The NCAA Tournament bracket is set and March Madness is about to begin with the Round of 64 games beginning on Thursday, March 16th. March Madness is one of the most bet on sporting events in the United States each year as American from across the country get in on the action with brackets and bets from the huge selection of games.
On this page I will recommend our top rated betting site for Americans, touch on the regulatory climate for sports betting in both Virginia and Maryland, look at some bets you can make during March Madness and finish up with a 3 step guide you can follow to get your bets placed online.
Best Betting Site for Americans
| Sportsbook | Bonus | Visit |
|---|---|---|
 |
50% up to $1000 | Visit |
BetOnline.ag is our top rated betting site for all American residents, including anyone living in Virginia or Maryland.
BetOnline is a popular and trusted online sportsbook that has served the United States betting market for over a decade. They are primarily focused on the USA betting market, which shows through in their customer service, banking options, promotions and bet offerings.
Sports Betting in Virginia and Maryland
It is now legal to operate a sportsbook in both Virginia or Maryland.
In Virginia sports wagering was legalized in April of 2020 and in Maryland betting on sports events was approved by voters in November 2020. Regulated sports betting launched in Virginia in January of 2021 and there are now 15 regulated online betting sites available to Virginia residents. In Maryland the regulated sports betting market launched in November of 2022 and there are currently seven regulated online sportsbooks available to Maryland residents.
Yes, regulated sports betting is available, but if you live in either Virginia or Maryland you can still bet on March Madness through an online betting site that accepts American players, and is licensed and regulated outside of the United States. BetOnline.ag is one such site and they are our top rated betting site for March Madness betting from both Virginia and Maryland.
March Madness Betting Options
The first March Madness betting option we should touch on is betting on the tournament winner. Sportsbooks have odds to win the NCAA Championship available all year long with the odds changing depending on each teams perceived chances at any given time. The odds below were taken on March 14th, 2023 (the Tuesday after the bracket was set):
These are the 11 teams with 18/1 or better odds to win the tournament. At the time of this article Virginia, has odds of +5000 to win the tournament and Maryland has odds of 100-1. To see the up to date odds head over to BetOnline.ag, open the ‘Basketball’ drop down menu and select ‘NCAAM Futures’.
There are three common bets that get the majority of action on March Madness basketball games. Here’s a screenshot of what the typical odds for a game will look like during the tournament. I’m using the Maryland vs West Virginia first round game:
- Point Spread – In this example West Virginia is favored by 2 points. West Virginia must win by 3 or more to cover the spread. Maryland must either win the game outright or lose by 1 point for spread bets on Maryland to win. If West Virginia wins the game by exactly 2 points then spread bets would push.
- To Win – The middle odds are the “to win” odds, also commonly referred to as the money line. The odds are set based on the implied probability of either team winning the game. In this example a $100 bet on Maryland would win $110, while you would have to risk $130 to win $100 betting on West Virginia to win.
- Over/Under – The last popular bet is wagering on the total number of points to be scored in the game (by both teams). The sportsbook sets a “total” and you can bet on whether the total points will go over or under that number.
Bet On March Madness in Maryland or Virginia
Follow these three steps to get your March Madness bets placed online.
Step 1. Join BetOnline.ag
Click the above link and fill out the short form on the home page to open your account.
Step 2. Deposit Funds
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 make your deposit.
**You can also cash out via bank wire or check through the mail.
Step 3. Place Your Bets
You’re now ready to bet on March Madness!
- Click ‘Sports’ from the top menu bar at BetOnline.ag.
- Open the ‘Basketball’ drop down menu and select ‘NCAA’. *If you’re looking to bet on the tournament winner select ‘NCAAM Futures’.
- Select the bet(s) you want to place enter your risk amount on the Bet Slip.
- Click ‘Place Bet’ to make the wager.
Here’s a screenshot showing the clicks to bet on an NCAA Tournament First Four game:
Ready to bet? Click here to visit BetOnline.ag.
March Madness Betting • NCAA Tournament Betting