Welcome to the BettingUSA.com March Madness betting guide.
College basketball’s biggest month is just as important for online sportsbooks as it is for fans, so bettors can expect lots of promotions and bracket contests throughout the tournament.
And as usual, legal sports betting has expanded even further since last year’s NCAA tournament. Sports betting is currently legal in most US states today, and fans in most jurisdictions can bet on March Madness online through licensed betting sites and mobile apps.
One of the byproducts of state control over sports betting is that regulations and availability vary from one state to the next. With that in mind, BettingUSA’s March Madness betting guide will explain how it works in every state in simple terms.
Below, readers can see where college basketball betting is legal, which online sportsbooks are available in each state, and what types of March Madness betting promotions are on offer.
March Madness Betting Apps
Play $5, Get $50 in Bonus EntriesUnderdog Sports Promo Code: BETUSA
Must be 18+ (19+ in AL, NE; 19+ in CO for some games; 21+ in AZ, MA, and VA) and present in a state where Underdog Fantasy operates. Terms apply. Concerned with your play? Call 1-800-MY-RESET or 1-800-GAMBLER or visit www.ncpgambling.org. NY: Call the 24/7 HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY or Text HOPENY (467369).
Free Entry + $100 Deposit BonusParlayPlay Promo Code: BUSA
18/21+, T&Cs Apply. Welcome offer is for players who make their first successful deposit to ParlayPlay. Following the deposit, you receive promo entry(s) that matches the deposit amount up to $100. The promo entry can only be used to enter up to 4-pick More/Less contests. If you lose the promo entry, your account balance is not impacted. The deposit promo entry(s) must be used within 7 days of deposit. After 7 days the free entry will expire. If you have concerns about managing your play on ParlayPlay or anywhere else, or if you’re concerned about a family member or friend, the National Council on Problem Gambling offers support through telephone or text. They can be reached confidentially (24-hours a day) at 1-800-522-4700. Or contacted on their website at https://www.ncpgambling.org/ or through chat at ncpgambling.org/chat.
$200 in No Sweat Tokens + A Free PicksBetr Picks Promo Code: USGAMLING
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*The options available in your state are fantasy pick’em apps, prediction markets, and social sportsbooks, not technically sports betting.
States with Legal March Madness Betting Online
Many US states have legalized online sports betting, but college betting regulations vary. For example, Oregon does not allow college betting at all, while some states prohibit wagers on in-state college teams or individual player props.
Fans in the following states have access to March Madness betting sites, subject to the following rules:
States with In-Person March Madness Betting Retail Only
College basketball betting is allowed in person at retail sportsbooks in each of the following states, subject to certain restrictions in some jurisdictions.
- Mississippi Sportsbooks: College betting is legal; no restrictions on in-state teams
- Montana Sportsbooks: College betting is permitted at authorized locations in Montana; no special rules apply to college sports
- New Mexico Sportsbooks: College wagering allowed; casinos set their own policies on college betting
- South Dakota Sportsbooks: Licensed sportsbooks may offer wagers on college games, but they may not accept bets on games involving local universities or props on individual athletes
- Washington State Sportsbooks: Legal sportsbooks in WA may offer college betting except on games involving local schools
- Wisconsin Sportsbooks may offer college betting; wagers not allowed on games involving in-state teams
A Note to College Basketball Fans in States Without Legal Sports Betting
Readers in states without legal March Madness betting do not have to sit this year’s tournament out.
If you’re reading this from a state that does not have legal sportsbooks, the odds are good you are either not too far from a state with legal online sports betting or have access to daily fantasy sports sites that provide an experience that is very close to the real thing.
Readers Near Or Visiting Legal States
First, we urge readers to view the map near the top of our NCAA sports betting page to see if you’re close to a state with legal online betting. Mobile betting apps in legal states permit customers to sign up for accounts and place deposits from anywhere in the country.
If you are close to a state with legal online betting, you can set everything up in advance from your location and then place your wagers the next time you cross into that state.
Fantasy Prop Betting Style Contests for Everyone Else
If visiting a state with legal online sportsbooks is not an option, the next-best alternative to betting on March Madness is a type of fantasy site that hosts fast and simple predictions contests related to team and player stats.
The websites and apps we’re referencing are not standard fantasy sites that involve hours of research and drafting teams of players. Instead, players log on, make predictions, and get paid if their predictions come true. The experience is remarkably similar to sports betting.
PrizePicks: In a PrizePicks contest, users choose 2-5 athletes and make over/under predictions on their statistical or fantasy point totals to win up to 10x their buyin. For example, a PrizePicks college basketball contest might involve picking the over/under on each athlete’s points, assists, or rebounds during an upcoming game.
Free March Madness Bracket Contests
Another option for fans in states without legal sports betting are free bracket contests with real prizes. In most states, sports fans can participate in March Madness bracket contests with real money prizes as long as they are free to enter.
Every year, a handful of sportsbooks and media outlets launch free March Madness contests that offer significant payouts for those who build the best brackets. These contests are an excellent alternative for fans who can’t bet on March Madness online where they live.
March Madness Betting Bonuses
The Super Bowl is the single biggest day for sports betting, but even the Big Game has nothing on March Madness as a whole when it comes to betting interest.
March is by far the most important month of the year for sportsbooks. And with operators in regulated states competing for market share, the number of March Madness betting promotions is quickly ramping up.
Below is an overview of what each of the nation’s major sports betting operators has on offer for this year’s Big Dance. Follow the links below to visit each sportsbook for more details, download the mobile app, and get started today.
The following snippets discuss standard new customer bonuses along with March Madness-specific offers. BettingUSA.com will provide updates below as sportsbooks launch additional promotions.
BetMGM March Madness Promotions
$1500 In Bonus BetsBetMGM Bonus Code: BUSABONUS
Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-RESET (Available in the US)
Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY)
Call 1-800-327-5050 (MA), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-981-0023 (PR)
21+ only. Please Gamble Responsibly. See BetMGM.com for Terms. First Bet Offer for new customers only (if applicable). Subject to eligibility requirements. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. This promotional offer is not available in DC, Mississippi, New York, Nevada, Ontario, or Puerto Rico.
BetMGM Sportsbook has already announced multiple March Madness promotions and will likely launch additional offers as the tournament progresses.
Past march madness promotions include:
- $10 Million March Madness Bracket Challenge
- March Madness Bonus Bets
Check back closer to the tournament for more details on March Madness betting promotions from our favorite online sportsbooks.
Wes Burns has more than a decade’s worth of experience as a writer, researcher and analyst in the legal gambling industry and is co-founder of BettingUSA.com. As a former professional online poker player, Wes approaches his work from the viewpoint of players.