Las Vegas Already Feeling March Madness

March has arrived and so has the Madness of college basketball! While numerous individuals eagerly anticipate the start of the NCAA basketball tournament, gamblers in Las Vegas have already started engaging in the action.

The first tournaments of the college conference are already in progress. Las Vegas houses only one significant college basketball team, UNLV, and their tournament has not yet begun.

One could easily envision Las Vegas as the venue for UNLV’s Mountain West Conference. However, what may not be widely known is that Las Vegas is also the site for several men’s and women’s college conference basketball tournaments in the weeks prior to the NCAA basketball tournament.

Despite the legalization of sports betting across the country, no city has the same number of college basketball tournaments with legalized sports betting as Las Vegas.

Prior to the start of March Madness, over a hundred games will be happening in Las Vegas for bettors to watch live and place bets on. Furthermore, there are also over a thousand games happening nationwide that bettors have the opportunity to watch and bet on at sportsbooks.

Numerous passionate college basketball fans flock to Las Vegas for the conference tournaments. The week leading up to the NCAA basketball tournament tends to be less crowded and less expensive.

However, the first weekend of March Madness is among the most bustling sports weekends of the year. Despite 48 games being played across four days, college basketball isn’t the sole reason Las Vegas is crowded during this initial weekend.

The first weekend aligns with the spring break of numerous colleges nationwide. This period also marks the commencement of the pool season, signifying that dayclubs are resuming operations.

Dayclubs provide a party venue for spring breakers and college basketball enthusiasts during the day, separate from the sportsbooks. This year, guests from California and Arizona will also be coming to commemorate St. Patrick’s Day.

Though sports betting is permitted nationwide, the ambiance inside and outside Las Vegas casinos is unmatched by most.

Conference Conference Tournaments

The week of the college basketball conference tournament in Las Vegas is a gold mine of basketball activity. In contrast to other cities with gambling, you can enjoy the games both live and on television in the sportsbooks.

The college basketball tournaments happening in Las Vegas include:

• Women’s Pac 12: March 2-6 at the Michelob ULTRA Arena located inside Mandalay Bay
• March 8 at the Michelob ULTRA Arena inside Mandalay Bay is the date and location for the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).
• Women’s Mountain West Conference: March 6-9 at the Thomas and Mack Center
• The Big West Conference will take place from March 8-12 at the Dollar Loan Center in Henderson.
• Men’s Mountain West Conference: March 9-12 at the Thomas and Mack Center
• The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) will be held at Orleans Arena inside The Orleans from March 9-12.
• The West Coast Conference will take place at the Orleans Arena inside The Orleans from March 3-8.
• Men’s Pac 12: March 9-12 at T-Mobile Arena

Another benefit of visiting Las Vegas for conference tournaments, besides getting to watch games live, is that it’s less crowded compared to the initial weekend of March Madness.

Placing a bet in person doesn’t involve as long queues as during the initial weekend of the NCAA basketball Men’s and Women’s Tournaments that occur a week or two later. Also, acquiring show tickets and making restaurant reservations is smoother due to the reduced number of people in town.

However, the sports betting experience in Las Vegas during the first weekend of March Madness is unmatched.

March Madness Viewing

Diehard college basketball fans greatly enjoy conference tournament week. The first weekend of March Madness in Las Vegas, however, is designed for the general public.

The first weekend of March Madness in Las Vegas initially gained popularity among college hoops fans. However, it’s evolving into a larger, more exciting event with the commencement of pool season and day and night clubs securing high-profile talent for performances.

This year, St. Patrick’s Day coincides with the first weekend of March Madness, which is expected to elevate the celebrations.

Watching and wagering on games in Las Vegas, similar to the Super Bowl, is not as easy as simply entering a sportsbook, placing bets, and sitting down due to the large number of people present.

Consider the following factors when planning to watch the opening weekend of March Madness games in Las Vegas.

Sportsbook Seats

During the first weekend of March Madness, a reservation fee is charged by most sportsbooks located on the Vegas Strip. This practice is even observed by the popular sportsbooks located off the Strip, where a reservation fee is levied for certain seats.

However, numerous off-strip casinos offer general admission sportsbook seats on a first-come, first-served basis.

Being inside one of the large Las Vegas sportsbooks truly offers a unique March Madness experience that cannot be found anywhere else in the US.

Bar/Restaurant/Ballroom Parties

Watch parties for March Madness, similar to those for the Super Bowl, are available at bars and restaurants all over Las Vegas. Additionally, ballrooms inside casinos also host watch parties.

These parties frequently feature food and adult drinks, as well as a reserved seat for a certain charge. Although they can provide enjoyment, the experience they offer is different from that of watching in a sportsbook.

Previously, numerous off-strip watch parties were free of charge. However, some of these parties have begun to charge a minor fee to balance out the costs. Parties held at casinos located outside the densely touristic Vegas Strip and downtown Las Vegas are generally more affordable.

Fun In The Sun

The opening weekend of March Madness coincides with the season opening of numerous casino pools and dayclubs in Las Vegas. Individuals who don’t need to view all the games simultaneously have the option to rent a cabana. They can then enjoy the games on a single TV, complete with food and beverage service.

Pools with viewing screens that will broadcast the games are also available. A couple of options include Circa’s Stadium Swim and Sahara’s Azilo pool, which both have large video screens.

This is an experience that’s truly unique to Vegas and could be a fantastic way to mix things up. As reservations are made daily, individuals or groups can switch between the various March Madness viewing options in Las Vegas.

The Facebook group “March Madness In Las Vegas” is an excellent resource for anyone seeking specific viewing information. It also offers engaging conversations about college basketball.

March Madness Betting

Numerous viewing options are available for the games during the first weekend of March Madness in Las Vegas, given the influx of people in town. However, there’s only one optimal method to enjoy the best gambling experience when visiting Las Vegas during bustling sporting events.

To fully enjoy the first weekend of March Madness, it’s essential to sign up for a Nevada sports betting app. After all, nobody comes to Las Vegas to spend 15-30 minutes in line each time they want to place a bet.

Using a sportsbook app reduces the time spent standing around waiting to place a bet. Nonetheless, the process of registering for a new sports betting app account in Nevada differs from that in most states.

In Nevada, the registration and initial funding of a sports betting app account must occur exclusively at a full-service retail sportsbook within a casino.

Once a person has registered an account in person, betting on sports becomes as simple as using legal sportsbook apps anywhere. Players can now place bets and manage their deposits or withdrawals without the need to visit a sportsbook again.

It’s crucial to understand that Las Vegas sportsbooks operating in other states have apps that are not linked with Nevada sports betting apps, given that some of these sportsbooks operate beyond Nevada.

For instance, a BetMGM app originating from New Jersey isn’t operational in Nevada. Customers of BetMGM residing in other states are required to register for a sportsbook account exclusive to Nevada inside a sportsbook at one of the specified casinos:

• Aria
• Bellagio
• Excalibur
• Luxor
• Bay of Mandalay
• Grand MGM
• New York, New York
• MGM Park
• The sale of The Mirage to Hard Rock won’t be completed until later this year.

The same holds true for sports betting apps from Caesars, William Hill, and Wynn available in other states. However, sportsbook apps from certain operators such as DraftKings and FanDuel are completely unavailable for use in Nevada.

The process of registering for a sports betting account in Nevada is not time-consuming, but it differs from other states.

You should sign up for a sports betting account well ahead of the NCAA basketball tournament tipoff. When the crowds flock to Las Vegas to celebrate the initial weekend of March Madness, expect long lines.