College basketball's month of madness is here again, and those who want to wager responsibly will have to navigate a crazier landscape than usual.
Yes, the bracket is now set for the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament.
However, legally betting on March Madness odds has quickly become a complicated patchwork of what is and isn't allowed. Some states permit it, others permit it with restrictions (such as those for college player props), and others still want none at all.
U.S. sportsbooks are projected to take about $4 billion in bets during March Madness, approximately 6.7% higher than last year’s $3.7 billion.
— Covers (@Covers) March 9, 2026
According to @H2Gamble, that number could be closer to $4.5 billion when prediction markets are included.https://t.co/IokQlqGq9E
And then, attempting to float above what states do and do not want, are prediction markets.
The federally regulated exchanges are now live and facilitating wagering on sports all over the U.S., including in states that wish they'd knock it off. The legality of sports-related event contracts is being challenged by state gambling regulators, and the legal situation is very fluid, but they are here for the foreseeable future.
All of this is creating expectations for a huge amount of gambling on this year's edition of March Madness. One consultancy, H2 Gambling Capital, is forecasting around $4 billion in state-regulated sportsbook handle, a figure that grows even larger when you include wagering via prediction markets.
Still, to ensure you're up to speed and ready for the tournament, Covers has a state-by-state primer below on which jurisdictions allow March Madness betting sites, and any restrictions that may await you.
Alabama
No. There is no legal sports betting in Alabama.
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Alaska
No, because Alaska has no legal sportsbooks.
Arizona
Yes, Arizona sports betting includes wagering on March Madness via retail and online bookmakers. However, prop betting markets for college games are forbidden.
Arkansas
Yes, Arkansas sports betting permits wagering on college basketball over the internet or at a casino. State regulators recently approved DraftKings and FanDuel to join the regulated market there as well.
California
No. California sports betting is not yet legal.
Colorado
Yes, Colorado sports betting allows March Madness wagering at retail and online sites. However, you can’t make college player prop bets.
Connecticut
Yes, you can bet on March Madness games at Connecticut sports betting sites. However, bettors can only bet on UConn to win the tournament, not the team's games. Betting on Connecticut colleges is otherwise prohibited.
Delaware
Yes, you can wager on college basketball on Delaware sports betting sites, just not on the state’s college teams.
Florida
Yes, you can bet on March Madness with Florida sports betting operators. However, to do so legally over the internet, you'll have to use Hard Rock Bet, the Sunshine State's only authorized online sportsbook.
Georgia
No, because Georgia sports betting isn’t legal.
Hawaii
No, there are no legal Hawaii sports betting sites yet.
Idaho
No. There is no legal Idaho sports betting platforms.
Illinois
Yes, Illinois sports betting includes March Madness wagering. However, while there was a time when you could make in-person wagers on Illinois schools, you no longer can. After some legislative issues last year, any in-person or online betting on Illinois colleges is once again completely forbidden in the state.
Indiana
Yes, you can bet on college hoops at Indiana sports betting sites. You just can't bet college player props during a game.
Iowa
Yes, March Madness games will be on the menu at Iowa sports betting platforms. You can't bet player props for games involving the state’s college teams, though.
Kansas
Yes, it’s full speed ahead for college sports wagering at Kansas sports betting operators.
Kentucky
Yes, legal Kentucky sports betting permits a wide variety of wagering opportunities for college sports.
Louisiana
Yes, Louisiana sports betting includes college events such as March Madness. However, college player props are now banned in the state.
Maine
Yes, you can bet on college basketball at Maine sports betting sites. Yet there are restrictions, namely, no wagering on in-state schools and no college player props.
Maryland
Yes, retail and online Maryland sports betting operators can take bets on college basketball. Despite this, college player props have been banned in the state. Some prediction market operators do not offer sports-related event contracts in Maryland either.
Massachusetts
Yes, Massachusetts sports betting includes March Madness. There are some rules, though.
Betting on Massachusetts college teams is generally banned in the state. However, since March Madness is a tournament, betting on its games involving Massachusetts college teams will be allowed. What's not permitted no matter what is betting college player props.
Michigan
Yes, retail and online Michigan sports betting operators are free to take bets on college basketball.
Minnesota
No, because Minnesota sports betting is not yet legal.
Mississippi
Yes, you can bet on college basketball on Mississippi sports betting platforms, but only at a casino.
Missouri
Yes, as of December, there are now legal Missouri sports betting sites that offer wagering opportunities for March Madness.
Montana
Yes, you can bet on college sports in Montana at a licensed lottery retailer.
Nebraska
Yes, Nebraska now has legal sports betting, but it's only available at a few casinos. Moreover, those retail sportsbooks can't take bets on a Nebraska school when they're playing in-state, nor can they offer college player props for games involving a Nebraska school or in-game wagering for games involving a Nebraska college or university.
Nevada
Yes. Nevada sports betting is legal, since this is where Las Vegas is located. It's also worth noting that Nevada gaming regulators have had some success in blocking prediction markets from doing business in the state. Depending on who you try to use and when you try to use them, there may not be sports-related event contracts available.
New Hampshire
Yes, you can bet on college basketball on the New Hampshire sports betting site DraftKings. However, you can't bet on New Hampshire-based colleges or college games played in the state.
New Jersey
Yes, New Jersey sports betting includes wagering on March Madness at retail and online sportsbooks. The catch is that gambling on the state's college teams or college games taking place in New Jersey is off-limits.
New Mexico
Yes, you can bet on college basketball at tribal casinos in New Mexico.
New York
Yes, New York sports betting permits wagering on college basketball via retail and online sportsbooks. You just can’t bet on colleges from New York or college player props.
North Carolina
Yes, you can bet on March Madness at North Carolina sports betting sites.
North Dakota
Yes, you can wager on college hoops in North Dakota at Native American casinos.
Ohio
Yes, Ohio sports betting of the brick-and-mortar and mobile variety will be taking March Madness bets. But college player props are banned in the Buckeye State.
Oklahoma
No, because there is no legal sports betting in Oklahoma.
Oregon
Yes, you can bet on college basketball, but Oregon sports betting rules are such that it can only happen at casinos. The state doesn't allow college sports betting over the internet, so gamblers can't wager on March Madness via DraftKings, Oregon's only mobile bookmaker.
Pennsylvania
Yes, Pennsylvania sports betting means you can wager on college basketball games at physical and mobile sportsbooks. Betting college player props is not allowed, though.
Rhode Island
Yes, you can bet on college basketball using the single Rhode Island sports betting platform — but only as long as the teams involved are not from the state and the games aren’t being played in the state.
South Carolina
No. There’s no legalized sports betting in South Carolina.
South Dakota
Yes, you can bet on college basketball at casinos in South Dakota. However, you can't bet on the state's college teams or college player props.
Tennessee
Yes, Tennessee sports betting includes wagering on March Madness using mobile sites. Still, there are some limitations, as college player prop betting and in-play prop betting on college games are not allowed.
Texas
No, because Texas sports betting isn’t legal.
Utah
No. There is no legal sports betting in Utah.
Vermont
You can bet on college basketball at online Vermont sports betting sites. And while bettors are usually forbidden from wagering on in-state schools, they can do so for tournaments like March Madness. What Vermont bettors still can't do is bet college player props.
Virginia
Yes, Virginia sports betting sites can take bets on March Madness. Despite this, those same bookmakers can't take action on the state's college teams or offer any player prop bets for college games.
Washington
Yes, you can bet on college basketball at tribal casinos in Washington, but can't wager on the state's colleges.
Washington, D.C.
Yes, DC sports betting operators will offer betting markets on March Madness. However, betting on colleges and events located in the district is prohibited.
West Virginia
Yes, you can bet on college basketball at West Virginia sports betting sites.
Wisconsin
Yes, you can bet on college basketball at tribal casinos at Wisconsin sports betting operators. Even so, you can't bet on the state's college teams there.
Wyoming
Yes, wagering on March Madness is available at Wyoming sports betting sites.
