Bet on March Madness in WV
March Madness betting has become a national pastime with Americans from all walks of life plunking down a few dollars on their favorite teams or hoping their bracket picks bring them a nice payday at the end of the tournament. Live odds for March Madness are actually available year-round (at least for the potential National Champion) and are some of the most closely watched lines in all of sports.
See below for the best March Madness betting sites and real-time odds at WV online operators. Jump to the best bracket contests in WV here.
Best March Madness betting sites
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March Madness bracket contests in WV
March Madness bracket contests are the most common ways Americans get involved with March Madness betting. Most contests are free to enter or have very low buy-ins and run among friends and colleagues.
Now that legal online sports wagering is available in West Virginia, though, operators have jumped into the game with some lucrative March Madness bracket contests. Here are some of the best offers from recent years in WV:
DraftKings Zero Right Bracket Challenge
Most bracket challenges reward you for correct picks, but that’s not the case with DraftKings’ special challenge. As the name implies, the goal is to get the opposite of a perfect bracket. Users earned points for every correct pick, but the goal is zero. In previous years, the closest to zero points would win $100,000 at the end of the NCAA Tournament.
FanDuel’s Bracket Pick’em
This is more along the lines of a traditional March Madness bracket contest. It’s pretty simple: Users make picks as the tournament plays out, and the highest-scoring entries earn prizes. In past seasons, the prize has been $5,000.
Second chance March Madness contests
If you’re out of the running with your original entries, you can take another shot with second-chance March Madness pools. These are contests that begin with the Sweet 16 and roll through to the championship game. DraftKings has several free-to-play second chance games to choose from, including one with a $16,000 prize pool. Keep an eye out for something similar for this year’s tournament, as well as other offerings from other operators.
Here’s a look at other options (all free) from previous seasons that are expected back this year:
- State Farm $20K Second Change Bracket: This matches the description above – pick the winner of each game and earn points for each of your selections that are right. Those with the highest-scoring entries win cash prizes and a chance at $20,000.
- KFC $20K Second Chance Survivor: Similar to the State Farm challenge, those with the highest points earn a share of a lucrative prize pool.
How do March Madness brackets work?
It’s pretty simple and can require some savvy picks (or mere dumb luck), but it all depends on how you approach your bracket and the different matchups.
The setup is pretty simple. Sixteen teams are seeded No. 1-16 in each of four different regions. A ranking is based on several factors including:
- NCAA basketball conference titles
- Regular-season performances
- The strength of a team’s schedule
It’s up to each individual bettor in the pool to fill out his or her bracket completely – all 67 scheduled games from Round 1 to the championship game.
That includes, of course, paying the pool fee so that winners can receive a nice cash prize. Traditionally completed on paper, more and more pools have moved to online selections. Some players also run a Sweet 16 pool to add some extra mid-tournament excitement, and a few more dollars on the line.
Players are awarded various point totals for winning teams depending on the round. The deeper a team goes, usually the higher points awarded in each round. The player with the most points, in the end, is the winner. Some pools may award payouts for several places depending on the number of entrants.
It’s that easy, and plenty of fun. Getting those matchups correct is the difficult part. Upsets are a regular part of the action on the court and in 2018, a No. 16 did the unthinkable in the first round. For the first time in history, a 16th-ranked team knocked off one of the top seeds when the University of Maryland – Baltimore County (UMBC) defeated No. 1 Virginia handily (74-54). The Retrievers spoiled many brackets early, and despite losing in the Round of 32, gave their fans the win of a lifetime.
The same magic happened again in 2023, when No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson topped No. 1 Purdue 63-58. Just another example of a team playing spoiler that busted almost every bracket.
The road to March Madness
This year’s college basketball championship festivities kick-off as it does every year – with Selection Sunday. After teams have played out their seasons, conference tournaments and champions have been crowned, the selection committee determines the tournament bracket and seeding for each team.
March Madness then ensues and ends with the NCAA Championship Game three weeks later. The annual tournament now consists of 68 teams playing in a single-elimination format.
It’s a classic structure with little room for error. If your team loses, it’s a long wait until next season. The annual event now includes two “play-in games,” an opportunity for four teams to play their way into the traditional 64-team field. In total, March Madness features 67 games over a period of 21 days.
Where to Bet on March Madness in WV
You have two options when it comes to wagering on the NCAA Tournament in West Virginia.
You can download an app and wager from wherever, as long as you’re within West Virginia state lines. It’s an extremely convenient and easy option for bettors, given that you can wager on games while watching from a couch or a March Madness party.
The other option is visiting a retail book — a truly immersive experience that can’t be replicated by watching at home.
In-person betting on March Madness in West Virginia
For sports fans, there’s nothing quite like taking in some March Madness at a WV casino reviews watching your bets or bracket pool picks play out live. Sports wagering has been legal in the state since August of 2018 and all five of the state’s casinos now host operators.
Here’s a look at the live wagering opportunities in the state:
Hollywood Casino Sportsbook (Ranson) – This was the first to open, and is located just off the casino floor near Skybox Sports Bar. It offers 24 odds-display monitors and 50 feet of wall space with 80-inch TVs for checking out games. The casino also offers online sports wagering through its partner DraftKings.
Mountaineer Sportsbook (New Cumberland) – This location, partnering with Caesars, offers plenty of action and amenities for every level of bettor. Make your picks and check out the action.
FanDuel Sportsbook at The Greenbrier (White Sulphur Springs) – This property has partnered with FanDuel for its members-only lounge, which is located in The Casino Club and is open during regular hours.
Best March Madness Betting Operators
West Virginia residents have no shortage of options when it comes to placing a wager during the NCAA Tournament. There are a number of different operators, and each one has unique features for college basketball wagering.
BetMGM Sportsbook
BetMGM is a top-notch choice for wagering on all sports, but specifically college basketball. There are a number of different markets available, and you can feel assured that the product is solid, coming from one of the biggest names in the industry.
Best feature: Live betting during March Madness. If you like placing wagers after a game starts to get better odds, BetMGM is the site for you. The odds update instantly as the games flow, menaing you don’t get any sort of delay. A user-friendly app is a big plus to this, too.
BetRivers Sportsbook
BetRivers provides an excellent depth of coverage across all sports, but it’s one of our favorite for college basketball and March Madness, specifically. The site has the typical promos and odds-boosted parlays like other operators. Where the operator stands out, though, is it’s prop wager selection.
Best feature: March Madness prop bets. You don’t need to go hunting for these, as they’re laid out clearly during the NCAA Tournament and updated in real time. A few seasons ago, BetRivers launched when it called “Prop Central” to keep you in the know.
Caesars Sportsbook
Caesars is near the top of the list when it comes to sites in West Virginia. As one of the larger names, not just in the wagering industry, but entertainment circle as a whole, Caesars truly treats you like an emperor. The app is smooth and easy to use, there are daily promotions, and you can earn Caesars rewards points whenever you use the app. Plus, Caesars has you covered for all things March Madness.
Best feature: Prop boosts during the NCAA Tournament. Whether you’re a new customer or a returning user, the operator will offer boosts, specifically during March Madness. It’s a way to get more bang for your buck. These boosts are on just about everything. You can use them on single-leg wagers, parlays, futures picks, and more.
DraftKings Sportsbook
DraftKings has just about everything you could look for in a sports wagering site. The odds are competitive and update quickly, the markets are extensive, and the interface is sleek. For the NCAA Tournament, that means you get a truly immersive March Madness experience.
Best feature: NCAA Tournament futures. Whether you’re placing a wager on a team to make the Sweet 16, Elite Eight, Final Four, or the championship game, you can do it all on DraftKings. Plus, odds are updated in real-time when games conclude during March Madness.
Fanatics Sportsbook
Fanatics lives on a well-designed app that lets you navigate the college basketball market with ease. It’s one of the newer operators in the space on this list, but it has competitive odds and quick payouts.
Best feature: Rewards system. When you use the Fanatics wagering platform, you earn FanCash. This FanCash can be redeemed for bonus wagers, of course, but it can also be used to buy merchandise from the Fanatics store, which has plenty of college basketball gear. Think basketball jerseys, t-shirts with team logos, sweatshirts, and more. It’s a nice plus.
FanDuel Sportsbook
The FanDuel app is slick and has a full slate of daily college basketball games, lines and odds, plus plentiful props and futures. Signing up online also gives you free rein to manage your account, make deposits and withdrawals, and wager on college hoops anywhere inside the borders of WV.
March Madness betting strategies
A 16-seed beating a 1-seed may be a bit of an outlier in college basketball betting, but it shows how upsets contribute to the excitement of March Madness. Don’t go too overboard picking upsets, however, but mixing in a few can have some positive results.
While filling out a bracket can bring plenty of fun with a chance at winning some cash, plenty of bettors also enjoy adding some action on individual matchups. Adding a few dollars with point spreads and the over/under can be fun and yield some returns for skilled gamblers.
When placing those bets, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Teams on a Heater – Records can be important but a team’s play down the stretch offers some insight as to how they’re really playing and their motivation. Look for teams who finished on a hot streak and seem to be on an upswing. Avoid teams that seem to have backed their way into the tournament.
- D Up – Many experts also say to look for team’s who play tough defense. These offer some value against the spread and always have a chance at a victory even when the shots aren’t falling. Sometimes offense can be hit or miss in these massive venues and a different ball, but good defenses seem to translate well across different locations.
- Short Road Trips – Location can be important. Teams not traveling far to play may have more of a “home” game atmosphere with more fans and less fatigue from hitting the road. While it’s not the exact same as a home game, there can definitely be a similar feel.
- No Emotions – It’s also always important to leave the biases behind when selecting games. You may be an LSU grad, but putting a couple grand on the Tigers versus a strong No. 1-ranked team against the spread could be unwise. Do your research and put your faith in the numbers and trends instead.
- Select Small – Be selective with the number of games you plan on wagering and how much of your bankroll you wager. Look for value and games where you’ve done your research and see a chance at making a solid score. Remember, there are 67 games. Too many bettors pick a deep slate of games rather selecting a smaller bunch that have a chance at a return on investment. Don’t look for one major score, but instead hope for a nice win overall. Going 7-0 is pretty unlikely, but a solid 6-3 could be a nice goal with hopes for even better. Look for consistency throughout the tournament to profit in the end.
- Mind the Bankroll – When it comes to bankroll, don’t wager too large a percentage each round. Better smaller percentages so that your cash will last for the long haul – hopefully with a tidy profit by the time the championship game tips off. Managing your balance responsibly also involves being familiar with different gambling banking payment options, including convenient methods such as PayPal, which many bettors rely on for secure and quick transactions.
Brief NCAA tournament history
The NCAA Tournament is college basketball’s ultimate tournament played every year since 1939. Now colloquially known as “March Madness,” this is a 68-team tournament where only one team emerges as the champion.
Each year, there are four regions with teams seeded from No. 1 to No. 16. They all square off to produce a winner. After each region has produced a winner, those teams make up the Final Four.
The Final Four square off to determine who is the ultimate National Champion.
Schools with the most Final Four appearances
- North Carolina (20)
- UCLA (18)
- Duke (18)
- Kentucky (17)
- Kansas (15)
- Michigan State (10)
- Ohio State (10)
Schools with most National Championships
- UCLA (11)
- Kentucky (8)
- North Carolina (6)
- Connecticut (6)
- Duke (5)
- Indiana (5)
- Kansas (4)
- Villanova (3)
March Madness FAQs
Yes. You can place wagers at any of the WV casinos or at any legal online operator or wagering app.
March Madness officially tips off on March 17 with the first slate of the First Four in Dayton, Ohio.
- Selection Sunday: Sunday, March 15
- First Four: March 17-18
- First round: March 19-20
- Second round: March 21-22
- Sweet 16: March 26-27
- Elite Eight: March 28-29
- Final Four: April 4
- NCAA championship game: April 6
- First Four Play-IN games: truTV
- First and second rounds: CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV
- Regional semifinals and finals: CBS and TBS
- Final Four: TBS
- NCAA Championship Game: TBS
Bet on March Madness responsibly in WV
If gambling stops being just for fun, it is time to seek help. West Virginia takes responsible gambling seriously and thus provides many resources for those who are experiencing issues related to problem gambling.
There are several resources available to problem gamblers or their families in West Virginia:
- 1-800-GAMBLER — The Problem Gambling Help Network of West Virginia.
- Gamblers Anonymous — A peer support group for problem gamblers.
- Gam-Anon — A peer support group for families and friends of problem gamblers.
- Gamtalk — An online discussion forum for problem gamblers.
