInsider March Madness bracket, of course! View it online and print out the paper version for your office pool or friendly competition. After Selection Sunday, dive into the lineups and put your best guess forward.

Want an edge? Get a Tournament Picks Package from a VI Expert for great insights across all of March Madness.

Where can I bet on March Madness?

Without a doubt, the top online sportsbooks for college basketball betting are DraftKings, FanDuel, and PointsBet. As you know, DraftKings and FanDuel paved the way for DFS and fantasy basketball in the US, and have used that experience to offer top-tier sportsbooks to US bettors. Likewise, newcomer PointsBet has a unique points betting system and close ties to pro basketball players that makes betting on March Madness with them a no-brainer. Plus, every top sportsbook offers an excellent mobile app for sports betting. So, make sure to download the app after signing up for a welcome offer!

What are the current March Madness odds?

With Selection Sunday not until March 14th, that doesn’t mean you have to wait to check out the NCAA Tournament odds. Get the latest college basketball future odds right here!

March Madness betting will be bigger than ever in 2021.

With legal sports wagering expanding across the US, several more states offer online sports betting on the 68-team postseason tournament than did a year ago.

Currently, over a dozen states host regulated sports betting markets. And several states are on the cusp of introducing legal sportsbooks this year.

Online sportsbooks with March Madness betting

The NCAA Tournament creates several ways to bet on college basketball.

Some will fill out entire brackets for pools with their coworkers or friends. Others will choose to wager on games throughout the tournament by using a sportsbook.

March Madness begins with Selection Sunday on March 14. In a usual year, once the field of 68 is chosen the First Four play on Tuesday and Wednesday in Dayton, Ohio.

The official first round begins on Thursday, March 18, with 16 total games. Note that all 2021 NCAA Basketball Tournament games will be held in Indianapolis and surrounding areas, due to COVID restrictions.

March Madness Live Odds

See below for updated March Madness odds posted at legal US online sportsbooks. Prior to the tournament you can bet on March Madness futures, including odds for teams to make the Final Four or to win the National Championship.

Once the bracket is set you’ll find live odd (spreads, moneylines, totals) for each individual game. Use the drop-down menu on the right to change your legal betting state. Scroll right to see more sportsbooks.

Where can I legally bet on March Madness in the US?

Currently, the following states feature a legal sports betting industry where you can wager on the NCAA Tournament:

The majority of states with a sports betting industry have retail sportsbooks as well as online sports betting apps.

If you live in one of the states listed above, you can wager on March Madness right from your mobile device through an online sportsbook.

If you live in Oregon, you may be wondering why the state is not listed. Unfortunately, although Oregon hosts mobile sports betting, bettors in the state cannot wager on any collegiate sports, including college basketball.

Anyway, most of the states that feature online March Madness betting have several wagering platforms available. These online sportsbooks currently allow NCAA basketball bets:

Betting through an online sportsbook is like wagering at a land-based location. The most significant difference is the availability to place live bets.

While some retail sportsbooks might accept live in-game wagers, the odds update so fast that having a betting app is a necessity.

The only other difference is your physical location, of course. With online sportsbooks, you can bet wherever you’d like in the entire state. At a retail sportsbook, you must be present at the time of wagering.

Even with legal options around the US, a lot of bettors still bet through offshore sportsbooks. This is dangerous for several reasons.

Beyond their uncertain legality, offshore sites are not regulated or protected. If you’re having issues with the site or you haven’t received your winnings on time, there is no alternative route to settling your bets.

Where to bet on March Madness Online

Betting on college basketball and March Madness is easy in the following states:

• Colorado
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Michigan
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• Tennessee
• Virginia
• West Virginia

Each state offers several online sports betting options, including DraftKings and FanDuel sportsbooks.

Creating an account is a simple process that only takes a few minutes.

To start, you’ll need to provide some personal information that every sportsbook requires, which includes:

• Name
• Date of birth
• Address
• Email
• Phone number
• Social security number

You will also need to create a username and password that you’ll need to input to access the online sportsbook. Most will ask you to set up security questions as well.

To finish signing up, you will need to confirm you’re at least of legal age and agree to the terms and conditions.

Once complete, you will be able to make a deposit and start betting on March Madness.

Colorado sports betting: Colorado became an online sports betting state in May 2020. BetRivers Sportsbook was the first to go online in the Centennial State. However, with 33 casinos in the state, more sportsbooks are joining the party all the time.

Illinois sports betting: Illinois joined the ranks of online sports betting states in June 2020. True to form in various other states, BetRivers Sportsbook was the first to open in the Prairie State. It’s a bit surprising that there are only about a half-dozen apps active in Illinois, but the five are all big-time brands, so there are plenty of great choices. The in-person registration requirement has been suspended for most of the life of the industry, and it is set to sunset in September 2021.

Indiana sports betting: Indiana launched online sports betting in October 2019. Both DraftKings and BetRivers went live on Oct. 3, followed by FanDuel on Oct. 26. While the Hoosier State only offers three sportsbooks at the moment, others are in line to launch.

Iowa sports betting: Iowa was one of the more unassuming states to become an online sportsbook haven in the first wave of launches. However, with the launch in April 2019, Iowa positioned itself as one of the new vanguard of sports betting destinations. The state’s outlook got a boost in January 2021 when it finally allowed remote registration to proceed.

Michigan sports betting: The launch of online sports betting was a momentous occasion in January 2021. Michigan’s launch was the largest simultaneous launch of apps in US history, with 10 apps going live on the very first day. Michigan also launched online casinos and poker the same day and is suddenly one of the top gambling destinations in the state.

Nevada sports betting: Nevada is the original sports betting location in the United States. Sports betting apps have been available in the state since 2013, several years before any other state. Although the Silver State now has competition, there are still plenty of great apps for you to place your bets. Be aware, however, that you have to visit the apps’ home casinos in order to register and move money into and out of your account.

New Hampshire sports betting: New Hampshire became an online sports betting state in part, at least, because Gov. Chris Sununu wanted to place a bet on the New England Patriots. The governor pushed for the Granite State to go live prior to the 2020 NFL Playoffs, and got his wish when DraftKings launched in December 2019. Due to an unusual arrangement, DraftKings enjoys a virtual monopoly over the state, but it is live and able to book action no matter where you sit in New Hampshire.

New Jersey sports betting: The New Jersey sports betting market was the first to go online, and it is the most extensive around. Currently, there are over 15 sports betting apps available in the state. These additional platforms include FanDuel, William Hill, SugarHouse, PointsBet and BetMGM.

Pennsylvania sports betting: Sports betting in PA went online in May 2019 with SugarHouse Sportsbook. Several more have launched, including DraftKings, FanDuel, Unibet, BetRivers and Fox Bet online sportsbooks.

Rhode Island sports betting: Rhode Island began online sports betting in September 2019 after the bill to allow it passed in April. Mobile sports betting is operated and regulated by the Rhode Island Lottery, which operates with support from William Hill. Although it’s not a big market and not a big state, anyone inside the Ocean State is welcome to bet on NCAA Tournament games, so long as they don’t occur inside state lines.

Tennessee sports betting: Tennessee was a surprising entrant into the online sports betting game in November 2020. The Volunteer State’s launch actually represented a historic first, due to the fact that it was the first state with online-only sports betting. There are no retail sportsbooks in the state, but the four online sportsbooks are more than happy to process your wagers on March Madness.

Virginia sports betting: Virginia became an online sportsbook state in January 2021 after a short legalization process in 2020. Like Tennessee, Old Dominion is operating as an online-only state for sports betting. However, unlike the Volunteer State, there are already plans in motion to bring retail sports betting to the state. For the time being, though, anyone inside the state lines can find options like FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, and BetRivers for betting on college basketball games.

West Virginia sports betting: West Virginia has three apps to choose from including BetMGM, DraftKings and FanDuel. There are no major restrictions on betting in the Mountain State, so feel free to place all your NCAA Tournament wagers in the state.

Among the best sportsbooks to use for March Madness betting are DraftKings and FanDuel. Both sports wagering apps feature a large amount of alternate lines, props and futures.

They’re also two of the best when it comes to live wagering. The sportsbooks each provide an extensive amount of live odds with multiple alternates for point spreads and totals.

Soon to open legal March Madness betting states

Some states in the US have legalized online sports betting, but have yet to put the law into action. Numerous states are working on rolling out some online sportsbooks in time for March Madness.

The biggest state with online sports betting in the works is New York. The Empire State already has retail sports betting, and both state lawmakers and Gov. Andrew Cuomo have expressed support for moving into the online space, albeit through different avenues. It will probably be a few months before they all come together, but there will be online March Madness wagering in New York sometime quite soon.

The other state likely to bring sports betting online is Maryland. Voters already passed a sweeping referendum in November 2020, and it is only on lawmakers and regulators to implement it, at this point. Given how NCAA basketball-crazy the state is, it would not be a shock to see a launch soon.

Types of bets you can place during March Madness

March Madness futures

Futures are a popular bet for March Madness.

These wagers are typically available all season long, with the odds changing throughout based on the results of games.

Although a lot of bettors place futures wagers right before the tournament begins, they are available leading up to the season and right now, too.

The most common futures bet is picking the winner of the national championship. It is a popular wager because of the opportunity to receive favorable odds.

Of course, betting on one of these teams before the season, as opposed to betting a No. 1 seed at the start of the tournament, would generate a larger payout.

Other widespread futures include:

• Which conference will win the title?
• Which player will be named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player?

Again, both of these options will have encouraging odds for bettors.

Some sportsbooks have additional futures that allow you to bet on how far along the team will get. Most will have lines for making the Sweet 16, Elite Eight and Final Four.

March Madness bracket challenges

Beyond futures or individual wagering, a lot of sportsbooks have bracket challenges too. These are pools where you’re able to submit a full bracket like you would with your friends.

DraftKings, FanDuel and other sportsbooks implemented some type of bracket contest last season.

Though there are challenges that cost money to enter, the majority of books include ones that are free to join.

Paid challenges, like DraftKings’ recent NJ-only pool, cost $20 and had a total prize of $100,000. While the free contests vary in cash prizes, they can range from DraftKings’ $64,000 pool to FanDuel’s $150,000 Bracket Madness.

Many sportsbooks, including SugarHouse, Caesars and PointsBet, also run various free bracket challenges.

After joining one of these contests, picking a bracket is easy.

You will choose a winner for every game in this single-elimination tournament until you’ve crowned your champion.

Since most pools don’t require picks for the First Four matchups, you’ll begin picking winners from the field of 64 in the first round.

The bracket is broken up by four regions, with teams being seeded one through 16.

Once you’re all done, the “madness” begins, and you officially have a rooting interest for every single game.

If, and usually when, your bracket becomes “busted,” you still can bet on individual games throughout the tournament. Every online sportsbook will provide betting odds for each game.

A lot of books will also update futures odds after every day or a round of action. If your bracket went down because your champion lost, you’re still able to put some money on another team you think will have the best chance.

March Madness live betting

Live betting has become one of the most standard ways to use any online sportsbook, and it isn’t any different when it comes to betting on March Madness.

As any college basketball fan can tell you, no lead is safe as long as there is still time on the clock.

Live in-game wagering allows you to place a bet at any time in the game with updated lines based on the current score and situation.

It is an excellent feature because it doesn’t restrict you to the pregame odds; you can wager at any point. It also lets you see how a game begins before deciding to commit any money.

Sometimes teams that get down a lot early will receive much better odds than when they entered the game. Bettors can take a chance of putting a few dollars down on an enhanced moneyline with the possibility that a comeback will provide a big payout.

Live betting will be available for every NCAA Tournament game.

Beyond the standard betting lines like point spreads, moneylines and game totals, most sportsbooks will offer a large selection of alternate lines as well as game and player props.

March Madness moneylines, spreads, over/unders

The most basic college basketball bets are moneylines, point spreads and over/unders.

These straightwagers are available for every regular-season game and every March Madness matchup too.

Betting the moneyline is merely choosing which team you think will win. The teams that are the favorite will have minus odds, meaning that you must wager more than the amount you’re going to win.

For instance, a 5-point favorite’s moneyline is probably going to be around -230. So, this means you’ll have to wager $230 to win $100.

The opposite applies to betting an underdog’s moneyline. A team receiving the same 5-point spread will have a moneyline around +180. Your $100 wager would win $180 with the underdog.

A point spread bet is similar, except that the game’s final score and the margin of victory come into play. If you bet on the favorite giving 5 points, they must win by at least 6 points for your wager to win.

While a 5-point victory would result in a push, any fewer points would be a win for the underdog getting the spread.

Game total bets, often referred to as the over/under, has nothing to do with which team wins the game. The over/under is strictly decided by how many combined points are scored in total.

College basketball totals will vary with every game, ranging from 120 to 160 points.

Bettors pick whether they think there will be more or fewer points scored than the given amount the sportsbook provides. If the total is set at 130 points and the final score consists of 125 points, then “under” bettors win and “over” backers lose.

March Madness betting tips

Early and equal

Parity is increasing in March Madness.

Think Loyola University in the 2018 Final Four, so take advantage of that parity early in the tournament when the point spreads are bigger.

For first-round games, betting on the No. 12 versus No. 5 seed games is the way to go. More than a third of all teams seeded at No. 12 have won during the round of 64.

That makes 12 seeds, as well as 11 and 13 seeds, good bets against the spread during the round of 64 and the round of 32.

Weigh strengths

Later in the tournament, pay attention to the team’s conference strength as well as momentum. Have they been just squeaking by or winning big?

Teams playing well into the third round are likely to keep playing well, regardless of seeding.

Keep an eye on higher seeds

In the Final Four, the higher-seeded team wins — and typically covers the spread — 75% of the time.

Wimpy records?

Teams with weak road or neutral records often do not fare well in the tournament.

March Madness betting trends

Most of the money is bet on the spreads of the games.

There will be a small amount on moneylines and totals, but fans love to bet big money on their team to win the national title. But not many teams worse than a No. 3 seed has won the tournament.

Many analysts say 50 million Americans bet on March Madness picks each year. The news media often reports on the billions of dollars in loss of productivity due to time spent filling out NCAA Tournament brackets and watching the games.

Forbes magazine estimates that the number of people worldwide who will place at least one bet on the tournament could be more than 100 million.

Last 10 NCAA basketball champions

• 2019: No championship due to COVID-19
• 2018: Villanova
• 2017: North Carolina
• 2016: Villanova
• 2015: Duke
• 2014: Connecticut
• 2013: Louisville
• 2012: Kentucky
• 2011: Connecticut
• 2010: Duke

March Madness FAQ

When does March Madness start?

Selection Sunday is on Sunday, March 14.

The 2021 First Four begins on Tuesday, March 16, and the first round starts on Thursday, March 18.

What are the important dates?

First Four: March 16-17
First and second rounds: March 18-21
Sweet 16 and Elite Eight: March 25-28
Final Four and the championship game: April 3 and 5

How do I stream March Madness?

Every single March Madness game will air on either truTV, TBS, TNT or CBS.

Those looking to stream the game online have several options as well. If you receive these TV networks as part of your cable package, then you can log in and stream every game for free using March Madness Live.

Those without a cable subscription have other alternatives as well. They can stream games through services like fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV.

Is there DFS for March Madness?

Yes, you can play college basketball DFS contests on sites like DraftKings and FanDuel.

When are March Madness odds released?

Most sportsbooks have futures odds available now. Odds for the start of the tournament will become available after Selection Sunday on March 14.

How does March Madness work?

The field of 68 teams is selected and announced on Sunday, March 14.

Four play-in games known as the First Four finalize the four-region bracket before the first round begins on Thursday, March 16.

The opening round consists of 32 games in two days. After 16 more games through that weekend, the Sweet 16 is set for the following week.

Four more days of games will determine the regional champions and the Final Four.

The 2021 Final Four and title game will take place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN.

The national championship will be decided on April 5.

Which team was the lowest seed to win March Madness?

Villanova was the lowest seed to ever win March Madness as a No. 8 seed in 1985. The seventh-seeded UConn Huskies are the second-lowest

A brief history of March Madness

March Madness is one of the most exciting and most gambled on sporting events in the US every year.

The NCAA Tournament was created in 1939 to determine college basketball’s annual national champion.

Like with anything else, the tournament has changed and expanded over the years. For the first 11 years of its existence, only eight teams qualified. By the 1980s, the field grew to 48 teams.

This number expanded to 64 teams and is the tournament we see today. The format stayed the same until a play-in game was reintroduced in 2001, adding the 65th squad.

Ncaa Basketball Betting Lines Today

Then in 2011, the field grew by three more teams and three more play-in games to have the current NCAA Tournament format that will occur this year.

Online Ncaa Bracket

Instead of only involving 16th-seeded teams, the four play-ins will have at least two games between Nos. 11, 12, 13 or 14 seeds. These opening games are now known as the First Four.

The field of 68 is determined on Selection Sunday, which takes place on March 14 this year.

An NCAA selection committee is in charge of rounding out the entire field and deciding which seed each team will have.

Thirty-two teams receive automatic bids into the tournament because they won their conference’s postseason. Regardless of record or anything that took place in the regular season, conference tournament champs get invited to the Big Dance.

The selection committee then decides the final 36 teams that receive an at-large bid. Every teams’ regular-season resume is put under scrutiny to determine the best and which deserve to play in March Madness.

The UCLABruins are the most successful team in the history of the tournament, winning the championship 11 times. Kentucky basketball isn’t far behind, with eight titles, followed by NorthCarolina with six.