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Massachusetts is buzzing with heightened anticipation for March Madness this year, as online sports betting has officially launched in the state.
Approximately 40 million Americans participate in completing a March Madness bracket annually, resulting in a staggering total of 70 million brackets played.
With the legalization of online sports betting in Massachusetts, the Commonwealth is poised to experience a surge in March Madness bracket contests.
Considering this, now we delve into various March Madness bracket contests accessible to basketball enthusiasts in Massachusetts.
March Madness bracket contests in Massachusetts
Massachusetts won’t have a significant presence in March Madness this year as no teams from the state will participate in the men’s NCAA Tournament. However, Holy Cross will represent Massachusetts as a 15-seed in the women’s NCAA Tournament, facing off against No. 2 Maryland.
Besides sports betting, participating in bracket contests can be an enjoyable way to join in on the excitement.
MA offers both free and paid-entry March Madness bracket contests.
DraftKings Massachusetts
Users can participate in the bracket contest on DraftKings Sportsbook MA to predict the outcomes of NCAA Tournament games and potentially win cash prizes. By making accurate selections, participants can earn points based on the following system:
- First round: 10 points.
- Second round – 20 points
- The third round of the competition, also known as the Sweet 16, is worth 40 points.
- In the fourth round, also known as the Elite 8, participants can earn a total of 80 points.
- The fifth round, also known as the Final Four, consists of a total of 160 points.
- The sixth round of the championship has a total of 320 points up for grabs.
The participant who accumulates the greatest overall points during March Madness will be awarded a grand prize of $1 million. Additionally, the top 1,000 submissions will receive monetary rewards.
To participate, kindly note that a $100 fee is required for each contest entry, with a maximum limit of 100 entries per user. Prior to entering, please make sure to thoroughly review the complete terms and conditions of the contest.
Furthermore, it is highly probable that DraftKings will host its free March Mania Survivor Pool once more, with the previous year’s victor earning a sum of $30,000.
BetMGM Massachusetts
BetMGM brings back its $10 million free-to-play challenge this year after introducing it last year.
Users of BetMGM Sportsbook MA have the chance to win a staggering $10 million by accurately predicting the flawless March Madness bracket. Admittedly, this feat is no easy task. However, even if no participant manages to achieve this, there is still an enticing $100,000 guaranteed prize awaiting the player who accumulates the highest number of points throughout the NCAA Tournament.
BetMGM employs a progressive point system, doubling the points from one in the initial round to a maximum of 32 in the championship game.
Only the top prize is offered in the bracket contest at DraftKings MA, with no other rewards available. Furthermore, BetMGM account holders are restricted to submitting only one entry.
FanDuel Massachusetts
FanDuel Massachusetts is once again offering the exciting FanDuel Bracket Pick’em. This free contest allows participants to create their March Madness brackets for a chance to win a grand prize of $5,000, with a total of $25,000 in prizes up for grabs.
The guidelines for this complimentary competition possess some unique variations.
Similar to the rest of the competitions mentioned, participants in FanDuel receive a specific number of points for every accurate choice made. Nevertheless, FanDuel sets itself apart by multiplying these points with the seed of the victorious team. Consequently, players are incentivized and rewarded for correctly predicting an unexpected outcome.
Here’s the points system:
- In the initial round, the score will be determined by multiplying 10 points with the seed value.
- In the second round, each team will earn 25 points multiplied by their seed.
- The Sweet 16 round awards 50 points, which are then multiplied by the seed number.
- The Elite Eight scoring system awards 100 points multiplied by the seed number.
- The Final Four will earn 250 points, which will be multiplied by their seed.
- The Championship will award 500 points, which will be multiplied by the seed.
The individual who accumulates the highest number of points will be awarded a prize of $5,000. Moreover, any players who manage to accumulate a total of 2,500 points or more will receive a portion of a $20,000 prize pool.
ESPN Tournament Challenge
This year, ESPN presents its very own tournament challenge with an impressive prize pool of $100,000.
The grand prize winner is determined through a random drawing, but with a twist. To be eligible for the drawing, contestants must consistently score the highest points in each round of the tournament. Once March Madness concludes, ESPN selects the lucky winner from the pool of top scorers.
The scoring system closely resembles the DraftKings bracket challenge, where each victory in the first round accumulates 10 points. As the rounds progress, the scoring multiplies by two.
March Madness betting in Massachusetts
Massachusetts now has six active online sportsbook apps, namely DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, WynnBET, Fanduel, and Barstool Sportsbook. These platforms offer NCAA Tournament betting odds for all March Madness games, providing basketball enthusiasts in the Commonwealth with numerous choices for their betting endeavors.
According to existing regulations, Massachusetts allows a maximum of 15 online sports betting apps in the state. Currently, 10 mobile licenses have already been taken. Betr is scheduled to go live in April, followed by Bally Bet and Fanatics Sportsbook in May. Betway, on the other hand, is set to launch in January 2025. Unfortunately, PointsBet has withdrawn its application and will not be launching in Massachusetts.
Make sure to claim the numerous Massachusetts sports betting bonuses when you sign up for each sportsbook.
If you or someone dear to you is facing issues related to gambling, reach out to a trained specialist for free assistance 24/7 at 1-800-327-5050 or visit www.mahelpline.org/problemgambling.
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