The 2025 NCAA Tournament gets underway this week with the First Four play-in games taking place Tuesday and Wednesday (March 20th and 21st), before the first round tournament games get underway on Thursday, March 21st. March Madness is one of the most bet on sporting events in the United States every year. This is especially true in North Carolina, which generally has several schools in the tournament, and often two of the tournament favorites in Duke and UNC.
This year Duke enters the tournament as a #1 seed and the pretournament favorite after winning the ACC and finishing the season with a 31-3 record, while North Carolina will be playing San Diego State in a play-in game to lock up a #11 seed after a 22-13 regular season.
On this page I will recommend our top rated betting site for Americans, touch on the legalities of sports betting in North Carolina, look at some odds and betting options for March Madness 2025, and finish up with a simple 3 step guide you can follow to quickly get your March Madness bets placed online.
Best Betting Site for Americans
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BetOnline.ag is our top rated betting site for Americans, including North Carolina residents.
BetOnline is a trusted and popular online betting site that has served the United States betting market for many years. They are focused on the USA market and this shines through in their customer service, deposit/withdrawal options, promotions and bet offerings.
Sports Betting in North Carolina
Regulated sports betting is now live in North Carolina. The online sports betting market launched in early March of 2024, and there are currently 8 regulated sportsbooks available to NC residents.
North Carolina residents also have the option to bet through offshore betting sites that are licensed and regulated outside of the USA. BetOnline.ag falls into this category as a sportsbook licensed and regulated in Panama, while accepting Americans.
March Madness Betting Options
One of the most popular bets to make during March Madness is simply wagering on which team will win the tournament. Let’s take a look at the NCAA Championship odds (taken on March 17th) and then I’ll get into a few of the common bets you can make on each March Madness game.
These are the 15 teams with an 55/1 or better chance of winning the tournament. You can see that Duke is the favorite with odds of +340. You can see the up to date odds at BetOnline.ag by opening the ‘Basketball’ drop down menu and selecting ‘NCAAM Futures’.
Here’s a screenshot of what the typical odds for an NCAA basketball game would look like during the tournament. I’m using UNC’s First Four play-in game in the example:
- Spread – In this example UNC is a 4 point favorite vs San Diego State (indicated by the -4). North Carolina must win by 5 or more for UNC spread bets to win. San Diego State must win outright or lose by 3 or fewer. If UNC wins by exactly 4 then the spread bets would push.
- To Win – The win odds are in the middle in the screenshot above. With this bet you are simply wagering on which team will win the game, and each teams perceived chances are factored into the odds, which determine your risk vs reward. A $183 bet on UNC would win $100, while a $100 bet on San Diego State would win $163.
- Over/Under – The oddsmaker sets a total for the amount of points that will be scored by both teams in the game. You can wager on whether the total points will be over or under this set number.
Bet On March Madness In North Carolina – How To Guide
Follow these three steps to get your March Madness bets placed online.
Step 1. Join BetOnline.ag
Click the above link, select ‘Join Now’ and fill out the form to open your account.
BetOnline is our top rated betting site for all Americans.
Step 2. Deposit
Log into your new account and click on the ‘Deposit’ button. Select your preferred deposit method (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc) and follow the instructions to complete your deposit.
You can cash out your winnings via check by mail or bank wire in addition to most of the deposit methods listed above.
Step 3. Place Your March Madness Bets!
It’s time to place your bets on the NCAA Tournament!
- Click on ‘Sports’ from the top menu bar at BetOnline.ag.
- Open the ‘Basketball’ drop down menu and select ‘NCAA’. **If you’re looking for futures click ‘NCAAM Futures’.
- Select the bet(s) you want to make and enter your risk amount on the Bet Slip.
- Click ‘Place Bet’ to lock in your bet.
It’s that easy. Ready to bet? Click here to visit BetOnline.ag.
March Madness Betting • March Madness North Carolina • Sports Betting North Carolina
