2023 March Madness Odds
For a few weeks each spring, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament takes center stage. Affectionately known as March Madness, the top teams from across the nation square off to crown a champ.
Chicago has served as a regional hub for the tourney many times, and homegrown talents such as Isiah Thomas, Kendall Gill and Deron Williams have lit up the scoreboard while delivering mesmerizing performances on the biggest stage.
Legal sports betting is here in Illinois and online registration is back in time for March Madness betting to take off this year. Check the latest March Madness odds below plus a list of the top Illinois online sportsbooks.
Best March Madness betting apps 2023
Live March Madness odds
Check the live odds feed below for current March Madness game lines (point spreads, moneylines and totals) from multiple IL online sportsbooks. You’ll also see futures odds for teams to either make the Final Four or win the National Championship. Click on any odds to go directly to the online sportsbook, claim your bonus and start getting your March Madness bets in.
How to bet on March Madness online in IL
When it’s time to bet on March Madness, you’ll need a legal, regulated sportsbook to take care of business. Each of our recommended sportsbooks passes muster on that front. Even better, getting started is a quick and painless process.
First, click through our links to create an IL betting account and become eligible for exclusive bonus offers. You’ll be brought to the sign-up page to enter your name, email address and date of birth.
After that’s all set, you’ll click the submission button and your new account is official. You can take some time to browse around the college basketball betting markets, but be sure to take a second to download the app for your device from the sportsbook’s website.
Once you log in on the app you’ll have to add some funds — there are a several payment methods to choose from — and get ready to place your bets.
Keep in mind: Sports betting odds move fast, especially around March Madness time. The numbers won’t always be the same at each book, either. For example, BetRivers Illinois may have one price, while PointsBet Illinois has another.
Signing up for multiple online sports books via our links will give you access to the best odds as they arise.
Bets for NCAA March Madness
For every game in the bracket during March Madness, sportsbooks will offer odds and lines. The listings at online sportsbooks will feature the main bet types and look like this:
| Team | Point Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | +1.5 (-110) | +110 | O 139.5 (-110) |
| Duke | -1.5 (-110) | -120 | U 139.5 (-110) |
Right next to the two team names are the odds for the main bet types. For this example, Duke is a 1.5-point favorite on the spread and favored on the moneyline, while the projected total has been set at 139.5 points. Here’s a quick refresher on how these basketball bets work:
- Point Spread: You can choose the favorite minus the points or the underdog plus the number. The side that you pick has to cover the spread for the bet to be a winner.
- Moneyline: A straightforward bet in which you have to pick the winner. Moneyline odds are negative for favorites and positive for underdogs.
- Totals: Oddsmakers set a benchmark for the total number of points scored in the game. Bettors can place wagers on the over or under.
Each of those three bet types will attract tons of action during March Madness, but there are other offerings to consider as well. Here are some other ways to wager:
- Props: These are side wagers on the individual games or on the tournament as a whole, such as which team will perform best in the first half of a game.
- Live Betting: This type of bet you can place in real-time as games play out, with options including updated spread and moneyline wagering.
- Parlays: For this wager type, you’re including multiple choices on a single slip. It’s a high-risk, high-reward bet as you have to be right on all selections to win the wager.
Bracket contests are a great way to ramp up the excitement of NCAA March Madness. That said, it’s tough to beat single-game betting as it opens the door to even more ways to win. You can also play in a bracket contest or two while focusing your main efforts on the individual games.
Which Illinois teams are expected in March Madness this year?
Be aware that Illinois sports betting law states that wagering on in-state collegiate teams online is prohibited. That means that if any of the local teams get invited to the dance, you won’t be able to wager on those teams on a mobile device.
However, you can now do so at retail sportsbooks in person.
While that’s less than ideal, there’s nothing to stop you from rooting along as they advance in the tourney. You can also travel across the border into Indiana to place your bets there.
Which local squads have the best shot at making the tournament this year? Here are the top Illinois teams according to KenPom:
3 best March Madness bets
The sheer number of games during March Madness can make wagering a bit intimidating. However, you can overcome that by taking a measured approach while focusing on the games you find the most appealing. Here’s a trio of things to keep in mind as you map out your March Madness betting strategy:
- Get in Early on Futures: Futures odds for the Final Four and national champion are released in the offseason. Be sure to review the numbers soon after they come out and stay engaged throughout the season. If you can find great prices on the team you think has what it takes to win it all, there could be a great return down the road if they do pull it off.
- Look for Potential Early-Round Upsets: Part of March Madness fun is the anything-can-happen nature of the first two rounds. Keep an eye out for lower-seeded teams on hot streaks facing off with higher seeds who may have backed in. The top four seeds in each bracket have a great overall win rate, but surprises can happen.
- Don’t Be Shy with the Moneyline: When a potential mismatch is on tap, there’s not much value on the moneyline. However, games that are tighter than that can be great spots to focus. The moneyline gets a bad rap, but odds of -200 or less are nothing to sneeze at, however. If you drop $100 at that number and get the win, you’re looking at a 50% return.
We mentioned keeping a watchful eye on the odds in the futures market, and the same applies to single-game bets. March Madness odds are released well in advance of tipoff, and you can be sure there will be line movement.
You should watch the line moves for some clues on which way the money is flowing. In addition, don’t be shy about checking out the prices at multiple operators. DraftKings may have a better price on one game, while Caesars may be tops on another, for example.
3 worst March Madness betting mistakes
At times, knowing what not to do can be just as important as knowing what to do. One of those times comes when you’re betting on sports. We’re all going to make mistakes and bad calls, and there’s no way to avoid that altogether.
However, there are also some betting pitfalls that you can steer clear of — provided that you know what to watch for, that is. Here are three potential landmines to steer clear of as you prepare to bet on March Madness:
- Betting Over Your Head: We get it. Exciting events such as March Madness can make you feel as if you want to go the extra mile with betting. Resist that urge at all costs. You should always stick to your comfort level. This is true when it comes to the number of bets you make, but especially for the amount of money you are putting at risk.
- Unfocused Research Efforts: A well-thought-out handicapping system can do wonders for your bottom line, while unfocused research efforts can have the opposite impact. To make sure you’re on the former track, stick to what really matters. Digesting too much information can lead to poor calls, so focus on what moves the needle for game outcomes.
- Not Taking the Time to Line Shop: A half-point on a spread or total may not seem like much, but it can absolutely impact your results. The same holds true with seemingly small ticks of difference on the moneyline. If you’re not line shopping while breaking down the games, you’re doing it wrong. Always look for the best prices before placing your bets.
In addition to avoiding the above missteps, you can mitigate even more of the potential damage by approaching March Madness with a clear plan. You should have a budget in place for how much you plan to wager, as well a targeted number of games per round.
For your bankroll, you can allocate a certain amount of money to single-game wagers and keep a portion aside for props and live betting. On the games, think through what you can reasonably handle and then whittle it down to your top options on the board.
What are March Madness bracket contests?
The release of the March Madness bracket is one of the most anticipated events of college basketball season. The bracket lays out the schedule for the tournament, and serves as the basis for a slew of contests.
Bracket contests can be as simple as one from your office or favorite watering hole. You can also find contests online, some of which are free to enter while others ask for an entry fee. In all cases, those with the best scoring bracket can win prizes.
The free contests can be entertaining, but most of the bigger contests attract loads of entries. As such, winning or making some noise is a tough trick to turn. Paid contests with fewer entrants provide a more realistic chance of winning.
Online and sportsbooks and sports betting apps also offer contests in both categories. We’ll cover what to keep an eye out for in a bit. Brackets are a great way to get engaged with March Madness, but there’s also a lot to be said for wagering on the games.
From the First Four through to the national title tilt, there are 67 games to consider. There are numerous ways to wager on each game to boot, and by extension, even greater chances to win some money.
Best online March Madness bracket contests
Now that sports betting has been legalized in Illinois, we can safely expect that the leading operators will go all out come tournament time. Beyond offering markets on all of the games, they’ll likely provide some big bracket contests.
While we don’t have the specifics yet, we can look toward what some of the top shops have done in other states in recent times. DraftKings Sportsbook and FanDuel Sportsbook have offered some rather big free-to-play contests in the past, for example.
They worked just like any other bracket contest: You pick the winner of each game for the entire tournament. Just be sure to fill your bracket out in full before the first game tips off. And check our guide on how to predict March Madness upsets, too.
There are prizes for the winner, but we once again have to point out that free games bring in plenty of users, so winning is far from easy. You should be on the lookout for paid contests from the top books.
The top-scoring brackets earn prizes, and DraftKings and FanDuel don’t have things on lockdown by any means. You should also keep your eyes open for March Madness contests from operators such as Caesars Sportsbook, PointsBet and the BetMGM sportsbook in Illinois.
March Madness FAQ
The broadcast rights for the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament are held by CBS Sports and Turner Sports. Currently, games are scheduled to be carried on the following networks.
- First Four: TruTV
- First and Second Rounds: CBS, TBS, TNT, and TruTV
- Sweet 16 and Elite Eight: CBS and TBS
- Final Four and Championship: CBS
All of the above networks are available on multiple cable, satellite and streaming providers. You should also be able to watch via app on the network that’s carrying the game, but note that valid login credentials are usually necessary.
For now, the best course of action is to visit NCAA.com and look for the men’s basketball section. You can sign up for additional information on the Final Four with your email address, and you’ll be contacted with specifics on prices and packages as soon as more details are available. Once tickets are released for sale to the public, you should be able to find them available via major ticket brokers and resellers.
Prices will vary by year and venue, but you’re looking at an investment of at least $200. That’s also the list price, so keep in mind that the cost will be inflated even further for any tickets that make it to the resale market. For an average ballpark price, you’re looking at a minimum of $200-$300 for tickets, but likely more than that.