March Madness is around the corner: a preview of the tournament

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The annual NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament – more commonly known as March Madness – is approaching. As teams prepare for yet another exciting competition, fans and supporters gear up their vocal cords (and the television) to show their appreciation and support for their favorite teams once again. In this article, we are taking a brief look at what exactly the March Madness is, what we can expect in this year’s tournament, the most important dates, locations, the schedule, and betting.

March Madness: A Brief Summary

The March Madness, officially the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament, is an annual college basketball tournament held in the United States, organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). It is a single-elimination tournament with the aim to establish the men’s college basketball national champion of the Division I level in the NCAA. The March Madness is a tournament with a field of 68 teams that compete in 7 rounds for the national championship.

Every single year, millions of fans predict who they think is going to win the tournament and how the games will turn out. This happens by fans filling out their March Madness bracket and pitting it against their friends! Of course, you can take it to the next level and put your money on the line: like in the case of technically every sport, you can bet on March Madness games as well. 

March Madness: Schedule, Sites and Dates

This year’s March Madness begins with Selection Sunday on March 17, 2024, according to the official site of the NCAA. Mark your calendars! Below is the schedule for the tournament:

• Selection Sunday: Sunday, March 17
• First Four: March 19-20
• First round: March 21-22
• Second round: March 23-24 
• Sweet 16: March 28-29 
• Elite Eight: March 30-31 
• Final Four: Saturday, April 6 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona
• NCAA championship game: Monday, April 8 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona

As ESPN reports, March Madness begins with First Four games on Tuesday, March 19 in Dayton, Ohio. The tournament ends with the Final Four on April 6 and 8 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Selection Sunday – and the announcement of the 68-team bracket – will precede the games on Sunday, March 17.

The sites for the first and second rounds of the March Madness are the following: Brooklyn, New York; Charlotte, North Carolina; Indianapolis, Indiana; Omaha, Nebraska; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Salt Lake City, Utah; Spokane, Washington; and Memphis, Tennessee.

Sweet 16 and Elite Eight will take place in the following cities: Boston, Massachusetts (East); Dallas, Texas (South); Detroit, Michigan (Midwest); and Los Angeles, California (West).

As a convenient summary, below are the sites and dates for the tournament:

And finally, below are the sites for the Final Four, as reported by the NCAA:

March Madness: Betting

The thrill of the tournament is nicely complemented by the excitement of betting on your favorite teams. As there are 68 teams competing in the March Madness alone, betting is not easy. The tournament is renowned for being unpredicatble so even though Purdue Boilermakers are the favorites in the college basketball lines, they could easily crash out in the early stages.

Did you know that college hoops is one of the most wagered sports in the United States? According to recent reports, college basketball saw roughly three times more betting activity last season than the Super Bowl last February! In numbers: more than 40 million people wagered more than USD 3 billion on the College Basketball Tournament last season. This season is poised to bring similar numbers.

However you plan to spend the tournament – betting money or supporting your favorite team(s) without wagering –, make sure not to miss any important moments. Have fun!

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