March Madness First Round Betting Guide 2026

College basketball fans can rack up large profits by backing underdogs to upset the odds when the NCAA Tournament gets underway. The March Madness first round betting trends show that a No. 13 seed beats a No. 4 seed almost every year. One or two No. 12 seeds normally cause an upset too, offering an exciting opportunity to cash in.

This March Madness first round guide explains how to bet on the opening stages of the NCAA Tournament. We will highlight the best sportsbooks, display the best bonuses, break down your betting options and provide our best picks on the action.

Our detailed March Madness betting guide explains how to bet on the NCAA Tournament, breaks down the best bonuses and delves into the main payment methods.

The top 10 March Madness first round betting sites have different strengths and weaknesses. We have broken them down below to help you find a site that fits your needs.

1. BetOnline – The Best Overall Sportsbook for March Madness

Sportsbook facts: 

• Website: betonline.ag
• Payout Time: Same Day
• Established: 1998
• License: Government of Costa Rica

Our Verdict: 4.8/5

BetOnline is the best sportsbook for betting on March Madness right now. This is an old-school betting site that has been paying customers out for more than 25 years, but it was recently upgraded. It now offers a stylish, modern user interface, along with above average odds and large bonuses.

March Madness Options at BetOnline: 4.7/5

You will find a broad selection of prop bets and alternate lines on first round games at BetOnline. It also has a same game parlay builder covering game markets. Futures betting options allow you to pick the winner, and you can also bet on a team to reach the Final Four. There is a $250,000 March Madness bracket this year, with a $25 entry fee. First place wins $75,000.

Payment Options: 4.8/5

Bitcoin, various altcoins, credit cards, debit cards and P2P transfers are available at BetOnline. You can send between $20 and $500,000 in BTC, so this is a sportsbook for high rollers as well as casual bettors. Payouts are processed quickly, so crypto withdrawals normally arrive on the same day.

Bonuses & Promos: 4.8/5

You get a 50% deposit match bonus up to $1,000 if you use a credit card or another fiat-based method. It will give you a 100% bonus up to $1,000 if you use crypto, although that offer has a larger rollover requirement. There are loads of additional promos, including reload bonuses, odds boosts and a $25 live betting free play.

2. Bovada – Best Choice for Prop Bets on College Basketball

Sportsbook facts: 

• Website: bovada.lv
• Payout Time: Same day
• Established: 2011
• License: Government of Costa Rica
• Headquarters: Costa Rica

Our Verdict: 4.7/5

Bovada is the best option for anyone seeking a large array of prop bets on games taking place during March Madness. It offers an excellent selection of betting options, which are laid out in a clean, accessible platform. The bonuses are smaller than those at BetOnline, but they come with lower rollover requirements. It has fewer features than BetOnline, but it is another very impressive betting site.

March Madness Options at Bovada: 5/5

There are dozens of betting options available on every first round game at Bovada. It also offers a #Whatsyawager feature, which you can use to request odds on any prop that is not listed. You will not find an offshore sportsbook with a broader choice of March Madness markets, so we can highly recommend Bovada in this regard.

Payment Options: 4.2/5

Credit cards, debit cards, Bitcoin, altcoins, online vouchers and a couple of alternative methods are available to Bovada customers. Its limits are lower than BetOnline’s, as it focuses more on casual bettors. The payment process is smooth and it offers same day withdrawals.

Bonuses & Promos: 4.6/5

The standard sign-up bonus is a 50% free play up to $250, but you will get a 75% up to $750 bonus if you use crypto. This promo has a 5x rollover requirement, which is lower than most rivals. It has fewer promos than BetOnline, but there is an excellent loyalty program at Bovada.

3. MyBookie – User-Friendly Sportsbook for Beginners

Sportsbook facts: 

• Website: mybookie.ag
• Payout Time: Payouts within 48 hours
• Established: 2014
• License: Government of Curacao
• Headquarters: Costa Rica

Our Verdict: 4.7/5

MyBookie is another popular offshore sportsbook that competes with BetOnline and Bovada for customers across the United States. It is not as refined as those sites, and it is typically slower to release its college basketball betting lines. However, it does offer some appealing odds and intriguing props, along with a great free bracket contest, so it is well worth registering with MyBookie.

March Madness Options at MyBookie: 4.5/5

MyBookie offers a spread, moneyline and total on March Madness games. You can find some alternate lines, and there are props available on big college basketball matchups. It offers appealing March Madness futures odds on certain teams too.

Payment Options: 4/5

Bitcoin is the best option for payments at MyBookie. It also accepts a couple of altcoins, along with P2P transfers and major credit cards and debit cards. The maximum payment is $2,500 via a card or $10,000 if you use Bitcoin. It is not as quick to process payouts as BetOnline and Bovada, so you may need to wait a couple of days to receive your funds.

Bonuses & Promos: 4.7/5

New customers can claim a 50% free play bonus worth up to $1,000 at MyBookie. It has a 10x rollover requirement, which is in line with BetOnline’s bonus. There is also a 10% cash bonus available on your first deposit, which has a 1x rollover requirement. That makes a nice alternative. It also offers a variety of recurring promos.

4. Everygame – Trustworthy Online Betting Site with Lots of Promos

Sportsbook facts: 

• Website: everygame.eu
• Payout Time: 5 working days
• Established: 1996
• License: Curacao e-Gaming Authority
• Headquarters: Antigua and Barbuda

Our Verdict: 4.6/5

Everygame is the oldest online sports betting site in the world. It has taken bets on NCAA Tournaments since the 1990s, but the site received a major upgrade a couple of years ago. At the time, it was named Intertops, but it changed to Everygame to reflect the breadth of its sporting coverage. The sportsbook still holds a very trustworthy reputation, and it is a strong all-round NCAAB betting site.

March Madness Options at Everygame: 4/5

There are fewer March Madness betting options at Everygame than rivals like Bovada and BetOnline. However, it recently added a live betting section, which is a step in the right direction. You will also find some helpful, bite-sized nuggets of information to guide your first round picks, which is a nice touch.

Payment Options: 4.4/5

Everygame offers college hoops fans a huge variety of payment options, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, PaySafeCard, ecoPayz and EZeeWallet. Its limits are narrower than some rivals, as it is mainly for casual NCAAB bettors, but all payments are smooth, secure and reasonably quick.

Bonuses & Promos: 4.2/5

The sign-up bonus is a 100% deposit match bonus of up to $50. It is applied to your first three deposits, so the offer is worth up to $150 in total. This is a small and unexciting bonus compared to the offers at rival sites. However, there are some excellent recurring, monthly promos and short-term bonuses for March Madness, plus a very appealing refer-a-friend offer, which compensate for the small sign-up promo.

5. XBet – Simple User Experience and Competitive Odds

Sportsbook facts: 

• Website: xbet.ag
• Payout Time: 48 hours
• Established: 2014
• License: Government of Costa Rica
• Headquarters: Costa Rica

Our Verdict: 4.6/5

XBet and MyBookie are sister sports betting sites that offer an identical user experience. They share the same software, and the odds, lines, markets, payment methods and customer service options are the same too. However, they provide different bonuses.

March Madness Options at XBet: 4.4/5

March Madness options at XBet include point spreads, totals, a moneyline, alternate lines and some props. It also offers news and previews of NCAA Tournament games, and they can be very insightful. As is also the case with MyBookie, it is a little slow to release lines, as this company does not like to lead the market, but it offers very competitive odds on certain markets.

Payment Options: 4.5/5

All the same payout options are available at XBet and MyBookie – credit cards, debit cards, P2P transfers and a few cryptocurrencies. Upper limits range from $2,500 to $10,000, depending on the method chosen, and payouts are quick, secure, simple and dependable.

Bonuses & Promos: 4.4/5

The welcome bonus only goes up to $500 at XBet, compared to $1,000 at MyBookie, but it has a lower rollover requirement. On the flipside, you cannot opt for the 10% cash bonus, and it has fewer recurring promos than MyBookie too.

6. Lucky Block – Elite Crypto Sportsbook

• Website: luckyblock.com
• Payout Time: Same Day
• Established: 2026
• License: Curacao Gaming Control Board
• Headquarters: Cayman Islands

Our Verdict: 4.6/5

Lucky Block is an exciting new crypto sportsbook that hit the market in 2026. It is a very modern site, so you will notice that the software is slicker than the BetOnline and Bovada platforms, and it is vastly superior to the likes of MyBookie, XBet and Everygame. However, it does not offer sports betting bonuses, and it is best suited to crypto users, while you also need a VPN to access it from the United States.

March Madness Betting Options: 4.9/5

A huge selection of betting options will greet you if you click on a college basketball game at Lucky Block. It also provides pre-game stats to guide your picks, while the user experience is very impressive, pages load quickly and the odds are competitive with most rivals. If it adds bonuses, it could soon rival BetOnline for top spot in our guide.

Payment Options: 4.5/5

This is a crypto betting site, so the best option is to fund your account using Bitcoin or an altcoin. However, if you are not a regular crypto user, you can buy some on the site using a standard payment method such as a credit card, and you can then use that crypto for betting in USD. Payouts are very quick and secure.

Bonuses & Promos: 0/5

There are no sports betting bonuses on offer at Lucky Block right now. It offers some casino promos, so we hope to see sportsbook offers added soon.

7. BetUS – Largest March Madness Bonuses

Sportsbook facts: 

• Website: betus.com.pa
• Payout Time: 24-48 hours, depending on the mode of payment
• Established: 1994
• License: Government of Curacao

Our Verdict: 4.5/5

BetUS is an ambitious online sportsbook that has made great strides in recent years. It has been online for more than two decades, but the user experience has been overhauled in the modern era, and it is now one of the best college basketball sportsbooks available, with very few weaknesses.

March Madness Options at BetUS: 4.6/5

You can bet on alternate lines, props and same game parlay combos at BetUS. It also offers competitive futures odds, along with the option to create multiple bets such as parlays, teasers, pleasers and round robins. If you need inspiration for your picks, handicappers appear on videos in the BetUS TV section, and they give picks out on first round games.

Payment Options: 4.2/5

Visa, MasterCard, and American Express are accepted at BetUS. You can also send a cash transfer or a bank wire. Crypto holders can send Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin or Ethereum. The minimum deposit via crypto is just $10 and the maximum is $50,000, and there are no fees on crypto payments, so that is the best option. It offers withdrawals of $50 to $5,000 daily via crypto.

Bonuses & Promos: 4.8/5

There are huge bonuses of all kinds at BetUS, which are available to use on March Madness 1st round games. These include welcome bonuses for fiat and crypto payments, as well as a lucrative referral bonus.

8. BetNow – Appealing Odds on March Madness

Sportsbook facts: 

• Website: betnow.eu
• Payout Time: 24 hours
• Established: 2015
• License: Curacao Gaming Control Board
• Headquarters: Costa Rica

Our Verdict: 4.4/5

BetNow is possibly the simplest site for wagering on March Madness. The strapline promises to make betting simple, and it delivers on that promise with a straightforward sign-up form, a smooth deposit process and a very easy-to-understand layout. It is not a particularly sophisticated sportsbook, but it has some sharp odds and appealing bonuses.

March Madness Options at BetNow: 4/5

There are only a handful of betting options on college basketball games at BetNow. However, it regularly offers market leading moneyline odds, and it tends to take a lower house edge than many rivals on its lines, so it is worth factoring BetNow into any odds comparisons you are running during March Madness.

Payment Options: 4.4/5

You can use a credit or debit card, a wire transfer, Bitcoin or Neteller to fund a BetNow account.That is a narrower selection than most competitors, but it fits in with the site’s relentless focus on simplicity. Payouts can be made via Bitcoin, a bank wire, bank draft, Neteller or MoneyGram.

Bonuses & Promos: 4.5/5

There is a 150% bonus of up to $150 available at BetNow. Most sportsbooks only provide a 50% or 100% bonus, so this is an appealing offer for players that want to deposit up to $100. Its 8x rollover requirement is reasonably competitive too, and it offers a strong refer-a-friend promo.

9. BUSR – Racebook with College Basketball Betting

Sportsbook facts: 

• Website: busr.ag
• Payout Time: 3-5 days, dependent on the method
• Established: 2014
• License: Government of Curacao
• Headquarters: Costa Rica

Our Verdict: 4.4/5

This site is primarily famous for its racebook – BUSR stands for Bet US Racing – but it also offers a thorough online sportsbook. It covers many sports, and there are lots of leagues on offer too. The NCAA basketball section is comprehensive, as it takes bets on lots of regular season games and it is pretty quick to release March Madness first round lines.

March Madness Options at BUSR: 4/5

There are always plenty of alternate spreads and totals at BUSR. It offers props on the biggest college basketball games, but you will find more markets at competitors such as Bovada and Lucky Block. The website is a little basic, but it is functional and easy to use.

Payment Options: 4/5

Visa, MasterCard, Bitcoin, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ether and a P2P money transfer are all available as banking options at BUSR. Bitcoin is the most appealing withdrawal method, as you will get one free withdrawal worth between $25 and $5,000 per month, which will take three days to arrive. Bank wires are available too, but fees will be applied.

Bonuses & Promos: 4.4/5

There is a very large bonus on offer at BUSR. It has a 10x rollover requirement, which is a little higher than some rivals, but it is in line with BetOnline and MyBookie. BUSR also offers one of the largest reload bonuses on the market.

10. Jazz – Huge Selection of NCAAB Bet Types

Sportsbook facts: 

• Website: jazzsports.ag
• Payout Time: Within 24 hours
• Established: 1994
• License: Curacao Gaming Control Board
• Headquarters: San Jose, Costa Rica

Our Verdict: 4.4/5

Jazz rounds out our top 10 sites for betting on the first round of this year’s NCAA Tournament. We note that some customers complained about payout issues at sister sites owned by parent company DPT Sports in the past, but that was a long time ago, and Jazz has been paying out on time and in full for many years, so it is considered a legit, high-quality college basketball betting site.

March Madness Options at Jazz: 4.9/5

A wide selection of March Madness options are available at Jazz. It offers lots of props, many alternative lines and plenty of possibilities when creating parlays and other multiple bets. There are more futures markets available here than most rivals too.

Payment Options: 4/5

Bitcoin, Litecoin and Ethereum are available for free deposits of $50 to $5,000. You can send a smaller amount, starting at $10, but that will incur a small fee. Visa, MasterCard and P2P transfers are available too, but the limits are not as broad.

Bonuses & Promos: 4.2/5

There is a 50% deposit bonus of up to $1,000 with a 10x rollover on offer at Jazz, which is identical to the sign-up promo available at MyBookie. Just click the link we have provided to claim this offer today. There are various contests and additional promos available too.

It is easy to place bets on March Madness 1st round games. Just follow the steps laid out below:

Step 1: Visit the No. 1 College Basketball Betting Site

Click the link to visit BetOnline, the No. 1 online sportsbook for college basketball betting, and then click the “Join” button to open the sign-up form.

Step 2: Fill in the Registration Form

Enter some basic personal details on the sign-up form and click “Create Account.” There is no immediate need for a KYC process, so you can start betting straight away.

Step 3: Make Your Initial Deposit

Click on the green button at the top of the site to visit the cashier. Select a payment option, choose a deposit amount and enter your details to complete the transaction.

Step 4: Start Betting On March Madness

When your deposit arrives, you will qualify for the match deposit sign-up bonus. You can then choose basketball from the list of sports on the main menu and select NCAA to see March Madness first round betting options. Click on the odds next to any pick to add it to your betslip, type in a bet amount and click the button to place your wager.

March Madness first round odds will begin with a plus or a minus. Here is an example of first round moneyline odds:

• USC to beat Miami (-125)
• Miami to beat USC (+105)

When the odds start with a minus, the subsequent numbers explain how much money you need to lay down to earn a $100 profit. In this case, a $125 bet on USC nets $100.

If they start with a plus, they explain the profit available from a $100 bet. A $100 bet at +105 on Miami pays $105 in this example.

BetOnline is the best source of March Madness first round betting odds, so click the link below when the bracket is finalized to make your plays.

You can place a wide range of bets on the first round of the NCAA Tournament. These are the most common bet types to consider:

Moneyline Bets

A simple bet on which team will win a game. For example, you might be offered odds of -145 on North Carolina to beat Marquette in the first round, and +125 on Marquette to win the game. Just put your money on the team you expect to win straight-up.

Spread Betting

This is the most common bet you can place on March Madness games. The sportsbooks give the stronger basketball team (the moneyline favorite) a handicap, creating a spread. You then pick who will cover it, with similar odds on either team.

Sticking with the above example, you might find -110 on North Carolina -2.5 and -110 on Marquette +2.5. In that case, a bet on North Carolina would succeed if they won by 3 or more points, and a bet on Marquette would pay off if they won or lost by up to 2 points.

Totals

An over/under prediction on the total points both teams will score combined. For example, you might see odds of -110 on over 142.5 points and -110 on under 142.5 points. There will also be alternate totals on NCAA games and team totals too.

Prop Bets

Prop bets focus on events inside a game, player stats or team stats. Examples can include a bet on the highest scoring half, the first team to reach 20 points or a player to score over/under a certain number of points.

Parlays

Parlays combine two or more picks on the first round of March Madness into a single wager. For example, you could bet on Purdue, UCLA and Baylor all to cover the spread. All three must cover for the bet to succeed, but you can then look forward to a large payout.

Live Betting

You can bet live on NCAA Tournament first round matchups after they have started. Sportsbooks continuously update the odds and lines on their spreads, totals, moneylines and props as the score changes, and you can keep betting throughout the game.

Live Streaming

Some online sportsbooks allow you to watch college basketball games on their sites while weighing up live betting options. BetOnline provides this service, which is very useful.

This chart highlights the key bet types available at the best online sportsbooks for the NCAA Division 1 Men’s Basketball Tournament:

The First Four takes place in Dayton, Ohio, on March 14-15 this year. The main bracket will then be decided and the first round can get underway, These are the dates for the first round of this year’s NCAA Tournament:

Selection Sunday takes place on March 12 this year, and the bracket will then be revealed. It will be finalized after the First Four stage concludes. Bookmark this page and return for our top March Madness first round predictions when the bracket is ready.

March Madness First Round Favorites

It is very rare for a No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 16 seed. In fact, it has only happened once in the past 25 years. You very rarely see wins for No. 15 or No. 14 seeds either, so we expect the top three in each region to sail through to the second round. We will provide picks on March Madness first round results when the bracket is available.

March Madness First Round Upsets

Looking for March Madness first round upsets can be a very lucrative pursuit. A No. 13 seed upsets a No. 4 seed almost every year, so conduct thorough research into No. 13 teams in a bid to uncover this year’s surprise package.

Anyone seeking first round upsets on March Madness can also bear in mind that there are usually one or two upsets when a No. 12 seed faces a No. 5 seed, and the same applies to No. 6 vs. No. 11 matchups. We will update this guide with picks on upsets before the first round gets underway.

BetOnline is the best all-round site for betting on this year’s NCAA Tournament. It is quicker to release college basketball lines than most rivals, which is helpful during this frenetic event. The odds are appealing, and there are lots of betting options to choose from.

You will receive a sign-up bonus worth up to $1,000 if you register today, so click the button below to get started. Additional benefits include risk-free bets, odds boosts, bracket contests, 24/7 support, huge limits, high-quality software and same day payouts, so this is the best site for college basketball betting right now.