March Madness Brings…

Sports betting news and information for bettors by bettors ...

Mar 31, 2023

… no, not May flowers. March Madness brings April sadness.

It doesn't have quite the same ring to it as “April showers bring May flowers.” But it works. If you are a college basketball fan, it must be a little sad to see the season end. For bettors, it could mean one of two things:

You're sad because you've been killing it throughout the March Madness tournament and wish you had a few more games to bet on. Or…
You are sad because you bet on all the wrong underdogs while your buddy bet on all the right ones — and they will not stop bragging about it!

All good things must come to an end, but that also means you'll have next season to look forward to. While you will no longer have college basketball games to bet on, the NBA and NHL postseasons are right around the corner, today is Opening Day for the 2023 MLB season, The Masters is next week, the Kentucky Derby is coming up, the XFL is going strong, etc.

Bettors have more than enough to keep them occupied in the months ahead. So, let's get right to it and discuss the latest and greatest in sports betting!

Pick a Promo: The Best Sportsbooks Have To Offer

For some, the sadness started in March…

March Madness: Final Four

It has been a crazy tournament with some wild, unexpected finishes. These last three games, starting with the Final Four on Saturday night, have a lot to live up to. That is, if we are going to see the season end with competitive, entertaining games that are as good or better than the ones we've already seen.

We will have game previews posted to GamingToday.com soon, and you can check out futures odds for the NCAA Tournament here.

If you are a fan of player props and/or parlays, check out my article:

March Madness Player Props & Parlay Picks: Eight Plays for Saturday's Final Four

Oh, and the NIT championship game is tonight. If you are inclined to bet the UAB vs. North Texas matchup, check out my preview here.

Final Four Game Lines

2023 MLB Season: Opening Day is Here!

For a sports betting writer like myself, the MLB season is awesome. There are so many games and so many different markets to talk about! You have 30 teams each playing 162 games, and there are so many futures markets, too. I love studying the numbers (which there is never a shortage of in baseball) and trying to find the diamonds in the rough.

Yes, I am that kind of nerd.

Our writers have been hard at work preparing content for MLB bettors to enjoy as the season gets underway (Go Astros!):

As I said, our team has been busy and will continue to be active throughout the MLB season, providing you with the best and most up-to-date MLB content around.

If you want to know the latest and greatest about MLB futures prices, you can check out our dedicated World Series page.

Today’s MLB Lines

Then there are those who have had a great month…

Elsewhere in the Wide World Of Sports Betting…

For those of you who believe variety is the spice of life and/or prefer to bet on something other than baseball or March Madness, we've got you covered.

Here is a taste of our coverage this week, including plenty of items on Kentucky Derby prep races:

I'll be getting my weekly XFL post up today or tomorrow (who am I kidding — tomorrow).

Tonight’s NBA Odds

This Week on the Sports Betting Legal/Business Landscape…

It's a busy time for sports betting legislation.

Sports bettors in North Carolina got good news this week as the House approved mobile sports betting. HB 347 now moves to the North Carolina Senate for approval.

News wasn’t as good for bettors in Georgia, as their state legislature adjourned early this morning without taking up sports betting legislation

Meanwhile, Rebecca Hanchett has her eyes on Kentucky as sports betting legislation is looking for a buzzer-beater.

In Massachusetts, where online sports betting launched this month, gamblers may soon see the Betr app go live, following Jake Paul’s settlement with the SEC.

For those concerned about the ethics of sports betting, you'll like something the American Gaming Association did recently. The AGA updated the marketing code for sports betting ads. The intent was to provide better protection to minors and college students.

Finally.

Sportsbook Promotions: March 30, 2023

The following promotions could come in handy this weekend:

PointsBet. Power Hour, 60 Days of Bonus Bets: Start the countdown for 60 days of Bonus Bets! Starting April 1st, log in from 6-7 pm ET every day to get your Same Game Parlay Bonus Bet. Use it on ANY sport during Power Hour.
BetRivers. Opening Weekend Parlay Insurance! Place a 4+ leg MLB parlay and get your stake back, up to $25, if exactly one leg loses!
Caesars. 33% MLB SGP Daily Token: Thursday 3/30 – Sunday 4/9: Opt-In and get one (1) 33% Same Game Parlay Token daily to use on any game in Major League Baseball between March 30, 2023, and April 9, 2023.
***Caesars also has a couple of good ones for MLB bettors that are only good for today:
Grand Slam, Thursday, 3/30. Opt-in and wager $25+ on the money line of at least four (4) different Major League Baseball games on Thursday, March 30, 2023, to get a $25 Bonus Bet.
25% Player To Hit A Homerun, Thursday, 3/30: Opt-In and get one (1) 25% Profit Boost Token to use on the MLB Player To Hit A Home run market for any MLB game on March 30, 2023.
FanDuel. Place a $25+ Outright Wager on the 2023 World Series Winner, and get two (2) 50% Profit Boost Tokens to use on MLB.

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: Know When To Say When

That phrase is something most of us have heard in PSAs about drunk driving for years, but it applies to sports betting, too. It can be very easy to get hooked on gambling, whether it's the rush that comes with winning or the agony of defeat and the subsequent desire to make back your losses with your next bet.

Betting can be a ton of fun, but not if it gets out of hand and starts to have a negative impact on other parts of your life. You can find references and links to responsible gaming on every sportsbook app, along with a phone number you can call if you need help.

Sportsbooks also have several ways in which you can self-regulate and limit the amount of time, money, etc., you spend on betting.

I wish I had brought this up earlier in the month since March was Problem Gambling Awareness Month, but better late than never, right?

If you follow sportsbooks on social media, you've probably seen a few of these tweets this month:

DraftKings Sportsbook @DKSportsbook

Hey. DraftKings here. Did you know March is Problem Gambling Awareness Month? Learn more about this hidden addiction: bit.ly/3w7qsyi #PGAM2022

Newsletter is done, man. How do you feel?

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, I want to share this little nugget with you guys:

DraftKings Sportsbook @DKSportsbook

And the Academy Award goes to… 😂