March Madness Begins, But Brady, Baseball Steal Headlines
Sports betting news and insight for bettors by bettors
Last weekend was supposed to be all about conference tournaments and Selection Sunday – and it was. That is, until Tom Brady told college basketball to hold his beer.
For some reason, a man with seven Super Bowl rings thinks he has “unfinished business.” As expected, with Brady back in the fold, the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl 57 odds got a lot shorter.
Gaming Today’s Kris Johnson went over Brady's impact on the NFL future market and also spoke with veteran Las Vegas oddsmaker Jay Kornegay, who believes someone had insider information on Brady before popping him for some large bets on Tampa Bay.
Brady is not the only one stealing headlines from March Madness. MLB owners and players regained their sanity long enough to agree on a new CBA, so baseball is back, baby!
With Opening Day set for April 7, Dan Holmes' dove into MLB season win totals, and after news of Freddie Freeman’s move to the Dodgers, Kris offered up updated World Series odds.
But I digress .... this is March, and March Madness is here. The first round of the NCAA Tournament tipped off today, with plenty of games to wager on throughout the evening and a full slate of 16 more first-rounders on tap Friday.
As could be expected, this edition of the Gaming Today Playbook focuses on college hoops.
March Madness: So Many Markets! So Little Time!
Yes, I borrowed that line from the title of my article on March Madness Tournament Props, but it is representative of the NCAA Tournament, especially the first weekend. And if you like upsets, I shared a few thoughts on some potential first-round surprises here.
There are more betting opportunities during March Madness than I can count.
In all, 52 games in the men's tournament will have been played by the time the second round finishes up Sunday night. Now, I can count to 52 (honest, I can). But when you factor in the dozens of props sportsbooks are offering on each game, that’s a lot of markets.
Of course, many states have restrictions regarding betting on college sports. Some don’t allow wagering on college player props, some don’t allow wagering on in-state college teams. If you’re unclear about your state’s rules, you can read more about them here.
Men Are Not The Only Game In Town
The Men's NCAA Tournament gets the bulk of the attention from bettors and college basketball fans this time of year, but the boys have some stellar company. Action in the first round of the Women's Tournament gets underway Friday, starting with Miami vs. South Florida at 11:30 a.m. ET.
Gaming Today's Kayleigh Toney examined the Women's Tournament futures odds earlier in the week, and also offers up some first-round betting highlights.
This Week In Sports Betting Biz
As many states enjoy legalized sports betting, more states are doing what they can to pass legislation. With a bill garnering unanimous approval from a Kentucky House committee this week, there is hope sports betting could come soon to the Bluegrass State.
As Gaming Today’s Rebecca Hanchett's writes:
It was the third time in four years a sportsbook bill backed by House Licensing, Occupations, and Administrative Regulations Committee Chair Adam Koenig has made it out of that committee and to the House floor. None of the past bills had
overwhelming House support, however, and none made it to the Senate. (Wednesday’s) vote could mean Kentucky legislators have had a change of heart.
Could Minnesota be next? How about Kansas? In the Land of 10,000 Lakes, sports betting legislation was approved by the House State Finance and Government Elections Committee. Next up, the House Judiciary Committee. There’s also been movement in the Free State.
Here’s Mary M. Shaffrey's on Minnesota and Kansas.
Sports Betting Promotions, March 17
With March Madness underway, the NBA and NHL in the heat of their regular seasons, and The Masters and a new USFL season on the horizon, bettors should take advantage of every opportunity to fatten their bankroll. I'm not talking about anything illegal, immoral, or nefarious. No, I'm talking about taking advantage of sportsbook promotions.
Promotions and bonuses vary from book to book and one state to the next. The following are March Madness promotions offered by some of the industry's more prominent operators:
DraftKings: Bet $5, Win $200. Bet at least $5 on the moneyline of a college basketball game and win $200 in free bets if your team wins. Betting $5 on Arizona may only win you a nickel, but you’ll also get $200 in free bets.
FanDuel: Bet $5, Get $150. New users get $150 in site credit simply for placing a $5 bet on a game.
BetMGM: Bet $10 on a March Madness matchup, win $200 if either team hits a three-pointer.
PointsBet: Earn up to $100 in live free bets when you make a pre-game bet of $50+ on any first-round NCAA Tournament game and then come back to bet in subsequent rounds.
Caesars has quite a few March Madness promos:
Bet the Board: Place five wagers on March Madness and win a free bet.
Bet for a Boost: Place a college basketball parlay and receive a 64 percent parlay boost token.
Cinderella Boost: Get a 64 percent profit boost token to use during the first round. Minimum odds +200, max wager $25.
Pour It On: Get $3 for every point your team scores over 64.
These you can use on March Madness or any bet you would like:
Caesars Sportsbook: $1,100 First Bet Insurance
BetRivers: Deposit Match Up To $250
PointsBet: Two Risk-Free Bets Up To $2,000
Coming Up On The Sports Betting Calendar ....
The sports betting world will continue to revolve around March Madness over the next few weeks, with the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight next weekend, and Final Four taking us into April. But here are some other nuggets on our calendar to look forward to:
NFL Draft: It's still a few weeks away, but several sportsbooks have expanded their draft markets since the Combine.
The NBA regular season rolls on. It wraps up Monday, April 11.
The NHL's regular season rolls on, as well. It wraps up on April 29.
UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. Daukaus next Saturday night.
WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play tees off Thursday, and we’re just a few weeks away from the tour’s annual stop in Augusta.
That's it for this week’s newsletter. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
If there is anything you would like to hear more about, shoot me a message via email at travis.pulver@catenamedia.com or hit me up on Twitter, @FatManWriting.
In the words of the great Dicky Fox: In life, to be honest, I failed as much as I have succeeded. But I love my wife. I love my life. And I wish you my kind of success.
Until Next Week,
Travis Pulver, Gaming Today Sports Betting Writer