History of NCAA Basketball
The NCAA Basketball tournament is undoubtedly one of the most popular sporting activities in New Jersey and the U.S in its entirety. Founded in 1936, the tournament comprises college basketball teams. It may refer to the following tournaments in the U.S:
- NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament
- NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Tournament
- NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Tournament
- NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament
- NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Tournament
- NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Tournament
The tournament is so popular because virtually every city and rural region in the U.S have a college with a basketball team. And the number of college basketball teams in the U.S is more than that of professional clubs.
For that reason, the fan-base of college basketball is huge, hence the tournament’s popularity.
Some of the most popular teams in the NCAA Basketball tournament include:
- UCLA
- Kansas
- North Carolina
- Kentucky
- Duke
- Indiana
- Michigan
- Villanova
One of the most notable competitions in NCAA Basketball is March Madness. It is also known as NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball tournament and presently features 68 teams. Further, it is a single-elimination tournament played annually in March. The 68 teams comprise winners from Division I conferences and 36 teams that receive awards at large berths.
The March Madness Final Four is the ultimate stage of the competition, and millions of basketball enthusiasts follow it closely. Moreover, Mainstream media houses such as TBS, CBS, truTV, and TNT broadcast the tournament. Played on the first weekend of April, the March Madness Final Four features four teams drawn from the East, West, Midwest, and South regions of the U.S.
NCAA Basketball Betting Lines
There are several ways to bet on an NCAA basketball game if you are a sports betting fan. However, the following types of betting are the most popular among NCAA Basketball bettors:
Point Spread
In this type of betting, you can bet on either a negative or positive score. For instance, -30.5 means the team on which you are betting to win must get a minimum of 31 points for your bet to succeed. On the other hand, +30.5 will cover the spread if the underdog in the match loses by 30 points
Moneyline
Many online bookies offer Moneyline betting, and it is the easiest bet to place. In Moneyline, you bet on the team you think will win without predicting the points by which it will win
Over/Under
Also known as the totals betting, over/under betting involves predicting the number of points the two teams combined will score. But you don’t give the exact number of points. You simply predict whether the score will be less or more than a specific total.
For example, if the total is 158.5, you can bet under 158.5 if you feel both teams will score less than 158 points. Similarly, you can bet over 158.5 if you think the score will be at least 159 points
College Basketball Awards You Can Bet On
Teams and players that excel in college basketball receive various awards. So, Americans get the opportunity to bet on the teams and players they think will win awards in various tournaments. Popular awards in the NCAA include the following:
- Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year: This award started in 1961 to recognize the most outstanding player of the year in men’s college basketball. The Associated Press (AP) votes for the winner of the award.
- John R. Wooden Award: This award started in 1977 and goes to the most outstanding players in both men’s and women’s college basketball. However, the extension of the award to women’s basketball did not come until 2004.
- Oscar Robertson Trophy: The best NCAA Division I men’s basketball player receives this award. The award began back in 1959 courtesy of the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) and is one of the oldest of its kind.
- NABC Player of the Year: The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) established this award during the 1974 – 75 season. It is an annual award meant to recognize the best players in all levels of the men’s college basketball.
- Sporting News Men’s College Basketball Player of the Year: The award debuted in college basketball during the 1942 – 43 season. It is also an annual award that goes to the top men’s basketball player in the NCAA Division I tournament.
How Do We Rank the Best NCAA Basketball Sportsbook?
While there are loads of bookies available for NJ residents looking to bet on NCAA Basketball games, it can be somewhat challenging to settle on the perfect option. For that reason, we take you through vital factors to consider when ranking the best NCAA Basketball sportsbook. Here they are:
- License and regulations – The bookie operator must make evident their commitment to observing gambling rules and regulations through licensing.
- Safety and security – Player security is crucial because there are many cyber threats in the gambling industry. So, the bookie must have an industry-standard cybersecurity solution to protect your data.
- Trustworthy and reputation – The best NCAA Basketball bookie should have a lovely reputation. That way, it attracts more new bettors and retains the existing ones. It should be trustworthy, to boot. Quick withdrawals and crediting of winnings are some of the things that make a sportsbook trustworthy.
- Number and variety of games – The bookie should offer you as many NCAA Basketball games as possible to bet on. Furthermore, the games should be from a variety of available tournaments.
- User experience (app) – You should be able to bet on your favorite NCAA Basketball team on the move. And so, the bookie should have an easy-to-use mobile app you can download and install on your mobile device.
- Bonuses and promotions – Bonuses and other promotional offers motivate both betting newbies and experts. So, the best NCAA Basketball sportsbook should offer bettors some risk-free bonuses to utilize on different games. Besides, the bonuses shouldn’t have unfavorable wagering requirements.
- Loyalty program (VIP-program) – Your loyalty to the bookie should earn you some rewards in cash and other privileges. Many sportsbooks have a VIP program in which they treat their loyal players to various bonuses. Therefore, the best NCAA Basketball bookie should have a well-structured loyalty program.
- Deposit and withdrawal options – You should be able to deposit funds into your account and bet. After that, you want to withdraw your winnings with minimum delays. Preferably, the sportsbook should accept popular and secure payment options such as credit/debit cards, eWallets, and bank transfers.
Is it Legal to Bet on the NCAA Basketball in NJ?
Betting on the NCAA Basketball is legal in New Jersey. However, you can bet on all games in the NCAA basketball tournament, with the exception of games involving NJ colleges. Also, be sure to bet at a casino that has a license to operate in NJ.
NCAA Basketball Betting in the Mobile
Lots of bookies have a native app you can download and install on your mobile device. As a result, you can bet on various NCAA matches from your smartphone or tablet.
In addition, most of the apps are compatible with popular mobile operating systems such as Android and iOS.
Also, modern online bookies have mobile-friendly websites. So, you may not even have to install an app on your device to bet on your favorite NCAA team.
FAQ
UCLA has bagged a total of 11 titles. Currently, that is the highest number of titles won in the NCAA tournament championships. The team won their first championship in 1964 and the last in 1995.
March Madness started back in 1936.
David Barret wrote the March Madness anthem, popularly known as One Shining Moment, in 1986.
In Moneyline betting, you place your bet on the team you think will win a match.
You pick if the favorite covers a certain winning margin or if the underdog will lose by less than that gap.
College basketball moneyline bets include overtime. Betting the second half also includes overtime.
College games tend to be shorter than NBA matches, lasting just over two hours.
Overtime in college basketball games is five minutes.
There are two halves, consisting of 20 minutes each.
Yes, you can bet on college basketball. Wagering on NCAA basketball is like gambling on any other sport.
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