March Madness Colorado is one of the most popular times of the sporting year. It also doesn’t hurt that March Madness betting has become incredibly popular throughout the years. With all of the betting odds and March Madness bets to be made, it can feel tough to know where to start.
Ahead of the NCAA Tournament in March, there is a lot of ground to cover. If you plan on betting on March Madness, you need to know more about both the NCAA Tournament and sports betting, in general. Consider this your guide for knowing how to bet on March Madness, how to find the best March Madness betting site, and how to up your March Madness game.
What Does March Madness Involve?
The country’s 32 Division I conference champions are automatically included in this tournament. Another 36 get chosen by an NCAA committee in the event known as Selection Sunday. This gives a total of 68 teams, but that number is brought down to 64 in the First Four round, to be played on March 14 and 15 at the University of Dayton’s host venue in Ohio.
After this, the First Round sees the number of teams halved to 32. That’s because it’s a sudden-death format from this point onwards, with every game seeing the winning team progress and the loser drop out. This is where the famous bracket system comes into play, with fans able to plot each program’s possible route through the championship game.
The Sweet 16 and Elite Eight rounds are played around the country. This leads us to the Final Four Round, which are scheduled for April 1 in Texas, at the NRG Stadium. The championship game then gets played at the same venue on April 3. March Madness has become an American sporting tradition over many years, and last year it was won by the Kansas Jayhawks, who became the program to have collected the most championship wins in their history.
Need to start counting down sports dates with my milk expiration 😂
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— ClutchBet (@ClutchBetSB) March 6, 2024
Colorado Teams in March Madness
The University of Colorado Buffaloes team has taken part in the NCAA Tournament a total of 14 times, making it to the Final Four twice. The last time they got this far was in 1955. At the time of writing, it is expected that the Buffs will be one of the first four teams out of the bracket.
The Colorado State University Rams have played in this tournament on eleven occasions but have only managed to win four games overall. Their best performance came in 1969, when they reached the Elite Eight stage. There is potential that they could reach The Big Dance again in 2024.
The University of Denver Pioneers is one of the relatively few eligible programs in Division I to never have qualified to take part in the NCAA Tournament. It looks very unlikely that they will get into the March Madness tournament this year.
The University of Northern Colorado Bears reached the Second Round in their only NCAA Tournament appearance. This came in 2011 but can they return this time around? At the time of writing, they´re unlikely to make it to March Madness this year.
The Air Force Falcons have made it to the NCAA Tournament on four occasions. The last one was in 2006, but they are yet to win a game at this level. Don´t expect them to reach March Madness this year.
2023-24 Oscar Robertson Trophy and All-America Watch List: @KSimpsonJr ✅#GoBuffs pic.twitter.com/u4rlqaRbUP
— Colorado Men's Basketball (@CUBuffsMBB) February 27, 2024
Who Can You Bet on This Year?
As we saw earlier, none of the college basketball programs from Colorado is going to be among the favorites this year. It’s entirely possible that none of them even reaches the list of the final 68 teams. So, who can you bet on and what teams are currently classed as the favorites?
What About the Rest?
With 68 teams taking part, there are plenty of opportunities for betting on who you think might win. As you would expect, the odds vary widely between programs. From highly ranked teams sitting just below those we looked at to the underdogs, you can find odds on all of them and decide whether to go ahead.
Some fans enjoy waging underdogs, hoping to see them turn into a Cinderella team that goes all the way to the final. This is an incredibly difficult thing to do. Even if they manage to cause a huge shock, can they do the same thing again and again in the following games? You might decide that it’s simpler to choose an individual game where the underdog has a chance of overcoming the odds to win.
It’s up to you whether you do in-depth research on the teams, or just place your wager on a team you like. With so many people betting on March Madness, you can be sure that all sorts of different tactics are used by bettors, and a huge amount of information is available online to help you. Take a moment to consider how you would prefer to bet on this event to make it more enjoyable.
Colorado Buffaloes guard K.J. Simpson (2) makes a move with the basketball against the USC Trojans, Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024 in Los Angeles. The Colorado Buffaloes defeated the USC Trojans by the final score of 92-89 in 2-OT. (Kevin Reece via AP)
What Bets are Possible?
Sports fans love trying to predict which teams will get through their brackets, even if their favorites haven´t made it to the tournament this year. That´s why Coloradans are likely to still be interested in betting on these games even if none of the state´s programs make it. What are the key types of bets you need to understand?
If you look for March Madness odds in advance, this is when you´ll find the futures market. Based on events that are still a long way off, futures let you bet on who might win this tournament before it even starts. The odds reflect how difficult this is to get right, but you’ll see that they change as the games begin and we gradually get a better idea of which teams look like going all the way to the final.
You can also bet on each game. This obviously can only be done once it’s clear which teams will be playing each other. Doing this opens up the following different types of wagers that you might want to consider making.
Straight bets
The most common way to partake in March Madness betting is through straight bets. Sports betting can be simplified by wagering on single games rather than betting on something more complicated like who will win the March Madness tournament. Bet on each college basketball game and make your betting options a lot simpler.
Prop bets
Prop bets have become quite popular of late. You can bet on the player stats and individual outcomes, and even combine them to create a parlay bet. You can even wager on things within a single game to create a same game parlay, too. College basketball bettors love parlays because the betting odds are much more favorable, creating larger wins. That said, your bet wins only if you hit all legs of the wager.
Elite Eight, Final Four, etc
Another aspect of NCAA tournament wagers is betting on which teams will make it deep into the NCAA tournament. Most online betting sites allow you to choose which teams will make it to the different tiers like the Sweet 16, Elite Eight, and Final Four. College basketball bettors aren’t necessarily trying to win March Madness, but rather trying to predict who will make it deep into the NCAA basketball tournament.
Tournament Winner
March Madness online does, however, come down to choosing the winner. Sports betting is about picking the winner and the betting odds reflect how tough it is to predict a winner. March Madness betting sites list the betting odds for teams to make it to certain levels or win outright. There are even March Madness bracket contests, some among online sportsbooks, that provide prizes for the most slots guessed correctly.
How to Find a Colorado Sportsbook?
Before you focus on the college basketball games and March Madness betting markets, you need to know how to choose from among the many betting sites. There are a few things to consider when choosing an online sportsbook apart from points spreads and betting lines.
Welcome bonus
The single most important aspect of choosing a legal betting option is the bonus. Bonus bets come in all different forms and betting sites each offer their own NCAA March Madness promotions. Caesars Sportsbook, for instance, offers a first bet safety net in case your first bet on the March Madness tournament winds up going wrong.
Odds
Though betting odds will largely be similar when it comes to NCAA tournament wagers, the odds between betting sites can vary. For instance, the odds at Caesars Sportsbook might be slightly different from DraftKings or FanDuel or even retail sportsbooks. Moneyline odds one way or another can create value that would not have otherwise been there.
Live betting
Though there is plenty to bet on ahead of Selection Sunday, there is nothing quite like betting on March Madness games in real time. Betting options change throughout the game, making live betting one of the most fun options out there. Even if your wager loses, you can take another shot through live betting changes.
Futures
Futures odds are posted and show the payout for what happens if a team makes a certain tier in the March Madness bracket or wins the National Championship outright. It is fun for college basketball bettors to make multiple bets on who they think will win the NCAA tournament.
Mobile Betting
Being able to bet on the go is a must for sports fans. If you want to access the latest betting markets or check the March Madness bracket, then you need to be able to bet on the go. Top sportsbooks like Caesars Sportsbook have great mobile apps and a ton of March Madness betting options to choose from.
Is everyone backing 0-26 Detroit Mercy (-5.5) tonight? 😅 pic.twitter.com/Q5vB7mCqjY
— ClutchBet (@ClutchBetSB) February 14, 2024
FAQ
How to Choose a Legal Sportsbook in Colorado?
When checking out March Madness online betting, there are a few things to consider ahead of time. Look for sportsbooks with great bonus bets and odds boosts to maximize your March Madness betting options.
Also, check out popular March Madness bets on all of the NCAA tournament games. Prop bets, bonus bets, and even March Madness bracket pools are all part of the territory. The best March Madness betting sites have a huge selection of daily odds boosts and responsible gambling options to make your college basketball betting experience a better one.
Exploring Your Betting Options for March Madness
If you don’t quite know how to bet on March Madness, it is easier than it looks. March Madness odds are pretty straightforward and betting on March Madness is quick to pick up. Whether you look into moneylines, March Madness tournament winners, or the litany of prop bets, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is loaded with betting options.
For the most part, March Madness betting sites are quite similar. You can choose from betting options on each game, enter March Madness bracket contests, partake in March Madness prop bets, and take advantage of changing March Madness odds all the time.
Strategies for Successful Betting on March Madness
There are a few March Madness betting strategies that can help improve your odds to win March Madness. If you aren’t a hue college basketball fan, stick with the experts. There are plenty out there and each offers insight into each of the NCAAB games as well as the NCAA Tournament teams most likely to advance.
Doing a little research can help, too. You don’t have to necessarily be an expert to know how to bet on March Madness, just check out recent trends both in the tournament and throughout the season. Watching the games helps, too, giving you a much better idea of what each team is like and how they play.
If you really want to get into it, there are a ton of strategies from March Madness betting sites but dive into the stats yourself. Check out sites like Hoop-Math, Syngergy, KenPom, and others for more advanced analytics. Keep in mind that being an NCAA tournament bettor is a risk in itself but the best March Madness bettors do their homework.
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Iowa: 1-800-BETS OFF
Colorado: 1-800-GAMBLER
Louisiana: 1-877-770-STOP pic.twitter.com/ZFCujdHtnh— ClutchBet (@ClutchBetSB) February 21, 2024
