The first spherical of March Madness ideas off on Thursday to the delight of gamblers across the nation. According to a report from the American Gaming Association, basketball followers are going to wager loads of money on this yr’s video games.
The AGA estimates Americans will legally wager $3.1 billion on the NCAA males’s and girls’s school basketball tournaments this yr, up from $2.7 billion in 2024.
The business continues to develop with authorized retail and on-line sports activities betting now accessible in 38 states together with Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico. AGA officers consider that development is fueled by belief within the nation’s authorized wagering choices.
“March Madness is one of the most exciting times in American sports, with fans fired up for both the men’s and women’s NCAA tournaments,” AGA Senior Vice President of Strategic Communications Joe Maloney stated. “As legal wagering expands across the U.S., more fans than ever have the opportunity to bet legally and responsibly.”
The quantity wagered is anticipated to be virtually twice the $1.39 billion that was wagered on the Super Bowl. The betting determine doesn’t embody betting positioned with offshore sportsbooks or amongst pals and acquaintances.
The AGA reviews that help for authorized sports activities betting throughout the nation continues to develop. The business group’s 2024 American Attitudes Survey discovered that 75% of Americans help authorized wagering of their dwelling state, and 90% view sports activities betting as a suitable type of leisure.
March Madness motion formally started on Tuesday with the primary two “First Four” play-in video games. The second two are set for Wednesday earlier than the primary spherical will get underway Thursday afternoon.
Last yr, the University of Connecticut Huskies defeated the San Diego State Aztecs to take the title. On the ladies’s aspect, Louisiana State defeated Iowa final yr within the championship recreation.
This yr, Duke is the favourite to win the boys’s championship at +320, adopted by Florida at +380. South Carolina is favored on the ladies’s aspect at +240 with UConn simply behind at +350.
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