March Madness: Where to watch and how to bet

March Madness is fast-paced, unpredictable, and great fun. It’s one of the few sporting events that brings together avid basketball lovers, casual followers, and fans of other sports eager to find out what all the fuss is about. But how does the competition work, why is it so popular, and how do you bet on the results? 

If you’re looking for more information, Whop has you covered with the latest addition to our online gambling series. We have everything you need to watch the games, bet on results, and enjoy the show.

It’s a one-stop shop for March Madness information ahead of its return.

Professional advice at your fingertips

Whop is the home of professional advice on everything from sports betting picks to fitness. We put you in contact with experts from the most popular industries, allowing our followers to gain the latest information, most reliable predictions, and professional insights. Knowledge is power, and we place everything at your fingertips.

Whop’s online gambling expert, Frank Monkhouse, returns with an article advising how to bet on March Madness. You’ll learn the most popular betting strategies for online sportsbook users, including how to read the stats and trends. There are details on finding the best odds, standout promotions, and the markets that will enhance your chances of beating the bookies and making a profit.

The March Madness 2025 format

To level up your chances of finding a winner and making a profit from March Madness, you must fully understand the competition’s unique format. Knowing the schedule helps you keep tabs on the best teams and players, monitor their performances, and factor in fatigue or injury when deciding on your picks. 

Here’s the March Madness 2025 format:

Selection Sunday: Organizers announce the final field of 68 college basketball teams.

First Four: The games begin when the four lowest at large teams face the lowest seeds of the automatic qualifiers. Winners progress to the first round.

First Round: A total of 64 teams meet in a straight knockout format in games played across eight locations.

Second Round: With the pack halved to 32 teams, the remaining contenders play one match to keep their dreams alive.

Sweet 16: We’re now down to just 16 teams and they battle for a spot in the next round in the regional semi-finals. Things begin to get tense.

Elite Eight: Down to eight hopefuls, the college basketball teams still in the running meet, with the winners advancing to the last four. The losing teams pack up and head home.

Final Four: March Madness moves to the semi finals as four teams face off in two games. The winner of each semi final progresses to challenge for the trophy.

National Championship: What all the planning, organization and training has been geared towards. The remaining two teams, having won through several challenging rounds, meet in the final. San Antonio provides the backdrop.

Sports fans and online bettors can gamble on the outright winner of March Madness 2025 or on any game played during the tournament.

2025 March Madness dates, times, and venues

Let’s now get some dates for your diary, March Madness fans.

Where to watch March Madness

Before learning how to bet on March Madness, it’s worth familiarizing yourself with the official broadcasters. Each of the names listed below offer legal coverage of the best games of the competition to their TV viewers and online customers.

You can watch from the comfort of your home on your television or take the action with you, following on the smartphone app.

The history of March Madness

I touched on why you should consider past performances when betting on this year’s edition of March Madness. Many bettors and sports fans like to place their trust in a team, city, coach, or owner who has been there, seen it, and won the trophy.

Past winners

The table below shows the last ten winners of March Madness.

Teams with the most wins

I’ll now draw your attention to the best-performing teams with multiple titles.

Winning conferences

If you’d rather place your bets on the winning conference, here’s the information you need before parting with your hard-earned stake.

Winning coaches

That’s the best team and conferences covered. Now, let’s pick out the most decorated coaches in this competition’s fascinating history.

How to bet on March Madness

Here's your three-step guide to betting on March Madness.

1. Explore betting strategies

Every profitable sports gambler has at least one betting strategy they stick to closely, and it’s a good idea to follow their lead here. Spend time researching different strategies and try them out to find the one that suits you best. 

Here are five popular betting strategies. You can try each to see which works for you. It’s worth keeping your stakes low while you’re in the experimental phase to limit your losses and avoid making any costly mistakes.

Whop

Visit Whop Discover and you’ll find thousands of betting resources available at the touch of a button. You can choose to follow a free sports handicapper or pay to join a subscription service. The whops are run by knowledgeable bettors who are experienced in beating the house. Why not follow their advice?

Research

If you have the time to dedicate, you can research and find your bets without relying on a handicapper. When picking selections, you take 100% of the credit and the profits, avoiding any subscription fees.

The more you research a fixture and the two teams involved, the more likely you are to place a winning bet. You should have all the latest news on the form, injuries, head-to-head scores, previous results, the predictions of TV pundits, and more.

Betting favorites

A simple betting strategy that’s popular in every country with followers of every major sport is following the market and backing the favorite. If a bookmaker thinks a team will win and make them favorite to get the desired result, you can choose to bet on the odds-makers knowing what they’re talking about.

It’s a quick and hassle-free approach to betting that won’t make you rich overnight, but you’ll find a fair share of winners.

Past performances

Study the form and head-to-head stats and you’ll find some solid leads. It’s not a perfect science, but you’ll notice certain teams struggle at venues due to the home crowd advantage.

A player may enjoy facing an opponent and they reserve their best performances for games against that team. Knowing the results from previous meetings is also a good indicator to which team may win or the number of points scored.

Rankings

One final respected betting strategy used by basketball fans gambling at March Madness is to trust the rankings or seeding system. There’s a lot less studying involved in this approach and you’ll have your stake on the team with the lower seeding to win, hoping the next fixture follows that pattern. 

2. Choose a betting market

You'll encounter a world of options when you place bets on March Madness. The best sportsbooks ramp up their coverage, boosting the number of markets available.

More ways to bet means more ways to win, and you should research the options to find the market that works best for you and increases your chances of making a profit.

Moneyline: A popular way to bet on basketball that’s simple, easy to understand, and has a great chance of earning you a profit. When playing the moneyline, you’re tasked with finding the winner of a game. Back Team A to beat Team B, and if they do as expected, your bets a winner, and you land the profits. If Team B wins, your bet loses, and the bookmaker keeps your stake.

Handicap: A fantastic market, especially in the early rounds of the competition when mismatches are more common and obvious. If you’re betting on a game with a hot favorite, you can push for better odds by backing them to win on the handicap.

The traders will set the line - 12 points, for example - and your bet wins if your team covers the deficit. Back Team A -12 points to beat Team B +12 points. You now need Team A to win by 13 points or more to land a profit. Team B can win the game or lose by fewer than a dozen points.

Totals: A chance to avoid picking a winner in a game but still play for a decent profit. With the totals market, you’re gambling on how many points a game will produce from both teams combined.

Again, the trading team selects the line - say 45 points - and you must predict if the result will be over or under the number. You can bet on over and cheer every point scored as it moves you closer to a profit.

Spreads: Another interesting market is the spread betting, and it’s perfectly suited to betting on college basketball. Gambling on the spreads allows you to predict the difference in points between the teams at the end of play: the winning margin.

Will Team A win by 1-2, 3-4, or 5-6 points? The beauty of this market is it keeps you involved until the result is confirmed. A great value-for-money bet for sports lovers.

Same-game parlay: One of the newest additions to the online betting market. The same-game parlay allows you to add several markets from one fixture to your bet slip and back all off one stake.

You can add the moneyline, totals, result at half time, first scorer, totals, and more. Target a big win off a small stake and have an interest in much more than the bare result.

3. Join an online sportsbook and place your bets

Explore the top sportsbooks and choose one to bet with. Follow the steps below to sign up quickly and securely, ensuring you’re ready to bet in time for the next game. Visit the homepage of your chosen betting app and click the join - or similar - button at the head of the page.

• Add your details to the registration form, including your name, date of birth, email address, and postcode.
• Create a username and password that’s memorable to you but secure enough to guard against fraudulent activity.
• Add the promo code, choose your preferred payment method, and deposit $10 or more. You can register one or more payment methods, including deposit and crypto.
• Use your deposit to make your first bet on a qualifying sportsbook market with minimum odds mentioned in the welcome bonus terms and conditions.
• When your first wager results, the new customer promo free bet will appear in your balance. You can use your bet credits to bet on March Madness.

Find winning sports picks on Whop

We’ve reached the end of my article on betting on March Madness. I hope you found the page helpful and can now use your newfound knowledge to wager on the results or look ahead and attempt to predict the champion. 

You can gamble now using your smartphone or laptop, with top names like Fandual and DraftKings offering odds, accepting bets, and handing out promotions.

You now know how to bet, where to find the best odds, how to join a bookie and get the welcome bonus, details of the most reliable platforms, and more. All you need to do now is pick a winner, but that’s easier said than done.

Follow expert picks

Beating the bookies requires years of experience, industry knowledge, and a professional understanding of the markets and odds. The best handicappers available at Whop boast a background in sports and betting, using their knowledge to help you make a profit. 

Browse Whop Discover now, find a basketball betting whop you admire, and follow their picks. The handicapper does all the hard work, but you keep all the profits.

FAQs

Can I bet on March Madness?

Yes, March Madness is one of the most popular events of the year for online gamblers. The betting apps featured on this page offer odds on the outright winner of the next competition, and you can also gamble on every game, from the opener to the decider. Have your say on the moneyline, totals, handicaps, spreads, and more.

How do I get a free bet on March Madness?

The best bookmakers offer all new customers a welcome bonus free bet when they join a betting app, deposit $10 or more, and wager on sports. In most cases, the bet credits match the stake of your first wager, placing you in complete control of your bets and budget.

Where will I find winning basketball picks?

Whop offers well-researched professional betting picks on all major sporting events, including March Madness. Browse Whop Discover, and you’ll find a long list of valuable resources, including profitable handicappers.

How much money is bet on March Madness?

One of the most popular fixtures on the United States’ sports schedule, March Madness attracts more than $15 billion in wagers, according to the American Gaming Association. That number will rise significantly this year.

Where can I bet on March Madness?

Each legal and licensed sportsbook featured on the Whop blog offers betting odds, markets, and promotions on March Madness. Browse the list of available sportsbooks and join your favorite to gamble today.