• About Us / Contact
  • Responsible Gambling
This site contains commercial content
SportsHandle
  • US Sports Betting
    • Arizona
    • Arkansas
    • Colorado
    • Connecticut
    • Delaware
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Louisiana
    • Maine
    • Maryland
    • Massachusetts
    • Michigan
    • Mississippi
    • New Jersey
    • New Mexico
    • New York
    • Ohio
    • Oregon
    • Pennsylvania
    • Tennessee
    • Virginia
    • West Virginia
    • Wyoming
  • Pending States
    • California
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Missouri
    • North Carolina
  • Canada
    • Ontario
    • British Columbia
    • Alberta
  • Sportsbook Apps
    • FanDuel
    • BetMGM
    • Caesars
    • PointsBet
    • BetRivers
  • Tools
    • Sportsbook Bonuses Explained
    • Sports Betting Revenue Tracker
    • Sports Betting Podcasts
    • Partnership Tracker
    • Expected Value
    • Sports Scores And Odds Apps
    • Sports Betting Twitter
  • News
No Result
View All Result
SportsHandle
  • US Sports Betting
    • Arizona
    • Arkansas
    • Colorado
    • Connecticut
    • Delaware
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Louisiana
    • Maine
    • Maryland
    • Massachusetts
    • Michigan
    • Mississippi
    • New Jersey
    • New Mexico
    • New York
    • Ohio
    • Oregon
    • Pennsylvania
    • Tennessee
    • Virginia
    • West Virginia
    • Wyoming
  • Pending States
    • California
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Missouri
    • North Carolina
  • Canada
    • Ontario
    • British Columbia
    • Alberta
  • Sportsbook Apps
    • FanDuel
    • BetMGM
    • Caesars
    • PointsBet
    • BetRivers
  • Tools
    • Sportsbook Bonuses Explained
    • Sports Betting Revenue Tracker
    • Sports Betting Podcasts
    • Partnership Tracker
    • Expected Value
    • Sports Scores And Odds Apps
    • Sports Betting Twitter
  • News
No Result
View All Result
SportsHandle
No Result
View All Result

Exclusive Survey: 65% Of NCAA Tournament Bettors Wagered More Than Ever This Year

Final Four teams among the most heavily bet, portending massive handle on remaining contests

Brett Smiley by Brett Smiley
March 31, 2022
in Sports
duke unc

Rob Kinnan/USA TODAY

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Legal sports betting has never been more available in the U.S. than it is this year, and the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament never more heavily bet.

Leading into this weekend’s Final Four, 31% of Americans (ages 21-64) have bet on this year’s tournament, and among them, 65% said they have bet more this year than on any previous tournament, according to a study by the National Research Group conducted after the Elite Eight round wrapped Sunday.

What bet sizes does that equate to? Thirty-nine percent of the bettors reported that they wagered a total of $250 or more, while 63% said $100 and up.

All these dollars flowing through sportsbooks has translated to fewer completed brackets, at least among sports bettors. The survey found that a whopping 60% of people who bet on this year’s NCAA Tournament did not fill out a bracket. Further, 54% of bettors say that legalized mobile app sports betting has made them less interested in brackets, compared to 26% that disagree with that sentiment.

Each year — except for 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic caused the cancellation of the tournament — the tourney stands alongside the Super Bowl as the most popular sports betting events in the U.S.

While the percentage of bettors plunking down a wager has dipped a bit each round this year, the betting volume for the two Final Four contests and Monday’s National Championship game ought to be huge. North Carolina and Duke will meet in the tournament for the first time ever in what could also be legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final game, if the 4.5-point favorite Blue Devils fall to the underdog Tar Heels. And two more “blue bloods” — Kansas and Villanova — will fight for the right to battle on Monday for the title.

Here is a roundup of the most interesting findings from the March Madness betting survey:

Arrow is up: NCAA Tournament betting trends

ncaa march madness betting
Design By National Research Group

Total dollars wagered: how the numbers fall

ncaa march madness betting
Design By National Research Group

Keep in mind that these are cumulative dollars, which may represent bets on multiple games (more on that in next section):

  • More than $1,000 — 6%
  • Between $500-$999 — 16%
  • Between $250-$499 — 17%
  • Between $100-$249 — 24%
  • Between $50-$99 — 15%
  • Between $20-$49 — 13%
  • Between $5-$19 — 7%
  • Under $5 — 2%

How many games and how many rounds

  • While 24% of bettors have wagered on more than 10 games during this year’s tournament, the vast majority (63%) have bet on between three and 10 games.
  • 54% of NCAA Tournament bettors placed a wager on the First Round (Round of 64), the most of any round to date.
  • Those percentages have declined each round, with 46% betting on the Second Round, 44% on the Sweet Sixteen, and 30% on the Elite Eight.

This decline may be explained in part due to busted bankrolls (hey, they’re just like brackets!), as well as there being simply fewer games on the slate, and thus fewer games that inspired people to bet.

Betting on blue bloods

While sports betting is legal in North Carolina only at tribal-run sportsbooks in remote parts of the state, Duke and North Carolina are longstanding nationally known programs featured regularly on national television. And the Final Four clash comes on the heels of North Carolina’s upset victory on March 5 in Coach K’s final game at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

The rematch between the heated rivals is likely to attract a massive amount of betting interest.

ncaa march madness betting
Design By National Research Group

Bracket impact: Out of office, out of mind?

This one was surprising: A majority of the bettors did not fill out a bracket. And based on the responses, causes include both the availability of legal sportsbooks and a pandemic-influenced shift to more remote working environments.

  • 60% of people who bet on this year’s NCAA Tournament did not fill out a bracket.
  • Conversely, just 8% of bettors filled out a bracket without betting on any individual games.
  • 54% of bettors say that legalized online sports betting has made them less interested in brackets, compared to 26% that disagree.
ncaa march madness betting
Design By National Research Group

What are they betting?

The most popular bet types to date:

    • Moneyline (39%)
    • Live game bets (30%)
    • Spread bets (28%)
    • Parlays (27%)
    • Over/under bets (27%)
    • Futures (25%)
    • Same-game parlays (25%)

Methodology

This data comes from an online study conducted by National Research Group (NRG) on March 28-29 among 1,000 Americans ages 18 to 64.  Sports bettors are defined as anyone 21 or older who bets frequently or occasionally on sports.

ShareTweetShare
Brett Smiley

Brett Smiley

Brett Smiley is editor-in-chief and co-founder of Sports Handle, which joined forces with the US Bets team in November 2018. He focuses on the sports betting industry and legislation. He's a recreational sports bettor and DFS player himself, focusing on the NFL. In a past life, Smiley practiced commercial litigation in New York City and previously wrote for FOX Sports and SI.com. He lives in New Jersey with his family.

Related Posts

get a grip graphic
Industry

Get A Grip — The Week In Sports Betting: Sizing Up The Next States

January 13, 2023
man-coming-off-starting-blocks
Analysis

Which States Will Legalize Sports Wagering In 2023?

January 9, 2023
Load More

Top Stories

fanduel-retail-sportsbook-front

Requiem For The So-Called ‘Risk-Free Bet’

February 2, 2023
garnett mgm springfield

Sports Betting Launches In Massachusetts, Giving Three Retail Books A Head Start

January 31, 2023
fanatics-grand-opening

Fanatics Sportsbook At FedEx Field Offers Unique Retail Option In Maryland

January 23, 2023
Shutterstock

Missouri Legislators Lament Exodus Of Bettors To Neighboring States

January 27, 2023

State Sports Betting Guides

Ohio (U.S. state) flag waving against clear blue sky, close up, isolated with clipping path mask alpha channel transparency, perfect for film, news, composition

Ohio Sports Betting – Where To Play, Bonus Offers And Promo Codes

by Brian Pempus
February 2, 2023

Downtown Detroit at twilight (Shutterstock)

Michigan Sports Betting – Where To Play, Online Sportsbooks, And FAQ

by Brett Smiley
February 3, 2023

VA captial

Virginia Sports Betting – Where To Play, Online Sportsbooks And Bonus Offers

by Brett Smiley
January 17, 2023

nj flag

New Jersey Sports Betting — Where To Play, Online Sportsbooks, And FAQ

by Brett Smiley
October 20, 2022

pa online sportsbooks

Pennsylvania Sports Betting – Where To Play, Online Sportsbooks And Bonuses

by Brett Smiley
October 6, 2022

Canada Sports Betting Guides

Canada Sports Betting – Best Sportsbook Apps & Bonus Offers

British Columbia Sports Betting – Legal Update, Available Sportsbooks, and FAQ

Ontario Sports Betting – Legal Status And Where To Play

gambling therapy
ncpg
igaming ontario
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL). Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (MI/NJ/OH/PA/WV), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-888-532-3500 (VA) or call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN).
19+. Please play responsibly. Terms and conditions apply. 
Individuals must be 19 years of age or older to participate in igaming in Ontario. Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly. If you, or someone you know, has a gambling problem in Ontario and wants help, please visit ConnexOntario or call their helpline at 1-866-531-2600. Operators on this website operate pursuant to an Operating Agreement with iGaming Ontario.

Search Sports Handle

No Result
View All Result
  • About Us / Contact
  • Responsible Gambling

No Result
View All Result
  • US Sports Betting
    • Arizona
    • Arkansas
    • Colorado
    • Connecticut
    • Delaware
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Louisiana
    • Maine
    • Maryland
    • Massachusetts
    • Michigan
    • Mississippi
    • New Jersey
    • New Mexico
    • New York
    • Ohio
    • Oregon
    • Pennsylvania
    • Tennessee
    • Virginia
    • West Virginia
    • Wyoming
  • Pending States
    • California
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Missouri
    • North Carolina
  • Canada
    • Ontario
    • British Columbia
    • Alberta
  • Sportsbook Apps
    • FanDuel
    • BetMGM
    • Caesars
    • PointsBet
    • BetRivers
  • Tools
    • Sportsbook Bonuses Explained
    • Sports Betting Revenue Tracker
    • Sports Betting Podcasts
    • Partnership Tracker
    • Expected Value
    • Sports Scores And Odds Apps
    • Sports Betting Twitter
  • News

loading

Please wait while you are redirected to the right page...

Please share your location to continue.

Check our help guide for more info.

share your location