This article is part of our Betting Advice series.
From college basketball enthusiasts to casual fans, March Madness piques the interest of countless people every year. Roughly 70 million NCAA Tournament brackets are filled out each year, but putting together a bracket is far from the only way to get skin in the game during 2023 March Madness.
As online sports betting continues to grow – most recently going live in Massachusetts this past Friday – more and more people can bet on individual games, college basketball futures, or who will win March Madness.
Using sportsbook promo codes on the best sports betting apps in the country is a great way to get started betting on March Madness this year. Below you will find some college basketball picks you can tail.
March Madness 2023 Picks: Region Winners
Alabama has +190 odds on FanDuel Sportsbook to emerge as the winner from the South Region. The No. 1 overall seed is coming in hot, off a dominant showing en route to the SEC Tournament title. Alabama's biggest competition in the South could be No. 3 seed Baylor (+600), which boasts excellent guard play from Keyonte George and Adam Flagler.
Houston has +120 odds at BetMGM to emerge from the Midwest Region. Nearly favored against the field in their region, the Cougars should encounter smooth sailing, if star guard Marcus Sasser (groin) is at full strength. If Sasser is limited, look for No. 2 seed Texas (+450) to advance to the Final Four.
In the West region, whichever of No. 3 seed Gonzaga (+400) or No. 2 seed UCLA (+350) emerges from their potential Sweet Sixteen clash is my pick to make the Final Four over top-seeded Kansas (+320). The Washington and California-based schools will likely feel much more at home than Kansas in a regional final game being played in Las Vegas. Gonzaga could be the team to beat given the wealth of NCAA Tournament experience between coach Mark Few and leading scorer Drew Timme. I like them and their +400 odds at Caesars Sportsbook.
Like the West region, the East region lacks an overwhelming favorite. This region is loaded with big-name programs, including No. 5 seed Duke (+850), No. 6 Kentucky (+850) and No. 7 Michigan State (+1200). They're all good options to make a Final Four run at the expense of No. 1 seed Purdue (+300). Give me Duke at +850 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Why March Madness Betting Is Better Than A Bracket
One of the biggest drawbacks of March Madness brackets is how one unfortunate result can bust your whole bracket early on. If your pick to win the title is taken out in the second round, your bracket is essentially dead in the water, making the rest of the tournament largely meaningless when it comes to your bracket pool. Even picking three of the Final Four teams correctly probably won't be enough to salvage your bracket without nailing the eventual champion.
By betting on individual games or futures, you can earn much more than just bragging rights. Among the bets types available at leading online sportsbooks are wagers on regional champions, like those noted above. Rather than trying to pinpoint every team's exact path to the Final Four, you can simply wager on teams to win their region.
How To Bet On March Madness This Year
Choose from any of the college basketball betting picks laid out above, and sign up to get bonus bets for your March Madness wagers. Use these March Madness betting promos to bet on March Madness this year.
Once on the best sports betting sites, click on the NCAAB header to place bets on the above college basketball futures. You can also wager on individual games, which teams will make the Sweet 16, and, of course, CBB Championship odds.
While the odds will change as the tournament unfolds, you can incorporate new information and continue to place March Madness bets after the start of the NCAA Tournament. That's another advantage sports betting brings over brackets, which will be locked in once the first round tips off Thursday afternoon.
Sign up today to get in on the action and bet on March Madness this year.
