Is March Driving You Mad, Yet?
Sports betting news and information for bettors by bettors ...
Like most people, I have always attributed the "Madness" part of March Madness to the craziness of the unexpected upsets and fantastic finishes that often happen during the NCAA Tournament. But my perspective has changed this year.
Don't get me wrong! The crazy finishes and upsets are enough to make March all about Madness. But I have discovered what true Madness is: Sifting through the hundreds and hundreds of prop bets listed at sportsbooks for the tournament's opening round in search of the best five or six.
It's enough to drive a sane person nutty (not that anyone has ever described me as "sane"). But I do it for you guys because — well, it's my job, and I love my job.
Let's get right to it and discuss the latest and greatest in sports betting!
March Madness 2023
It's March Madness time, baby! Time to fill out your brackets, call off work on Friday, and watch a ton of college basketball — and bet on it, too. With so many games in the first few days, it can be overwhelming to try and sift through the hundreds of markets available to bettors, especially if you line shop!
Now, I'm not going to lie to y'all and say we've covered everything or even reviewed all the options out there. But we have covered a lot and will be covering quite a bit throughout the tournament. Here’s a taste:
March Madness Player Props & Parlay Picks: Eight Plays for Thursday's First Round Slate
Princeton vs. Arizona Prediction & Odds: March Madness Betting Line Moves in Wildcats' Direction
Auburn vs. Iowa Predictions, Odds, Props: Pair of Picks for Thursday's March Madness Action
Houston vs. Northern Kentucky Predictions, Odds, Props: Cougars on March Madness Upset Alert
Texas A&M vs. Penn State Odds, Props, Trends, Predictions: Could an Upset Be Brewing?
More game previews, player props, and parlay picks will be coming in the days ahead, so check GamingToday.com before placing your bets on upcoming games.
More Madness: The Big Picture
March Madness is about keeping up with the insane number of games, especially in the first few days. But for sports bettors, keeping a level head, sticking to your strategy, and keeping the big picture in mind is important.
Check out this article by Bob Christ, who spoke with pro bettor Bill Krackomberger about how to hedge should you have a March Madness futures ticket in your pocket:
Also, our man in Vegas, Rob Miech, gets the perspective of South Point oddsmaker Chris Andrews about the sharp action he’s seen at his shop this week:
As much fun as it is to bet on the games, don't forget about futures markets like the tournament winner, Most Outstanding Player, and the many, many prop bets:
2023 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player Odds: Sasser Favored, Cougars Dominate Board
Best March Madness Prop Bets: Plus-Money NCAA Tournament Wagers To Consider
Odds to Win 2023 NCAA Tournament: Houston Favored, Alabama & Kansas Round Out Top Three
Elsewhere in the Wide World Of Sports Betting…
It may not seem like it, but the sports world does not stop for March Madness. Other sports are in season and available for fans to place bets on:
2023 World Baseball Classic Odds: Undefeated Japan 2-to-1 Favorites
XFL Odds & Picks: Week 5 Best Bets for All Games & Championship Futures
AL Cy Young Odds & Predictions 2023: Gerrit Cole, Jacob deGrom are Co-Favorites
LIV Golf Tucson Odds & Picks: Fade the Betting Favorites This Week
As always, you can find the odds for upcoming games and championship odds on our dedicated pages:
This Week on the Legal/Business Landscape…
We know legal sports betting has taken the nation by storm since 2018, but what kind of effect has it had on the March Madness office pool? Brant James answers that question here:
We’re less than a week into legal online sports betting in Massachusetts, and early signs are excellent:
But Barstool Sports is among the operators that have ruffled the feathers of Massachusetts regulators:
Meanwhile, gambling legislation is progressing at various speeds in other states around the nation. Rebecca Hanchett, as always, is on the beat:
iGaming Excluded From New York Budgets, But Sen. Addabbo Remains Bullish for Future
Georgia Sports Betting Gains Yardage in Amended Soap Box Derby Bill
Kentucky Sports Betting Bill Clears Senate Committee, Advances to Full Senate
Also, as Adam Carter reported, things are looking up in North Carolina.
Sportsbook Promotions: Mar. 16, 2023
The following promotions could come in handy this weekend:
BetRivers: Madness Parlay Insurance! Place a 4+ leg NCAAB Parlay and Get Your Stake Back, up to $25, if Exactly 1 Leg Loses!
FanDuel: New Customers, get 10x the amount of your first bet up to $200 in bonus bets (regardless if your bet wins or loses).
DraftKings: New Customers, bet $5+ On Any Sportsbook Market And Get $200 Instantly (expires on Mar. 19).
Caesars: Longshot Parlay Bonus: Wednesday, 3/15 – Friday, 3/17-- Opt In and wager $25+ on a +1,000 or longer odds parlay on any College Basketball Market between Mar. 15, 2023, and Mar. 17, 2023, to get a $15 Bonus Bet to use on College Basketball markets.
BetMGM: March Matchups Promo. Bet $10 on the March Tournament and Get $200 in Bonus Bets Instantly! (Not Available in DC, NY, MS, or NV. Please note the $1,000 Bonus Bet offer mentioned elsewhere in this review cannot be combined with this offer).
Terms and conditions apply with every sportsbook promotion. Check out our promo page for the best sign-up offers sportsbook apps have to offer.
Beginner's Beat: Bet With Your Head, Not Your Heart
This concept is something I've talked about in the past, but as March Madness gets underway, I thought it was worth bringing back up.
College sports tend to bring out a lot of emotion in people. For one reason or another, we get attached to specific schools and want to believe that they will/can win.
It's only natural to think that way about a team you have an emotional connection to. But when you consider betting on your team, you better check your heart at the door. When you bet based on your feelings about a team, you beg the sportsbook to take your money.
Why? Because you are not thinking straight. You are thinking about how awesome it would be to see your team beat so-and-so, and/or win it all. But you never want to make a bet based on emotions. You should always try to take an emotionless, analytical approach.
Bet with your head, not your heart.
That's it for this edition of the Gaming Today Playbook. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much or more as I enjoyed writing it. If you have any questions or want to request a topic to get covered in a future newsletter, you can reach me via email at travis.pulver@catenamedia.com or via Twitter at @FatManWriting.
To close out the GTP this week, there are lots of things I liked to share with you guys. But since I’m a huge Ted Lasso…
Bet wisely, my friends.
Until Next Week,
Travis Pulver, Sports Betting Writer