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How to Bet on March Madness: NCAA Tournament Betting Strategy 2026

Allen Byron

Updated on March 19, 2026 at 12:12 PM EDT • Read time: 5 minutes and 57 seconds. Find more information on Twitter and Google News.

Head coach Kelvin Sampson of the Houston Cougars instructs Marcus Sasser as we offer up our March Madness betting guide
Head coach Kelvin Sampson of the Houston Cougars instructs Marcus Sasser #0 and Jamal Shead #1 during the first half against the Memphis Tigers at FedExForum on March 05, 2026 in Memphis, Tennessee. Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images via AFP.

If you’re new to betting on March Madness or want to improve your results from previous years, our comprehensive March Madness betting guide offers valuable insights into the latest trends and strategies for successful betting on the tournament.

There is no sports event quite like the NCAA tournament. A total of sixty-eight teams compete for the highly sought-after national championship, with even the smallest Division I conferences being represented by at least one team.

The majority of our top March Madness betting sites feature only three teams – UConn, Houston, and Purdue – with odds of less than +1000 to win the national championship. Betting on the winner and Final Four odds are great opportunities for bettors to earn significant profits during the tournament.

Check out our March Madness betting guide for the 2026 tournament to ensure you make the right picks and come out on top.

How does March Madness betting work?

There are 67 games in the NCAA tournament, offering plenty of chances to bet on point spreads, moneylines, and totals. But the real excitement of March Madness is finding the Cinderella team that will go far in the tournament. Bettors can do this by exploring different college basketball futures bets.

Several sportsbooks offer NCAA tournament odds categorized by regional props, with the 68 teams divided among East, West, Midwest, and South Regionals. Each team has odds to win their region and reach the Final Four, along with other exciting bets such as predicting the first No. 1 seed to be eliminated and how many No. 1 seeds will make it to the Final Four.

Additionally, if you are part of a conference, you can place bets on which conference the eventual champion will represent.

The March Madness logo is seen prior to a game between the Houston Cougars and Villanova Wildcats as we look at our March Madness betting guide.
The March Madness logo is seen prior to a game between the Houston Cougars and Villanova Wildcats in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Elite 8 Round at AT&T Center on March 26, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images via AFP.

March Madness betting odds explained

Point spread

Spread betting involves placing bets on the margin of victory in a game. In the previous national championship game, Kansas was favored to win by 4 points against North Carolina. Despite Kansas winning by only 3 points, those who bet on North Carolina at +4 still won their bets since the final score suggested North Carolina won by 1 point.

The game nearly ended in a tie due to the point spread being factored in, which is why point spreads commonly include half-points to avoid ties.

Over/Under

Over/Under bets allow bettors to wager on the total number of points scored in a game without having to pick a specific team to win. Bettors can choose whether they believe the actual total will be higher or lower than the line set by the sportsbook.

In the North Carolina vs. Kansas national championship game, the total points scored was 151. Bettors had to decide if they thought the final score would be over or under this number. Those who bet on under won when the game ended with a total of 141 points.

Moneyline

Moneyline bets require bettors to choose the team they believe will win the game. For instance, in the matchup between North Carolina and Kansas, Kansas is the favorite with -200 odds, while North Carolina is the underdog with +165 odds. The negative sign indicates the favorite, meaning you would need to bet $200 to win $100. Typically, favorites are favored for a reason, hence the higher cost to bet on them.

In the same situation, bettors could wager $100 on the underdog Tar Heels to win outright and potentially win $165. These amounts are simply used to calculate payouts, but any amount can be bet.

March Madness bet types

Futures

Futures bets differ from point spread, Over/Under, and moneyline bets in that they are paid out over a longer period of time, such as predicting winners of regions or the national championship. These bets are more appealing to bettors due to their enticing odds, which are usually updated after each round of March Madness.

Props

Proposition wagers provide bettors with various options for betting on games, including game props (such as the winning margin for a team), team props (such as team totals), and player props (such as predicting how many points or rebounds a specific player will earn).

Check out our top March Madness betting platforms and participate in their free bracket challenges to showcase your skills.

First to 15

“First to 15” bets are wagers where bettors predict which team will score 15 points first in a game. These bets provide an exciting start to the game, with winners usually determined long before halftime and receiving their payouts.

Tournament MVP

You might be familiar with the Tournament MVP bet known as the Final Four Most Outstanding Player. These bets often result in high payouts because predicting the most successful teams is already challenging, let alone predicting which players on those teams will perform the best.

Derivatives

Derivative bets involve dividing a full game into separate segments, typically the first half and second half. This allows bettors to place wagers on a team to cover, the Over/Under, or either team on the moneyline in each half of the game with varying odds.

March Madness 2026 betting strategy

March Madness is one of the most beloved sporting events of the year due to the abundance of Cinderella stories. Don’t forget to make some upset predictions while planning your path to the Sweet Sixteen, Elite Eight, and Final Four. For instance, in the previous tournament, Saint Peter’s, a small private school with only 2,000 undergraduate students, pulled off a stunning upset against powerhouse Kentucky, capturing the nation’s attention with their Elite Eight run.

In the same way, Sister Jean remains a well-known figure following Loyola Chicago’s impressive Final Four performance in 2018. This has led many bettors to believe that the top-ranked teams are given their status due to their consistent success throughout the season. However, it’s worth noting that only once in NCAA tournament history (in 2008) have all four No. 1 seeds reached the Final Four, with three No. 1 seeds achieving this feat on five occasions.

Stats to know for March Madness

In analyzing teams’ likelihood of success, one key statistic to consider is KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency. Over the past 10 March Madness tournaments, only three Final Four teams were ranked below the top 40 in this metric. In contrast, 17 out of the 40 Final Four participants were ranked in the top 10, with nine of them being in the top three.

When predicting the eventual national champion, it is important to consider teams that have a strong balance of KenPom’s adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency metrics. In the past decade, 11 out of 12 national champions were ranked in the top 22 in both categories at the end of the season. Additionally, five times the eventual champion was ranked in the top seven in both categories. Currently, only Houston is ranked in the top seven in both offensive and defensive efficiency for the 2026-23 season, with UConn, Texas, and Alabama also ranking in the top 20 in each category.

When completing your printable March Madness bracket or placing bets, be sure to consider the game locations, as all games are held at neutral sites across the country. Keep in mind that some teams may have an advantage if they end up playing near their home stadium.

Looking ahead, the Final Four is set to take place in Houston, giving the Cougars a significant advantage should they reach that stage.

Because all NCAA tournament games are played at neutral sites, it is important for bettors to consider a team’s road and neutral site record from the regular season. Home-court advantages will not come into play in a tournament setting.

March Madness FAQs

Who won March Madness last year?

UConn emerged victorious over San Diego State in the 2026 NCAA Tournament final.

When does March Madness 2026 start?

Selection Sunday occurred on March 17, 2026, with the NCAA Tournament’s first round set to take place on Thursday and Friday, preceded by the First Four games on Tuesday and Wednesday.

When will March Madness be decided?

The 2026 Final Four is scheduled for Saturday, April 6, 2026, with the National Championship Game to follow on Monday, April 8, 2026.

Where will March Madness be played?

State Farm Stadium in Phoenix, Arizona, will host the 2026 Final Four and National Championship Game.

March Madness betting odds pages

March Madness OddsMarch Madness PredictionsFinal Four OddsMarch Madness MVP Odds
March Madness Prop BetsMarch Madness Upset PicksMarch Madness Bracket GuideMarch Madness Bracket Predictions
March Madness Bracket ChallengesMarch Madness betting promos

Here are our best March Madness betting sites:

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Written By:
Allen Byron
Mike started in the sports writing industry in July 2019, and gained a lot of followers in his first year after finishing with the No. 2 overall record in an annual NFL betting competition, which made picks against the spread, and from an Over/Under and moneyline perspective. Mike is an avid fan of the NFL, MLB, tennis, and all college sports. In his opinion, March Madness is the best sporting event there is, and he’s especially euphoric starting with conference tournament time in college basketball. Mike’s a big advocate of “fading the public” and making plays that are contrarian, constantly citing that “there are reasons why they have those big shiny buildings in Las Vegas.” When making wagers, Mike always scours the best odds at all of the major sports betting sites, where he mostly sifts through DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and bet365. He’s tried several others and is of the firm belief that bettors should not just stick to one sportsbook, as there is always likely better value to be had with the same wager. In addition, while Mike received his undergraduate degree from Villanova University, he has no issue betting against the Wildcats when it comes to college basketball wagering, and suggests other bettors should always put their “head” before their “hearts.”