March Madness Drama: Judge Sides With DraftKings
Posted on: March 27, 2026, 01:45h.
Last updated on: March 27, 2026, 01:59h.
- Federal court judge blocks NCAA’s efforts to restrict DraftKings from using terms like “March Madness” in its marketing
- NCAA argued that DraftKings using those terms implied NCAA endorsement of sports betting
- Full slate of March Madness games tonight
A judge has ruled in favour of DraftKings in its legal battle with the NCAA over DraftKings’ usage of “March Madness,” “Final Four,” “Elite Eight,” “Sweet Sixteen” in its marketing and promotions.
Trademark Infringement Accusation
NCAA had filed a lawsuit in federal court in the South District of Indiana, looking for a temporary restraining order against the sportsbook operator, claiming trademark infringement, demanding that DraftKings stop using its federally registered trademarked terms.
All that was doing was implying an NCAA endorsement of gambling, the NCAA argued, and that’s a no-no. A deep institutional value of the NCAA is not to be associated with sports betting in any way, via its championships or the student athletes who compete in these events.
DraftKings Argued First Amendment Rights
Any confusion among fans, NCAA members and student-athletes that the NCAA endorses sports betting, “is in direct contradiction to (the NCAA’s) robust education, integrity monitoring, anti-harassment and advocacy efforts to end risky prop bets.”
The NCAA has had to deal with controversies around student athletes taking money from gamblers, manipulating their on-court performances and shaving points over the past year.
According to ESPN, the federal court ruled that the NCAA did not adequately show how DraftKings use of those terms could cause irreparable harm.
Tonight’s Betting Lines
With further discovery the NCAA may be able to show they are entitled to a preliminary or permanent injunction, and those claims remain pending,” Pratt said in the ESPN article.
In its defence, DraftKings argued it has been using those March Madness terms for five years, that its use was protected under the First Amendment, and that these are universally recognized terms used liberally by fans and sports journalists, as well as other sportsbooks.
Elite 8 Starts Tomorrow
In the meantime, the March Madness NCAA basketball tournament has four Sweet 16 games on the men’s side today – No. 5 St. John’s (+230 at DraftKings) at No. 1 Duke (-285), 7:10 p.m. EST, at Capital One Arena in Washington, No. 4 Alabama (+370) at No. 1 Michigan (-485), 7:35 p.m. EST at United Center in Chicago, No. 3 Michigan State (+105) at No. 2 UConn (-125), 9:45 p.m., Capital One Arena, No. 6 Tennessee (+154) at No. 2 Iowa State (-185), 10:10 p.m. EST, United Center.
According to theScore, for St. John’s at Duke, 69.6% of bets, 63.3 of handle on St. John’s +6.5, 26.9% of bets, 28.7% of handle on Duke ML -275, and 38.9% of bets, 65.2% of handle on Under 140.5. For Alabama at Michigan, it’s 49.5% of bets, 62.3% of handle on Michigan -9.5, 86.9% of bets, 83.5% of handle on Michigan ML -550, and 54.9% of bets, 80.2% of handle on Over 172.5.
Odds on Women’s Games Tonight
Michigan States at UConn shows 57.9% of bets, 59.1% of handle on Michigan State +1.5, 50.9% of bets, 58.9% of handle on Michigan State ML +105, and 80.6% of bets, 55.5% of handle on Over 136.5. For Tennessee at Iowa State, 59.8% of bets, 58.2% of handle on Iowa State -4.5, 82% of bets, 83.9% of handle on Iowa State ML -185, and 25.8% of bets, 56.6% of handle on Under 139.5.
On the women’s side today, there are these Sweet 16 games – No. 6 Notre Dame (+200 at DraftKings) at No. 2 Vanderbilt (-270), 2:30 p.m. EST, at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, No. 4 North Carolina at No. 1 UConn, 5:00 p.m. EST at Dickies Arena, No. 4 Minnesota (+1500) at No. 1 UCLA (-3600), 7:30 p.m., Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, No. 3 Duke (+330) at No. 2 LSU (-425), 10:0 p.m. EST, Golden 1 Center.
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