The NCAA Final Four basketball championship will be hosted in Las Vegas for the first time.
The last games of March Madness in 2028 will be held at Allegiant Stadium, the home stadium of the Las Vegas Raiders, on April 1 and April 3. The stadium can accommodate 65,000 fans for the event.
Erick Harper, UNLV’s Director of Athletics, stated:
We are absolutely thrilled to host the NCAA Men’s Final Four at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Our city has been a center for basketball at all levels for a long time, and welcoming one of the most prestigious events in sports is the epitome of how Las Vegas has genuinely become the global epicenter for sports and entertainment. We’re eager to collaborate closely with the LVCVA and the NCAA to orchestrate a spectacular event, as is our city’s reputation.
Don’t-miss championship games in Las Vegas
The 2028 Las Vegas Final Four isn’t the most recent collegiate championship to be held in Sin City. The NCAA has shared that Las Vegas will host several championship events. The most anticipated of these is the NCAA Regionals, including the Sweet 16 and Elite 8, during March Madness 2025 at the T-Mobile Arena located on the Vegas Strip.
The NCAA will be hosting almost 10 championship events between 2025 and 2026.
- Bear’s Best: 2025 Division I Men’s Golf Regional
- South Point to host 2025 NCAA women’s bowling championship.
- 2024 Division I Regional Women’s Golf: Spanish Trail
- The Legacy and Boulder Creek Golf Club: 2025 Men’s Golf Championship, Division III
- UNLV won the 2025 Division III men’s and women’s soccer championships.
- Boulder Creek Golf Club: 2025 Division II Women’s Golf Championship
- Golf Men’s Championships 2026: Boulder Creek Golf Club
Make sure not to miss the 2026 NCAA men’s Frozen Four (hockey) at the T-Mobile Arena.
March Madness betting in Las Vegas
March Madness is a significant industry in Las Vegas. The excitement commences prior to the NCAA basketball tournament, with various leagues hosting championship tournaments in Las Vegas.
Earlier this year, an NCAA basketball tournament for five conferences was hosted by Las Vegas. Chris Reynolds, the athletics director at Bradley and the committee chair, stated:
We are thrilled to present the NCAA’s top championship in Las Vegas, a city with a history of hosting various championships from multiple member conferences.
Before Las Vegas became a host venue, the first weekend of March Madness has long been a significant draw in the city. This weekend is typically one of the busiest for sports betting in Las Vegas. The total amount wagered on March Madness in its opening weekend is comparable to the bets placed on the Super Bowl at Las Vegas sportsbooks. Even though the Super Bowl is the biggest single sports betting event in the city, the first four days of March Madness feature 48 college basketball games.
Busy Nevada sportsbooks
Sportsbooks in Las Vegas are so bustling that they impose a reservation fee for seating. The demand is so high that paid parties are held anywhere casinos on the Vegas Strip can accommodate TV screens. Many properties off-strip provide free viewing. It is likely that sportsbooks, hotels, bars, and restaurants will be packed with college basketball enthusiasts.
Major sporting events in Vegas
The trademark for the ‘Greatest Arena on Earth’ is held by the Las Vegas tourism board. As the most sought after city for major sporting events in search of a host, Las Vegas is truly the hottest spot.
NFL and NHL teams already have their homes in Las Vegas. The current WNBA champions, the Las Vegas Aces, play their home games at Mandalay Bay. This year, Las Vegas expanded its role in hosting significant sporting events by accommodating the NFL Pro Bowl and the NFL Draft. Additionally, the city had the privilege of hosting the NHL All-Star Game for the first time.
Apart from the NCAA events, Las Vegas will also be the venue for the new NFL Pro Bowl games and the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The 2025 Super Bowl in Vegas will be held at Allegiant Stadium.
New pro teams and venues possible
Rumors are circulating that an MLB, MLS, or NBA team may eventually call Las Vegas home.
The NCAA College Football Playoff could potentially come to Las Vegas before the Final Four.
The Oakland A’s are currently in talks with Oakland to establish a new stadium district. Should these negotiations fail, the team may potentially relocate to Las Vegas. Multiple sources suggest that Las Vegas will ultimately host teams from both the MLS and NBA.
Plans are in place for a minimum of two additional arenas to host sports events in Las Vegas in the future. The Oak View Group has ambitious plans for an arena, casino, and hotel complex located south of Mandalay Bay. Meanwhile, the delayed All Net Arena, located next to the Sahara, maintains that it will proceed with constructing a new sports venue on the Vegas Strip.
Las Vegas, already synonymous with sports betting, is elevating its hosting game to a new level.
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