March Madness Odds 2022

March Madness (aka the NCAA Men’s Division I basketball tournament) is one of the most beloved annual sporting events with countless moments of drama, intrigue, and unlikely heroism.

According to Forbes, roughly 100 million people tune in each March to watch the games play out. Many also fill out brackets and participate in free March Madness bracket contests.

Since Michigan has now joined the legal online sports betting club, you can be a part of the annual sports betting frenzy too. Here’s how you can bet on March Madness online in Michigan.

Compare March Madness odds at Michigan online sportsbooks

Check the odds feed below for the latest March Madness odds direct from MI online sportsbooks.  Come tournament time, you’ll find live point spreads, moneylines and totals odds on individual games plus current futures odds to make the Final Four or win the national championship. Click on any odds in the feed to jump directly to the online sportsbook, claim your free bets and get your March Madness bets placed.

How to download a sports betting app to bet March Madness

If you already have a smartphone or mobile device, downloading a sportsbook app is similar to your other app experiences. Follow the instructions below:

• Find a link to your chosen sportsbook app above and click the “Play Now” button. It’s important to use our link — we often have exclusive bonus offers and deals that you can’t find elsewhere.
• Look for the appropriate download button for your device’s format. You will either need to download the Apple or Android version of the app.
• Apple users (iPhones, iPads, iPod Touches) can download their apps through the usual process. It’s no different at all.
• Android users should be able to find most apps available through the Google Play store. If you are having downloading troubles, you will need to allow “Unknown Sources” to download before they can get the .apk file for the app. You can complete this action by visiting the “Security” portion of your device’s settings.
• After downloading the app on your preferred platform, either register for a new account or log in with your existing username and password. Make sure to double-check our site for any promo codes to enter during registration.

March Madness Bracket contests

The schedule by which the 68 teams in the tournament abide is known as a bracket. It depicts the collisions between the teams in a tree-like format.

Because the matchups are released about a week before the tournament begins, bracket contests (free or paid entry) are the best-known ways to place wagers on March Madness. Even people who don’t usually bet on sports fill out a bracket and participate in a pool.

In fact, according to Nielsen, Americans (and others) completed a mind-boggling 170 million brackets in 2019. So, many sites, including both Michigan sportsbooks and other sports-related entities, will host bracket challenges for March Madness. Most of these contests are free to enter. Even those outside of their home states can play.

To participate, register for one of the many contests that you can find through a simple web search. Make sure to stick to challenges with known websites, e.g., DraftKings Online Sportsbook, Yahoo! and ESPN. Each hosts its own contest.

These contests offer monetary prizes for the top finishers. Although it’s quite unlikely that you’ll be in that group, it doesn’t hurt to try. Once you’ve finished registering, look for the button that opens a new bracket. Click through the rounds of play to select which team you believe will win each game.

Eventually, you will have picked a Final Four, a championship game matchup and an eventual winner. You will also have to guess the score of the final game in case of ties with other challengers. After you’ve made your selections, submit your bracket. Make sure to bookmark your bracket, because watching your picks win (or not) is one of the most fun parts of the NCAA Tournament.

Best Free March Madness Contests

$1M DraftKings Survivor Pool

A Survivor Pool isn’t a typical March Madness bracket pool. Instead of picking a winner for every game in the whole tournament before it begins, you simply pick one team per day.

If that team wins, you advance to the next round. If that team loses, you’re out.  For the next round, you have to pick a new team to win and so on. Repeat until:

• You’re the last player standing
• You longer have any new teams to pick

If you’re the last player standing, you’ll win the full $1 million. See the full terms and conditions and enter for free on DraftKings.

$50,000 DraftKings Yuengling Bracket Battle

In this standard bracket one you pick all the most winners in your 63-game bracket before the tournament starts. If you pick the most correctly, you’ll collect a share of the smaller-but-still-handsome $50,000 prize pool. Get your picks in before brackets lock on the first Thursday of the tournament!

$2M BetMGM Perfect Bracket Contest

A perfect bracket is a virtually impossible feat. But that doesn’t mean there’s no fun in trying, especially if there’s no entry fee.

The BetMGM Free $2 Million Perfect Bracket Challenge is running with a gigantic $2M up for grabs if someone manages to pull off the incredible feat. But each winning pick in your bracket is worth one point, and if you collect the most points, you’ll collect a top prize of $100,000.

The contest is free to enter and open to all BetMGM sportsbook account holders, new or existing. Jump in and play for free via the link below:

• Claim your risk-free bet at BetMGM MI and play Perfect Bracket Challenge here

Betting on March Madness

There will be a multitude of wagers available during March Madness. The sheer number of games played yields numerous permutations of bets that sportsbooks can offer.

Futures

One of the most common bets during March Madness is a futures wager. These bets are usually not as popular, but the format of the tournament lends itself to this kind of wagering.

A futures bet is a wager on whether a particular event will occur after a specific period of time. Typically, futures bets are for eventual champions or individual award winners.

Since 68 basketball teams make the field in March Madness (in one form or another), there are 68 different options for which team will be the national champion. 

The top seeds (No. 1, No. 2 and so on) are more likely to win, but in the history of the tournament, teams seeded as low as No. 8 have become the champion.

There are also some expansions to the typical array of futures bets in March Madness. You can make futures wagers on the progress of any team in the field — in most cases, in terms of how far they go.

Futures bets are usually expressed as moneylines, but they are easily convertible into straight odds if you prefer. 

Since they are all positive moneylines, simply divide the number by 100 to get the straight odds. For example, a team at +3000 is a 30-1 underdog, since 3000/100 = 30.

Other common types of March Madness bets

Of course, the other standard types of bets are available for individual March Madness games. The following types of wagers will be available for each tournament game:

• Point spreads: These are bets that concern themselves with the final margin of victory. Either the favorite will exceed the expected differential, or the underdog will cover the gap.
• Moneylines: Wagers that are interested only in the outcome of the game, regardless of the margin. Payouts vary according to which team the sportsbook expects to win.
• Totals: Bets regarding the combined number of points that the teams score. Players wager whether the teams will or won’t exceed the sportsbook’s estimate. Hence, this bet is nicknamed the “over/under.”
• Parlays: It is also possible to combine some of the wagers above into a single bet. All selections in a parlay must be correct in order to pay out, but the high-risk wager also bears the potential for a higher return.
• Live betting: A form of proposition wager that proposes bets after a game is already in progress. These bets are quick and rough but can add excitement to watching a game.

March Madness betting tips

For bettors in Michigan, March Madness could be among the first times you have tried to wager on sports. Here are a few strategies to maximize your results for March Madness wagering.

1. Keep track of lines

At the beginning of each bet, a sportsbook designates opening lines for the point spread, over/under, moneyline and other estimates for the game. However, these estimates are not always accurate, and sharp bettors often flood to lines that seem off.

This flood of cash will often provoke an adjustment from the sportsbook, which generally wants its potential payout liability balanced on each side of the bet. So, look for large swings from the opening position to the current mark.

If the smart money is going a certain way, there’s usually a pretty good reason.

2. Look for early value in middle seeds

One of the reasons that people love March Madness is the potential for upsets. The idea of a lesser-known school knocking off a perennial favorite excites even casual sports fans.

Nevertheless, the seedings in a tournament are usually fairly accurate — to a point. The higher-seeded teams (Nos. 1-4) are generally going to win their first game.

However, the games where the teams are seeded closer together offer a decent chance for upset value. For instance, the No. 12 seed has beaten the No. 5 seed around a third of the time.

So, look for lower-seeded (Nos. 9-12) teams who have strong records but are placed lower because of perceived schedule strength or a slight underperformance in the regular season. A mid-tier conference champion usually has a reasonable chance to beat the fourth- or fifth-best team in a power conference.

3. Stick to higher seeds late

That being said, the higher-seeded teams tend to win in the end. Only 14 teams seeded below No. 6 have ever made the Final Four.

The reason for the drop-off is twofold. For one thing, the depth of higher-seeded teams tends to take hold as fatigue and inconsistency sets in later in the tournament. A lower-seeded team can be undone if its star player has an off night.

The other factor is that the element of surprise for the lower-seeded team is lost. The higher seeds will have fully scouted a lesser-known college during the first week by the time the second week rolls around.

4. Watch for momentum

It’s tough to win six or seven games in a row. In some cases, it may seem like the only reason anybody won the national championship is that somebody had to win it.

However, a team that catches fire at the right moment can sometimes run through the competition, regardless of their seed or previous performance. So, as the tournament progresses, keep an eye out for teams who seem to be putting things together.

In this vein, it might be worthwhile to look for teams who were highly ranked early in the season but fell off because of injury or chemistry issues. 

An underperforming team with loads of talent might only need a spark to become the group everyone expected them to be.

What’s the best spot for betting on March Madness in Michigan?

As one of the biggest sporting events of the year, March Madness is quite a festive time. You can now head out to watch the action while placing some bets in Michigan without missing out on the latest odds. Here’s where to go.

Greektown Casino-Hotel

• Name: Barstool Sportsbook at Greektown Casino-Hotel
• Address: 55 E Lafayette St, Detroit, MI 48226
• Phone: (313) 223-2999
• Sportsbook hours: M-F: 10 a.m.-11 p.m. S/S: 9 a.m.-Midnight
• Online sportsbook: Barstool Sportsbook MI

If you head to the upper level of the casino, you’ll find Barstool Sportsbook located next to Trappers Bar. There are five betting windows on-site and 40 self-serve kiosks elsewhere in the casino.

MotorCity Casino Hotel

• Name: FanDuel Sportsbook
• Address: 2901 Grand River Ave, Detroit, MI 48201
• Phone: (866) 782-9622
• Sportsbook hours: 7 days: 9 a.m.-Midnight
• Online sportsbook: FanDuel Sportsbook MI

FanDuel is more than a big player in the online and mobile space. There’s a retail sportsbook at MotorCity Casino that continually gets rave reviews. Dozens of HDTVs, a sports ticker, six betting windows and 54 self-service kiosks are among the amenities waiting for you.

Little River Casino Resort

• Name: River Rock Sportsbook & Grill
• Address: 2700 Orchard Hwy, Manistee, MI 49660
• Phone: (231) 398-3976
• Sportsbook hours: M-Th: 2 p.m.-Midnight. F/S/S: 10 a.m.-Midnight
• Bar hours: 7 days: 10 a.m.-2 a.m.
• Online sportsbook: BetRivers Sportsbook MI

A full bar and food menu await visitors, and you’ll even find betting windows right inside of the restaurant, along with plenty of screens. You can also get your bets in on the self-serve kiosks, which are open around the clock.

For other options to consider come March Madness, check out Dacey’s Sportsbook at FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek or the BetMGM Sports Lounge at the MGM Grand Detroit.

A brief history of March Madness

The NCAA men’s Division 1 basketball tournament began in 1939. At the time, only eight teams competed for the title, and the Oregon Ducks claimed the inaugural championship.

Since then, the field has expanded dramatically. It is now possible for 68 teams to boast that they made the “Big Dance.”

However, since four teams are knocked out through play-in games, the tournament itself is effectively a 64-team, single-elimination contest. 

Teams in the main field receive seeds numbered 1 through 16, and the eight teams competing in play-in games have the same seeds as their initial opponents.

The University of California-Los Angeles remains the most successful program in history, with 11 titles to its name. Under legendary coach John Wooden, the UCLA Bruins won the title each year from 1967-73.

Other highly successful programs include the University of Kentucky (eight wins), the University of North Carolina (six wins), Duke University (five wins) and Indiana University (five wins).

Each conference tournament winner receives an automatic bid to the tournament, regardless of record. The remaining 36 teams are at-large bids and are determined by the NCAA Selection Committee, which uses multiple variables to select the strongest competitors.

At present, 17% of Americans are expected to fill out a bracket each year. They will also wager more than $10 billion on the games.

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