March is here, meaning it is time for March Madness. The NCAA Tournament brings in millions of viewers each year, and this year will be no different.
Basketball fans in Massachusetts have an added level of excitement for this year’s tournament thanks to the recent rollout of sports betting in their state.
Massachusetts online sports betting is now live, meaning bets can be placed anywhere in the Commonwealth, even from the comfort of your own home.
March Madness betting in Massachusetts
March Madness brackets are out, and the action gets started this week. In addition to filling out brackets, there are seemingly endless ways to bet on the action.
There are a few things Massachusetts sports fans need to know before placing their bets, including what type of bets are available.
With so many options out there, let’s take a look at some of the best types of March Madness bets you can make in Massachusetts.
Moneylines, spreads and totals
The most popular type of March Madness bets in Massachusetts are found in the form of moneyline, spread and total (Over/Under) bets. All of these bets are available for every single game of March Madness.
Here’s how they work:
- Moneylines: A straightforward bet where you aim to pick the winning team.
- Spreads: Sportsbooks set a spread for each game that you have to account for. Favorites are inducted with a minus (-) sign, while underdogs are indicated by a plus (+) sign. If you bet on the favorite, that team not only has to win, but win by more than the number indicated on the spread. If you bet on the underdog, they must either win the game outright OR avoid losing by more than the spread number.
- Over/Unders: Also known as totals bets, these are wagers refer to the total number of points scored in a game. You bet on the total to either go over or stay under the listed number.
Keep in mind that odds and lines for individual games can fluctuate up until tip-off. Oddsmakers adjust lines based on a variety of factors, with injuries and team trends being the most common.
Team futures
Futures are a fun way to bet on March Madness without having to worry about the smaller details of individual games.
There are a plethora of March Madness futures bets out there. For example, you can bet on futures such as:
- National champion
- Team to reach the championship game
- Team to make the Final Four
- Team to make the Elite Eight
- Team to make the Sweet 16
- Which conference the champion will be from
- Which region of the bracket the champion will be from
It’s important to remember that odds for futures bets vary from sportsbook to sportsbook.
For example, Houston is the odds-on favorite to win it all with odds of +450 on DraftKings MA. It is also the tournament favorite on BetMGM, but with odds of +550. In this case, if you think the Cougars have what it takes to go all the way, it would be advantageous to use BetMGM MA, as the +550 odds offer a better potential payout.
In addition, March Madness futures odds will be adjusted by each sportsbook as the tournament moves along.
Game props
Another fun way to get in on the action is with game props. These types of wagers are a bit more unique.
For example, you can bet on:
- Which team will get to 10 points first
- Which team will get to 20 points first
- Will the game go to overtime?
- Will the total score end on even or odd number?
Alternate lines
For additional wagering options, there are also alternate lines and betting on individual halves.
Alternate lines are variations of the standard spreads, with the odds moving accordingly. For halves, you’re solely concerned with what happens in that time frame as opposed to the game as a whole.
Alternate lines are available for both spread and totals bets.
Massachusetts online sports betting
No Massachusetts schools qualified for the men’s March Madness tournament. However, over on the women’s side, Holy Cross won the Patriot League tournament and will take on Maryland in the first round of the women’s tournament. So, basketball fans still have a chance to bet on a game involving a Massachusetts program.
Six mobile sportsbooks launched in the Commonwealth last week. You can bet on March Madness in Massachusetts using DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, WynnBET and Barstool Sportsbook.
More companies will be added to the mix soon. Betr plans to go live in April, while Bally Bet and Fanatics Sportsbook aim to launch in May. Betway will launch in January 2024.
When signing up and creating your sportsbook accounts, don’t forget to be on the lookout for MA sportsbook welcome bonuses that are available.
If you or a loved one is experiencing problems with gambling, call 1-800-327-5050 or visit www.mahelpline.org/problemgambling to speak with a trained specialist for free, 24/7
