What If You Bet on Every Underdog in March Madness?

Author ImageAuthor: | Last Updated: March 2024
March Madness Bracket on Left and a Sportsbook Screen on Right

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you bet on every underdog in March Madness? Each year, the men’s NCAA Tournament welcomes the best 68 teams from college basketball. Many of the matchups, especially in the early rounds, are major mismatches.

As a result, you would not need many underdogs to pull off an upset to make a profit. You can easily bet on college basketball online, too, so betting on every underdog for March Madness is easy. Keep reading to learn more about this bold NCAA Tournament betting strategy.

March Madness Best Underdogs Ever

Several March Madness underdogs have made exciting runs in recent years. Two number-one seeds have even fallen in the first round in recent years, which had never happened prior to 2018. Here are five of the best underdog runs ever in March Madness.

The 2023 Final Four

If you want an NCAA Tournament full of upsets, look no further than last year. The 2023 March Madness Tournament featured multiple upsets. As a result, the Final Four included the following:

  • #4 UConn
  • #5 Miami FL
  • #5 San Diego State
  • #9 Florida Atlantic

San Diego State was the only team to beat a lower-seeded team in the Elite Eight to reach the Final Four. #9 FAU faced just one lower-seeded team in the entire tournament: #16 FDU in the second round. While FAU had the best run, I think all four teams deserve recognition for their performances last year.

2022 St. Peter’s Peacocks

Another recent team to make a surprisingly deep run in March Madness was the St. Peter’s Peacocks. St. Peter’s entered the 2022 NCAA Tournament as a 15th-seed. The Peacocks started the tournament with a shocking 85-79 upset win over #2 Kentucky.

St. Peter’s continued to roll, beating #7 Murray State in the second round. The Peacocks then sent #3 Purdue packing in the Sweet 16. Unfortunately, the Peacocks’ run came to an end in the Elite Eight with a 69-49 loss to UNC.

2018 Loyola-Chicago Ramblers

The 2018 March Madness Tournament also featured memorable underdogs. UMBC became the first #16 seed to beat a #1 seed. The Loyola-Chicago Ramblers were the story of the tournament, though, and entered March Madness as an 11th seed.

Loyola-Chicago upset #6 Miami, FL, #3 Tennessee, #7 Nevada, and #9 Kansas State. Sadly, the Ramblers’ Cinderella run ended with a 69-57 loss to Michigan in the Final Four. On the bright side, college basketball fans were introduced to Sister Jean.

2006 George Mason Patriots

The George Mason Patriots had a memorable run in 2006 when they entered the tournament as an 11th seed. George Mason upset #6 Michigan State in the first round and then took down #3 UNC in round two.

The Patriots’ run continued with wins over #7 Wichita State and #1 UConn. In the Final Four, George Mason faced #3 Florida. The Gators won the matchup 73-58 and went on to win the championship that season.

1979 Penn Quakers

There were plenty of Cinderella runs before the turn of the century, as well. One of the most memorable runs was the 1979 Penn Quakers. Only 40 teams were allowed in the tournament, not 64.

Penn entered as a ninth seed and beat #8 Iona in round one. The Quakers then upset #1 UNC, #4 Syracuse, and #10 St. John’s, a fellow Cinderella, to make the Final Four. #2 Michigan State beat Penn in the Final Four, ending the Quakers’ amazing run.

Betting Every Underdog for March Madness

Cinderella teams are one of the most exciting parts of the annual NCAA Tournament. Thanks to the one-and-done nature of men’s college basketball, more and more underdogs seemingly win every year. Betting on underdogs can also create huge wins, even if you have a low win rate.

Recent History of Cinderella Runs

Predicting upsets in the NCAA Tournament is easier said than done. Luckily, if you bet on every underdog, you do not need to worry about picking the right underdogs to bet on.


For this strategy to work, you need at least one Cinderella team to make a deep run. The more potential Cinderellas, the better. Deep runs by lower-seeded teams have become increasingly commonplace in recent years.

This trend has been great news for fans who like betting on all of the underdogs in March Madness. It creates upsets early and often in the tournament. As a result, you win more often by betting on underdogs than bettors have in the past.

Effect of One-and-Dones

One reason for the increase in the number of upsets in March Madness is the one-and-done athletes. Since 2005, the NBA has had the following requirements to be draft-eligible:

  • The player must be at least 19 years old
  • A player must have been out of high school for at least a year

As a result, most US players choose to play one year of college hoops before declaring for the draft. These top high school stars are, unsurprisingly, recruited by the top schools. However, since they leave after one year, it is hard for top schools to build around established stars.

The one-and-done rule is arguably one of the biggest causes of the increase in upsets in the NCAA Tournament. March Madness tends to favor veteran teams that have experienced upperclassmen on the roster. So, teams built around one-and-down players have struggled to live up to their seeding, creating upsets.

Low Win-Rate Can Still Result in Big Wins

One of the biggest benefits of betting on underdogs is that you do not need to win as often to make money. Underdogs pay significantly more than favorites if you stick wagering on moneylines. So, even a handful of upsets each round can help you rake in the cash.

However, you should still adjust your stake amount, especially early in the tournament. In round one alone, there are 32 underdogs. If you include the First Four, there are 67 total games in the tournament.

So, needless to say, it can get expensive if you bet on all of the March Madness underdogs throughout the tournament. Keep this in mind when you are creating your bankroll for the event. Sports betting bonuses can be a great way to get extra money to fund your NCAA Tournament betting.

Where Can I Bet on March Madness Online?

Betting on March Madness can make every game of the tournament event more exciting. If you want to wager on the 2024 NCAA Tournament, I recommend using BetOnline or BetUS.

BetOnline

BetOnline is a great place for college basketball fans to wager on their favorite teams. New members can redeem exciting sports betting bonuses worth up to $1,000 in bonus funds. There are welcome bonuses for specific payment options, such as Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.


You can take your March Madness betting to the next level with BetOnline’s $200,000 Bracket Madness contest. Members can enter the contest for just $20, and you can buy up to 20 entries. Each entry that you buy after your first one will be at a discounted rate.

The Grand prize is $50,000, and the top 1,250 entrants will receive a cash prize. So, when you have finished betting every underdog for March Madness, you can enter this contest and get another shot at winning cash.

BetUS

Another great sportsbook for betting on the 2024 March Madness tournament is BetUS. New members of this secure betting site have two different welcome offers to choose from. It also offers competitive odds of all 67 games of the tournament.

BetUS has its own March Madness betting contests, too. There are three contests to choose from, the biggest being the $1,000,000 Full Bracket contest. You can also enter a 16-team and an 8-team contest with $10,000 in guaranteed prize pools each.

Entering these contests is a great way to add variety to your NCAA Tournament betting routine. You can make your picks for contests separately from your other wagers. So, you are still able to enjoy the fun of betting on the best underdogs in March Madness 2024.

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Will You Bet on March Madness’s Best Underdogs?

A surefire way to always pick the right underdogs is to always bet on them. Betting on every underdog for March Madness can be a fruitful strategy when done correctly. The increase in tournament upsets in recent years has made this strategy even more viable.

Check out the guide above to learn more about this NCAA Tournament betting strategy. I break down the potential benefits of always betting on underdogs. Also, make sure you sign up at one of the March Madness betting sites so you do

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About the Author
Shaun Stack Editor

Shaun Stack is a senior writer at GamblingSites.org. His gambling articles have appeared in the Daily Herald, Space Coast Daily, and NJ 101.5. He’s a football betting expert, a Survivor fan, and a skilled blackjack gambler. Shaun is a native of Kansas City but now lives in Pennsylvania and follows the Pittsburgh Steelers religiously.

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