AGA Estimates Americans Will Bet $3.3 Billion on March Madness
Posted on: March 14, 2026, 10:38h.
Last updated on: March 14, 2026, 10:38h.
- 68-team fields on both the NCAA Division 1 men’s and women’s basketball sides start play next week
- Selection Sunday scheduled for tomorrow
- American Gaming Association projects big increase in betting on licensed platforms
The American Gaming Association (AGA) is projecting that Americans will wager $3.3 billion across legal sportsbooks on the March Madness NCAA Division 1 Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments, which get started next week.
Selection Sunday
That would be a 54% increase over the past three years, which the AGA said reflects public confidence in the regulated market. Last year the AGA projected $3.1 billion.
March Madness is the highlight of the college basketball season and fans are gearing up for a month of tournament action,” said Bill Miller, President and CEO of the American Gaming Association. “Fans continue to engage with legal, state- and tribal-regulated sports betting in record numbers during one of the biggest moments on the sports calendar.”
The tournament always brings complete unpredictability, on both sides – upsets, buzzer beaters, Cinderella stories. That makes it both interesting and challenges for sports bettors. Last year was an anomaly on the men’s side – all four No. 1 seeds (Florida, Houston, Duke and Auburn) advanced to the Final Four on the men’s side.
AGA Projects $3.3 Billion in Wagering
Selection Sunday is just a day away, the official kick off to March Madness, when the 68-team fields for both the men’s and women’s tournaments are revealed – 6 p.m. tomorrow on CBS for the men, followed by the women at 8 p.m. EST on ESPN.
On the men’s side, the First Four gets going March 17-18 at UD Arena in Dayton, OH, with the First Round March 19-20, Second Round March 21-22. Sweet 16 March 26-27, then the Elite Eight March 28-29.
Championship Games April 5-6
Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis hosts the Final Four on April 4, with the NCAA men’s championship game scheduled for April 6, also at Lucas Oil Stadium.
On the women’s side, the First Four gets going March 18-19 at various campus locations, with the First Round March 20-21, Second Round March 22-23. Sweet 16 March 27-28, then the Elite Eight March 29-30.
Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix hosts the Final Four on April 3, with the NCAA women’s championship game scheduled for April 5, also at Mortgage Matchup Center.
Prediction Markets
Earlier this week, H2 Gambling Capital sent out a statement projecting $4 billion in sportsbook handle for March Madness, a 6.7% increase from last year’s tournament.
These projections of course only account for betting on legal sportsbooks in 38 U.S. states (plus Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico) and doesn’t account for prediction market wagering on platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket. Markets on prediction platforms are expanding. Prediction market platforms were launched by DraftKings and FanDuel in 2025, as well.
Legal sports betting in Missouri launched in December, the only U.S. state that jumped into the regulated sports betting space since March Madness 2025.
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