Our Favorite March Madness Betting Sites

Author Image Author: | Last Updated: August 2025

Making the most of March Madness betting sites is a sure way of enjoying one of the most exciting U.S. sporting events. College basketball is, after all, a cultural staple within the States, and March Madness is its pinnacle affair.

The best online sportsbooks prepare for this heated event year-round. Bettors can start placing wagers on the next season via futures soon after the tourney ends, and those in it for the long run can start building their brackets way before the spring excitement. 

In this guide, we’ll introduce our recommended March Madness betting sites and share tips on how to make the most of your college basketball betting experience.  

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Top 3 March Madness Betting Sites

Top 3 March Madness Betting Sites

To get the most out of your college hoops you’ll need a decent sportsbook offering March Madness betting. We’ve compiled our list of the three best college basketball betting sites that are ahead of the game with what they have to offer.

  • BetOnline: Best March Madness Sportsbook Overall
  • BetUS: Best for March Madness Props
  • BetNow: Best for Betting Contests 

BetOnline: Best March Madness Sportsbook Overall

BetOnline
100% up to $1,000 Welcome Bonus
betonline screenshot
Casino Games: Slots, Video poker, Blackjack +5 more Craps, Baccarat, Roulette, Live dealer, Progressive jackpot.
Live Dealer: No
Payment Options: Visa, MasterCard, American Express +14 more Bitcoins, Ethereum, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Interac e-Transfer, Person2Person Transfers, Money Order, Bank Transfer, Check, Cardano, Dogecoin, Ripple, Tether, Usdt.

BetOnline is the best overall sportsbook for betting on March Madness. It excels in all the right places: early lines, creative props, competitive odds, superb bonuses, and secure payments.

To start with, they post early lines for both men’s and women’s NCAA futures on all teams involved. These can be combined with other bets to create mega parlays and teasers, too. Bettors looking to lock in profit early can take advantage of these moneylines right from the get-go.

BetOnline also offers some of the best welcome bonuses. Their ‘No Strings’ welcome bonus offers up $250 in extra funds for college basketball fans. There are also promos to keep an eye out for like their odds booster which you can find on the left-hand side of the Bet menu.

Don’t miss out on their VIP program too, which allows you to take advantage of more promo options.

  • All-in-one casino and sportsbook with excellent live poker rooms
  • 100% welcome bonus up to $1000 can be claimed up to three times
  • Excellent range of deposit methods including crypto, credit cards, and transfers
  • Free deposits and withdrawals with Bitcoin and other cryptos
  • Dedicated racebook with live betting
  • Wide range of video poker and obscure/ specialty games
  • Available to players in all 50 US states
  • Bonus turnovers are as high as 45x
  • Limited options for non-cryptocurrency withdrawals
  • 9.75% charges on deposits made with cards

BetUS: Best for March Madness Props

BetUS
125% up to $2,625 Welcome Bonus
Casino Games: Blackjack, Slots, Video poker +2 more Roulette, Baccarat.
Live Dealer: Yes
Payment Options: Visa, MasterCard, American Express +7 more American Express, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Ethereum, Bank Transfer, Bankwire, Check.

BetUS exceeds in their variation of prop bets, which is why punters love heading over to this site for their dose of March Madness proposition bets.

There’s a whole array of special bets available at BetUS, and this sportsbook likes to keep them fresh during the spring excitement. For example, you can wager on who scores the most points per game or the most positive offensive stats. Getting close with these odds could line up big payouts — especially if there’s an unexpected Cinderella run involved which you’ve predicted before the pack!

Finding these prop bets couldn’t be easier at BetUS either, as the site flaunts one of the most user-friendly interfaces around thanks to its exceptional UI and UX. You can easily navigate around this sportsbook to find the best NCAA odds, without getting lost.

What’s more, you can also stay up to date on the latest March Madness news in the BETUS TV tab and The Locker Room, where expert analysis and daily picks give you the daily scoop. Overall, it’s an excellent site for both beginners and seasoned college basketball bettors.

  • Several different welcome bonus options including a 200% crypto bonus
  • 300+ casino games, including slots and live-dealer
  • Sports Betting options include: pro football, college football, live betting and more
  • Same-day payouts up to $5000
  • Limited time (14 days) to clear bonus playthrough requirements
  • Money you wager on casino games does not count towards the loyalty program
  • BetUS is not available in Washington state

BetNow: Best for Betting Contests 

BetNow
200% up to $1,000 Welcome Bonus
betnow screenshot
Casino Games: Slots, Blackjack, Roulette +4 more Baccarat, Craps, Video poker, Live dealer.
Live Dealer: Yes
Payment Options: MasterCard, Bitcoins, Visa +2 more American Express, Bitcoin Cash.

BetNow is our top choice for delivering the most exciting and high-value March Madness contests.

The flashiest of these was their free $1,000,000 bracket madness contest active in 2025. The huge prize pool was split amongst 30 lucky participants, with the 1st place prize (for a perfect bracket) reaching a staggering $350,000.

Beyond their headline-grabbing contests, BetNow also delivers comprehensive tournament coverage with extensive prop betting options and live in-play that can excel during the March Madness frenzy.

The site also offers an array of weekly promos and flexible welcome bonuses that range from 50% to 200% ideal for casual and high stakes players. These bonuses come with reasonable rollover requirements and give bettors plenty of extra ammunition to tackle the tournament’s endless betting opportunities.

For March Madness enthusiasts looking for maximum value and elite-level contests, BetNow delivers on all fronts.

  • Flexible welcome bonuses
  • Weekly NFL, MLB and NBA contests with $10,000 giveaways
  • Comprehensive sportsbook with great odds
  • Great live dealer casino
  • Variety of banking options including multiple cryptocurrencies
  • Lacking slots and table game variety
  • Payout fees and restrictions on some banking options
  • Outdated UI design
Comparing the Best March Madness Sites

Comparing the Best March Madness Sites

The table below breaks down our site’s key stats. Each site has its own strengths from creative betting options to different promotional strategies. The best approach is to test drive a few of them to discover what clicks with your preferences, or go with the one that immediately grabs your attention. 

SportsbookTypes of BetsMin DepositWelcome BonusRead Our Review
BetOnlineNCAA Winner (Men’s/Women’s) Specials,
Brackets, Insurance, Points Spreads, Totals,
Team Props, Player Props, Moneylines
$20 crypto $25 Cards50% match worth up to $250 in free betsBetOnline Review
BetUSNCAA Winner (Men’s/Women’s) Specials,
1st Half Odds, 2nd Half Odds,Points Spreads,
Totals, Team Props, Player Props, Moneylines
$10 Crypto$20 Cards100% up to $2,500BetUS Review
BetNowNCAA Winner (Men’s/Women’s) Specials,
Brackets, first to 15, Points Spreads, Totals,
Team Props, Player Props, Moneylines
$10 Crypto
$20 Cards
25% up to $250BetNow Review
How we Evaluate March Madness

How we Evaluate March Madness

All of our sportsbooks undergo the same rigorous ranking process, but March Madness betting requires some specialized criteria that goes beyond standard sports betting evaluation.

hand-with-coin

Odds on Men and Women's March Madness

We examine how competitive each site’s lines are across both tournaments, paying special attention to futures markets and whether they offer early championship odds that provide real value before the brackets are announced.

dots

Interesting Contests and Brackets

The best March Madness sites go beyond basic betting by hosting bracket challenges, survivor pools, and unique tournament-specific contests that add extra layers of excitement to the three-week event.

bank

Fast Payouts

Tournament season creates a surge in winning tickets, so we prioritize sites that maintain their usual withdrawal speeds even during the busiest betting periods of the year.

headset

Reliable Customer Service

March Madness can be chaotic, and bettors need quick resolution when issues arise during crucial betting windows; we test response times and knowledge levels specifically during peak tournament activity.

Tips for a Successful March Madness Betting Strategy

Tips for a Successful March Madness Betting Strategy

Tournament betting requires a different approach than regular season wagering. Here are the insider strategies our experts use to gain on edge during the three weeks of madness:

Oakland West Virginia basketball

Target Mid-Major Conference Champions

Everyone bets on schools like Duke and North Carolina, but the real value often comes from smaller conference champions. These teams might not have faced tough competition all season, but they’re coming off winning their conference tournament and playing with serious confidence.

BWest UC Irvine UC San Diego Basketball

Watch for Coaching Experience Edges

Tournament basketball is different from regular season play, and coaches who’ve been to multiple Final Fours know how to manage the unique pressures and make the right adjustments when games get tight in the final minutes.

Wake Forest Duke Basketball

Bet Against the Hype

Casual bettors love backing teams that looked amazing in their last few games or betting against teams that struggled recently. This creates line movement that sharp bettors can capitalize on, especially in the first weekend when public money heavily influences spreads.

Final Four Michigan Villanova Basketball

Consider Rest Advantages

Teams that earned high seeds and conference tournament byes often have a significant rest advantage over squads that had to grind through multiple games. In the first round especially, that extra rest can be the difference when teams get tired, especially in the last few minutes.

NCAA Auburn Houston Basketball

Defense Wins Championships

While high-scoring teams get the attention, tournament success historically favors teams that can get stops when they need them. Defensive efficiency metrics often predict March performance better than offensive statistics, especially when games slow down in pressure situations.

Bracket Betting versus Traditional Betting

Bracket Betting versus Traditional Betting

You can bet on March Madness in two different ways: game-by-game bets or bracket contests. Each approach has its own advantages and risks, so understanding both helps you choose what works best for your budget.

Traditional betting lets you focus on individual games with standard point spreads, totals, and moneylines, similar to how you might approach NBA betting but with the added suspense of single-elimination tournament play. You can pick and choose your spots based on matchup analysis and situational factors. Each bet is independent, meaning one bad result doesn’t doom your entire tournament strategy.

Bracket betting, on the other hand, is essentially a tournament-long lottery ticket with astronomical odds but potentially life-changing payouts. BetNow leads this space with their massive million-dollar bracket challenges, though most bracket contests require you to predict all 63 games correctly, a hard feat to accomplish! Even getting close to perfection can net significant prizes in large-pool contests.

The middle ground might be the most practical approach for many bettors. Some sites both offer bracket contests where you only need to predict certain rounds correctly, or survivor-style pools where you pick one team each round to advance. These formats offer better odds than full bracket prediction while maintaining that full tournament excitement that makes March Madness special.

Check out our March Madness Coverage

Stay updated with our latest tournament analysis, betting tips, and breaking news throughout the entire March Madness experience.

Responsible Gambling

March Madness brings three weeks of non-stop action that can make it easy to get caught up in the excitement. Setting limits before the tournament starts helps ensure you can enjoy the games without any stress about your betting activity.

If you ever need support or resources, organizations like the National Council on Problem Gambling and Gamblers Anonymous are available.

Our responsible gambling guide also offers practical tips for maintaining a balanced approach to sports betting.

Summary

You’ve got the inside track on March madness betting now. The tournament offers creative ways to wager beyond basic spreads, from bracket contests to player props to specialty markets that casual bettors often overlook.  

Tournament betting isn’t like regular season wagering, which is why we have this full-service article at your disposal. Rest assured, that the tips we shared will give you a real edge when others are just picking favorites. 

March Madness happens once a year, so why not make it count? 

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About the Author

Taylor Smith is a skilled iGaming writer and content editor. He started writing for GamblingNerd.com in 2017 and became a content specialist in 2022. He majored in radio and film in college. After a transition to writing about online gambling, he now has over ten years of experience in the field. Yes, he’s heard your Taylor Swift jokes.

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