March Madness is right around the corner, meaning teams are vying for their spot in the tournament. For Wisconsin residents, the Wisconsin Badgers are the hometown team and hope to make an impact in brackets across the country. The Badgers have their work cut out for them, but can still be considered a decent bet going into the tournament.
Wisconsin currently sits at #22 in the NCAA Power Rankings—not the best spot to be in, but still enough for a fighting chance. Any top 25 team in the country is considered to have a fighting chance. With a 22-7 record, the Badgers have been successful for the most part. Their performance throughout the season has earned them the 2nd spot in the Big Ten Conference. They have two games left in the regular season to finish strong. They are set to play Iowa and Minnesota, two unranked teams, but at the very least wins in these last two games could do something for their confidence going into the NCAA tournament.
Ethan Happ is leading the stat sheets by averaging 14 points per game and 9 rebounds per game. Bronson Koenig and Nigel Hayes follow with an average of 13 points a game and 2 rebounds per game for the former and 6 per game for the latter. Their team chemistry has been pretty solid throughout the season. The Badgers even went on a run of wins from early January to early February. That form eventually depleted as the Badgers went on to lose four games during February (two sets of back-to-back losses). Their just now coming off one of those sets, so if that Badgers could win their last two games of the season, it would be comforting for both the team and fans going into the tournament.
From a sports gambling perspective, Wisconsin could be a safe bet in the earlier rounds on a game-to-game basis. If you’re interested in betting on the March Madness tournament, there are a few things you have to consider first. Sports betting is technically illegal in the state of Wisconsin thanks to the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), a federal law that bans sports betting in 46 states. This rule only applies to US-based sportsbooks, meaning that Wisconsin can’t have any Las Vegas-style sportsbooks in the state. Wisconsin sports gambling relies on offshore sportsbooks. These offshore sportsbooks are legally sanctioned and regulated by their own governments. PASPA doesn’t apply to the offshore sportsbooks. These sites are used to American bettors and even offer bonuses and other incentives to get you to bet. You can browse the betting lines offered on NCAA basketball games before placing a bet, allowing you to see if it’s something for you.
March Madness is set to start on March 14th, leaving teams only a couple of weeks to prepare. The March Madness tournament is where teams put their skills to the ultimate test. Every year, fans are treated to some of the most exciting college basketball this league has to offer. Betting on these teams is just another way of fans engaging with the support. If you’re confident enough with your bracket, why not put some money on it? Wisconsin residents will surely bet on the Badgers, and they’ll look to return their fans’ confidence with a victory.
