Brackets and bets are hardly a new concept for the annual NCAA basketball tournament. But this year, March Madness gambling will be more widespread than ever.
For the first time in tournament history, gambling on the basketball games – and the event as a whole – is legal outside of Las Vegas, thanks to the seven states who have legalized sports gambling so far. And that has undoubtedly impacted the number of people participating.
Take a look at some of the astounding numbers. Prior to the start of this year’s March Madness, experts predicted that $4.6 BILLION would be gambled throughout the course of the event. 20% of U.S. adults were predicted to place a bet of some kind, and the amount of betting is expected to be 40% more than the betting for the 2019 Super Bowl.
What does it all mean? Only time will tell for sure – but it probably means we can expect a future of more gambling, more legalization, and a lot more Madness.