Behind the Super Bowl, March Madness is the biggest sports betting event in the US every year. And, thanks to Massachusetts sports betting launching on Friday, MA residents can get in on the NCAA Tournament betting action.
The Selection Sunday shows have aired. The 68-team field is set for men’s March Madness, and the 64-team field for women’s March Madness is set. Massachusetts bettors have only one in-state college team to back — Holy Cross women’s basketball. The Crusaders got a 15-seed and will play 2-seed Maryland in the first round.
There are just about endless March Madness betting opportunities on top of that.
Bay State gamblers have six apps to choose from:
- DraftKings Sportsbook
- BetMGM
- Caesars Sportsbook
- WynnBET
- FanDuel
- Barstool Sportsbook
And each of those six Massachusetts online sportsbooks has a lucrative offer for new MA customers to utilize. What better way to use bonus bets than on March Madness?
On top of or instead of betting on the NCAA Tournament, MA bettors can also enter free or paid March Madness bracket contests.
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Ranking the Massachusetts welcome promos for March Madness betting
1. DraftKings Sportsbook: 3-part promo worth up to $1,250
If variety is the spice of life, then DraftKings has the paprika of Massachusetts sportsbook promos.
It’s a three-part welcome offer. Our favorites are the $50 bonus bet you get for depositing $5, and the $200 in bonus bets you get for placing a single $5 wager. This may be personal preference, but we don’t really value the deposit match bonus as much. It’s just 20% up to $1,000, and the match funds come with a 5x playthrough.
Massachusetts bettors could place the $50 bonus bet on an underdog (because they won’t lose any money if they lose) at DraftKings Massachusetts. Then, they could put the $5 down on something they’re more confident in before watching $200 in bonus bets roll into their account for more NCAA Tournament wagers.
Thank the Massachusetts Gaming Commission for making sure things were launched by March Madness, by the way.
2. FanDuel Massachusetts: $200 bankroll boost
FanDuel didn’t go all out with its Massachusetts bonus, but it’s perfect for March Madness betting: Bet $5 and you’ll get $200 in bonus bets, win or lose. Like DraftKings, this means you’ll have $200 of bonuses to bet on NCAA Tournament games.
The $200 may take up to 72 hours to go to your account. It’s also important to remember this for the FanDuel Massachusetts and DraftKings Sportsbook offers: You don’t get your original stakes back with bonus bets. Just the winnings.
So, winning a $10 bonus bet on +100 odds would just get a $10 payout — not $20.
3. BetMGM: Bet $50 or more, get 5 bonus bets
BetMGM’s welcome bonus is pretty straightforward: Lose your first bet, and BetMGM will refund it in bonus bets up to $1,000.
Our recommendation would be to bet $50 or more, if you’re able to. Any bet below $50 will get you one lump-sum bonus bet token that you can use on only one bet. (If you bet $30, for instance, you’ll get one $30 bonus bet that can’t be broken up.) Anything $50 and above, however, gets five separate bonus bets of equal value.
That means if you bet $50 and lose, you’ll get five separate bonus bets of $10. We like flexibility, and this BetMGM Massachusetts offer provides that.
4. Caesars Sportsbook: Biggest value at $1,500
The award for the biggest welcome promo goes to Caesars Sportsbook. Like BetMGM, this is a first bet refund in the form of a bonus bet if your original bet loses.
Even though you can go higher with this promo offer, we still like BetMGM more.
Why?
The Caesars Sportsbook Massachusetts bonus bet is always just one token. So, even if you lose a first bet of $1,500, you get one $1,500 bonus bet token. It can’t be separated.
Especially for NCAA Tournament betting in Massachusetts, we want options with our bonus bets.
5. WynnBET: Need to bet $100 to get $100
The WynnBET bonus is as simple as it gets: Place a $100 bet, and you’ll get a $100 bet credit.
That’s it.
Easy, right?
Certainly. However, the WynnBET MA welcome offer isn’t novice-friendly — and March Madness betting in Massachusetts will be full of novices. A gambler must place a $100 bet in order to get the promo. Most bettors in general, and definitely most new bettors, aren’t placing $100 wagers.
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
