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Betting on College Basketball: How To Bet on NCAA Basketball

Last Updated on 06/12/2024
Fact checked by: Mark Lewis

We are here to show you the best ways to bet on college basketball. Not only will you discover the best college basketball betting sites, but we’ll even reveal some top promos you can use too.

Each of the sportsbooks featured in our comparison can be counted on to give you superior odds for March Madness and pretty much every other college basketball tournament. Plus we’ve selected those basketball betting sites that are legal in your state so that you get a legal and safe way to play.

 

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Compare the best NCCA Basketball Betting sites

Bet365
Recommended
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Withdrawal
0 – 10 Days
Apps
License
Virginia (US) Lottery Board
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EGR - Operator of the year (2017)
Whatever the sport. Whatever the moment. It's Never Ordinary at bet365. That's why if you sign up now you'll get the choice of two great New Customer Offers, the First Bet Safety Net up to $1000 or Bet $5 and Get $200 in Bonus Bets. Deposit required. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply.Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler 21+
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BetMGM Sportsbook
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4.6/5
  • Excellent range of sports markets
  • Plenty of betting options
  • Impressive odds
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Players from Virginia accepted
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Payment Methods
PayNearMe
Skrill
PayPal
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Withdrawal
0 – 3 Days
Apps
License
Virginia (US) Lottery Board
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GGA - Digital Operator of the Year (2023)
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FanDuel Sportsbook
Hot Offer
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4.5/5
  • Coverage for 16+ sports
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Payment Methods
Prepaid Card
PayNearMe
PayPal
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Withdrawal
1 – 10 Days
Apps
License
Virginia (US) Lottery Board
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Global Gaming Awards (2022)
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Caesars
4.
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4.5/5
  • User-friendly site and app
  • Smooth live betting experience
  • Reliable customer support
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Virginia
Players from Virginia accepted
T&Cs apply, 21+
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Payment Methods
E-Check
PayNearMe
PayPal
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Withdrawal
0 – 5 Days
Apps
License
Virginia (US) Lottery Board
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BetRivers.com
5.
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4.5/5
  • High-quality live betting options
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Virginia
Players from Virginia accepted
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Payment Methods
PayNearMe
Bank Transfer
VIP Preferred
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Withdrawal
0 – 5 Days
Apps
License
Virginia (US) Lottery Board
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DraftKings Sport
6.
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4.5/5
  • Massive sports bonus
  • Competitive betting odds
  • Good live betting platform
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Payment Methods
PayPal
VIP Preferred
Play+
+
Withdrawal
0 – 5 Days
Apps
License
Virginia (US) Lottery Board
Award
EGR - Operator of the year (2023)
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Fanatics
7.
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4.5/5
  • Quality online sportsbook
  • Competitive betting odds
  • Big promo expected
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Players from Virginia accepted
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Payment Methods
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Apps
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Virginia (US) Lottery Board
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Barstool
8.
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Best Alternative
Bet365 Go to Bet365
Payment Methods
E-Check
PayNearMe
PayPal
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Withdrawal
1 – 5 Days
Apps
License
Virginia (US) Lottery Board
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Simple tips for betting on college basketball

  • Avoid parlay bets without bonuses - This is because there are many promo offers that work to give you extra profit boosts for having more selections in your parlay. Or you might even find deals that refund your stakes if just one selection lets you down.
  • Make use of bonus offers when possible - After all, bonus offers give you a great way of playing with extra credit, while some deals will even refund your losses.
  • Rely on moneyline wagers - This is because moneyline betting is the simplest way to bet on all sports, including college basketball. Far better to start simply rather than diving into some of the more complex player props.
  • Place prop bets during March Madness - Once you have got the basics of betting right, you can take it up a level by making some prop bets during March Madness. After all, prop bets can offer you extra value for when those moneyline odds don’t look too good.

Betting on college basketball is simple for players that understand how to choose between the different wager options and how to make use of the odds as well. There are countless opportunities throughout the season to place wagers and to unlock some profit, but those possibilities can be costly if used improperly. Get familiar with the different wagering options and the best way to make use of college basketball, and enjoy the betting opportunities as they arise. It’s an exciting time to be a sports bettor.

Bet365
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Whatever the sport. Whatever the moment. It's Never Ordinary at bet365. That's why if you sign up now you'll get the choice of two great New Customer Offers, the First Bet Safety Net up to $1000 or Bet $5 and Get $200 in Bonus Bets. Deposit required. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply.Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler 21+
BetMGM Sportsbook
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FanDuel Sportsbook
3.
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4.5/5
Bet $5 Get $300 in Bonus Bets if you win + 3 Free Months of NBA League Pass
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Players from Virginia accepted
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Virginia (US) Lottery Board
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Caesars
4.
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4.5/5
First bet back as a bonus bet up to $1000
Virginia
Players from Virginia accepted
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Virginia (US) Lottery Board
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T&Cs apply, 21+
BetRivers.com
5.
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4.5/5
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Virginia
Players from Virginia accepted
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Virginia (US) Lottery Board
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T&Cs apply, 21+

Stick with the Big Three Wagers Initially: Moneylines, Spreads, and Totals

There are so many different types of wagers that can be placed for college basketball that it can be overwhelming trying to decide what to do. Gamblers looking for a guide about how to win betting college basketball should start off wagering on the most common types of bets first. That means wagering on moneylines, point spreads and point totals before something more complicated like a pleaser or a parlay.

Moneylines

Moneyline bets are the simplest way to start wagering and the type of wager that most people associate with sports betting. Placing a moneyline wager on a specific team matchup just means choosing one team to win over the other. The less-likely team to win is worth more to wager on, while the favorite offers a lower payout. Gamblers that place a moneyline wager will enjoy a payout as long as they guess the correct winning team.

Spreads

Point spread wagers are a bit more complicated, but still simple enough to understand. When wagering on a point spread, gamblers bet how many points the two teams will be apart while also predicting which of the two teams will win. It’s like a moneyline wager with an additional condition to worry about. Point spread bets are more difficult to win, but when done right can be worth a whole lot of money for the winner.

Totals

Finally, there are total point bets. These wagers don’t care which of the two teams obtain victory. Instead, they try to predict how many points the two teams will have together. They are simple to understand but can be difficult to predict even for seasoned sports bettors. It’s important to carefully analyze how many points the two teams are likely to score before placing a total wager. When placing these wagers bettors can choose between an over the total bet and an under total bet.

When betting on college basketball as a new gambler its’ helpful to start with these simpler wagers first, and only to move on to the more advanced concepts later on with enough practice. The advanced wagers offer more opportunities to profit, but they are more difficult to pull off effectively which is why gamblers should take the time to get used to the simple wagers before moving to the more difficult options.

Advanced Wagering Strategies: Parlays, Teasers, and Pleasers

The standard three wagers described up above are good enough to get a sports bettor started, but they’re often not enough to make up the full betting college basketball strategy that an experienced gambler will use. There are times when it makes sense to use more advanced wagers like parlays, teasers and pleasers. Each of these different options manipulates more standard wagers in some way, raising or lowering the potential payout while also adjusting the odds.

Teasers

Teasers are a kind of parlay bet where you are allowed to change the points spread. Such bets are used in college basketball wagers to make spreads and total bets more favorable. They will be easier to win, but come with significantly lower payouts as well.

Pleasers

Pleasers are the opposite and make the wagers more difficult to win but significantly raise the total payout that can be won from the wager. These two wager types are good in situations where a gambler is more or less confident than they need to be to use standard spreads and total bets.

Parlays

Parlays are something different entirely though. They combine several different wagers together into one group wager. In order for this wager to work out every piece of the wager must result in a correct selection. If a parlay does work out it results in a very large prize payout, which is why some gamblers go for these difficult-to-win bets. Parlays are good with bonuses or when wagering bonus funds, but usually a poor choice for gamblers looking to win consistently.

Each of these advanced wagering opportunities are options that gamblers should take the time to get familiar with before placing college basketball wagers. To learn more about options like the pleaser bet, look at our pleaser betting strategy here. Bettors that get used to more advanced wagering strategies can make the most of exciting wagering opportunities that come up as you look through the different betting lines.

Take Advantage of Prop Bets

Prop bets are more interesting wagers that include most wagers that aren’t one of the three described above. Often prop bets for college basketball are focused on how many three pointers, or how many total points a specific player is going to score during a game.

These more specific, and more unique wagering opportunities show up with dozens of options to choose from during major matchups and tournaments. Here are some of the most common prop bets you might see during the next big college basketball tournament:

  • How many points or assists a player might get during a game
  • Which team scores first
  • Which team gets the most rebounds
  • Which player scores the most three-pointers
  • Highest scoring quarter or half

College basketball bettors should look very closely at prop bets during March Madness to try and find sportsbooks that list the options more favorably than others. These are sometimes big opportunities that should be taken advantage of for improved odds and improved potential prize payouts as well.

Enjoy live betting on college basketball

There is nothing like betting live on college basketball to add an extra dimension to a massive game. Here are the key things to remember about live betting:

  • Constantly changing odds: The live betting odds will be changing in real-time in accordance to what’s going on in the game. This makes live betting tricky to get right, although it can open up more value with your bets.
  • Constant entertainment: You can enjoy live betting on college basketball right from the start of the game until the dying moments of the final quarter. This means that you can enjoy constant entertainment throughout the game, although you should know that live betting markets will close before the very end.
  • Cash out betting: Not only can you bet live during a college basketball game, but many sportsbooks also let you cash your bets out early. Perfect for clinging onto a winning bet regardless of what happens later on in the game.

Make the Most of College Basketball: Start Wagering Today

College basketball is one of the most widely watched and wagered on collegiate sport throughout the United States. It has a long list of devoted fans and is an excellent wagering opportunity for those committed to learning about the teams and the different wagering opportunities. We’ve put together comparisons of different sportsbooks that offer college basketball wagering. Take the time to look through our comparisons and choose the one that you like the best for yourself. Once you join you can unlock exciting bonus offers and start practicing your college basketball bets. Who knows, you could end up becoming a great sports bettor with time.

Conclusion: Placing Effective College Basketball Wagers is Simple

College basketball is a common college sport to wager on and an exciting opportunity for basketball fans that want to start sports betting. There are many different types of wagers to be aware of, so new players should take some time to learn about things like moneylines, totals, point spreads, teasers, pleasers, parlays, props and more. With this information they can place more informed wagers and begin making better wagering decisions overall. Which should be part of a wining betting college basketball strategy.

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Bet365
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College basketball betting FAQ

👮 Can I legally bet on college basketball in my state?

It depends which state you are playing from. Many states allow you to bet real money on college basketball. However, some states have rules that stop you from betting on college basketball taking place within your own state borders.

❓ How old do you have to be to bet on college basketball?

Again, it depends where you are playing from. However, you will usually have to be at least 21 years old to bet real money on college basketball.

💪 How do I win more college basketball bets?

There is no quick answer for this. Ultimately it comes down to doing your research and finding the shortest odds.

🎁 Who has the best college basketball betting bonuses?

It depends what you are looking for. Check out the comparison on our page to see what kinds of welcome offers you can get for signing up to some of our recommended online sportsbooks.

🏆 Which is the best college basketball betting site?

We’ve selected a handful of online sportsbooks who can be counted on to give you superior odds and bonuses for college basketball. Take your pick of any of these sportsbooks and get a better way to bet on March Madness and much more.

Top Betting Sites
Top Betting Promos
Bet365
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