March Madness 2021 - Punters Guide

March Madness is the pinnacle tournament which concludes the NCAA season.  The tournament pits universities and colleges from across the United States for the chance to win the coveted National Championship.  March Madness is an event favoured by punters worldwide, with billions of dollars being placed on wagers covering all types of basketball bets – outrights/futures, brackets and on each individual game.  We will provide you with a background into the spectacle of March Madness along with a choice of potential teams who are in with a chance of winning the whole thing this year.

March Madness Background

March Madness started in 1939 as a way of determining the best collegiate basketball team across America. The tournament is held throughout the month of March and is marked on every sports lover and punters calendar.  It is contested by 68 Division 1 teams – 32 teams earn their place by winning their respective conferences, whilst the other 36 teams are chosen by a selection committee.  The teams are split depending on the region of America they are in and will compete against the other teams from the same region. This carries on until we reach the Final Four. The winner of each region then travels to one stadium to compete in the National Semi-Finals before potentially moving on to the National Championship game.  With the current on-going global pandemic, the entirety of the tournament is being held in the state of Indiana to reduce the amount of travel by each team and therefore reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19. 

Teams & Players

At this present time, rounds 1 and 2 have already been completed and have thrown up a number of big upsets, see below:

• No.15 Oral Roberts beating the No.2 seed Ohio State in the first round and the No.7 seed Florida in the second.
• No.14 Abilene Christian knocking out No.3 Texas in the first round.
• No.8 Loyola Chicago beating No.1 seed Illinois in the second round.
• No.12 Oregon State beating No.4 Oklahoma State in the second round.

We are now swiftly moving onto the Sweet 16 stage; will we see any further upsets this weekend?  With 16 teams left in the tournament, we would like to give the punters an update on the standout teams and players left in the competition.

Who Are the Standout Teams for 2021?

Three out of the four starting Number 1 seeds are still remaining in the tournament – Baylor, Gonzaga and Michigan. These teams will gain the most respect as they won their conferences easily during the regular season and boast some of the best talent out there, but there are a select number of teams that will put up a good fight.  Oral Roberts are the current “giant killers” and will be looking to keep their impressive run going against the No.3 seed Arkansas on Saturday, keep an eye out for another potential upset.

Are There Canadians Playing at March Madness This Year?

There are 26 players representing Canada in this year’s March Madness tournament. A number of players have been awarded playing time throughout the first two rounds, but only a few have been instrumental in the success of their team reaching the Sweet 16. These players include:

• Chris Duarte – missing out on the first-round game due to COVID-19 protocols, he contributed 23 points and 7 assists in Oregon’s second round victory over second seeded Iowa.
• Eugene Omoruyi – another star for Oregon has been Eugene. He also missed the first-round but made up for it in the second with a 17-point, 6 rebound and 5 assist outing against Iowa.
• Quincy Guerrier – after a slow start in round 1 (3 points and 4 rebounds), Quincy had a much better showing in round 2 with 12 points and 7 rebounds. He will be looking to build on his confidence against Houston in the Sweet 16.

Who Are the March Madness Favourites For 2021?

The teams favoured by the bookies, as you can probably predict, are the 3 remaining number 1 seeded teams still alive in the draw. Gonzaga is at the top of the list at +135 odds, with Baylor (+350) and Michigan (+650) quite far behind.  Gonzaga have had two routine wins in the first two rounds but will face stiffer competition in the later rounds, especially from Oregon (who knocked out No.2 seed Iowa) and Alabama (who they could face in the final 4).  Please be wary when placing your bets on these futures, keep it to a manageable amount and remember that the pay-outs will be big if you pick a winner.

Who Are the Punters Choice at TrueNorth?

We are going to choose the ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE as the 2021 March Madness winner, facing off against Baylor or Arkansas to win the Championship trophy.  Please check out the leading Canadian sportsbooks to find ones feature the best odds for Alabama to win the tournament.  Good luck everyone!  Go Tide!