March Madness Live Betting 2026: Pro Strategies for In-Play Success

We’ve all been there. Your bracket is going up in flames just minutes into the opening game of the NCAA Tournament. But thanks to live betting on March Madness, you have a chance to save your day and your wallet.

But live betting NCAA Tournament games isn’t as simple as betting against your bracket. With all the potential upsets, and the general volatility of a college basketball game on neutral courts, there are plenty of chances to spot in-game betting lines you can take advantage of.

You just need to know where to look, and what you’re looking for.

Where to Live Bet on NCAA Tournament Games

Live betting is available at all the top-rated US sports betting apps, and each year the number of available live markets for March Madness grows.

Caesars Sportsbook and bet365 consistently score at the top when it comes to the best sportsbooks for live betting, but DraftKings, FanDuel, theScore Bet, BetMGM and others are also reliable options.

Click through our links below to download an app for live betting, and claim thousands in March Madness betting promos.

March Madness Live Betting Strategies

Much like the college basketball odds set throughout the season, the pre-game odds for betting on March Madness are based on season statistics and trends coming into the tournament.

That can all go out the window minutes after opening tip in the NCAA Tournament, where game-specific momentum is king.

This is why live-betting during the tournament is so much fun, and can prove profitable if you’re employing the right strategies.

To Hedge or Not to Hedge

Perhaps the most common use of live betting is hedging a pre-game play. This can work double during March Madness, as you can hedge a bet made earlier in the game, or the NCAA Tournament bracket that you filled out for your office pool.

If you’re doing this, make sure to find value that’s relatively equal. If your champion is struggling with a double-digit seed, you’re going to need those odds to be high enough where making a moneyline bet on the underdog is still worth it. If you wait too long, that might not be the case.

Early Upset Value Play

A high seeded, double-digit favorite is going to fall behind in the opening 10 minutes of a game. This happens multiple times every year.

So, what’s the play? Chances are, it’s waiting for the spread to come down from its pre-game mark of 20+ into the low double digits, like 10.5-12.5, and then pounce.

It’s not an automatic play by any means. Purdue never pulled away from Fairleigh Dickinson. Kansas has squeaked them out against Holy Cross. Virginia didn’t right the ship against UMBC.

Check the live stats to see if this is a bet worth attacking, specifically the live adjusted defensive efficiency number. Sometimes, a favorite is playing great defense as expected, but its shots just aren’t falling. If that’s the case, the probability is that course corrects.

Exploit Bonus Situations and Foul Trouble

Trips to the foul line are massive in high-pressure March Madness situations, but keeping track of them early in a game can give you a massive advantage as a bettor.

College teams enter the bonus (one-and-one) on the seventh foul and double bonus (two free throws) on the 10th. If a team enters the double bonus near the midpoint of a half, the Over on the live team total becomes a high value play.

Foul trouble also has an out-sized impact on single-game results, but for bettors you’re specifically looking for big man foul trouble.

Take Michigan’s Aday Mara, for example. The Wolverines are the best defensive team in the country in 2026, and the 7-foot-3 UCLA transfer is a major part of that, thanks to his shot-blocking and shot-altering prowess. If he’s in foul trouble, though, it becomes easier to score in the paint, which could open up a vulnerability in live totals.

Halftime Anomalies: The Second Half Total

Water typically finds its level, and in March Madness, the first half doesn’t always foretell what you’ll be getting in the second, specifically with how well the teams are shooting.

If two defensive-minded teams are playing, like Houston and Michigan State, for instance, and they’ve exploded for a high-scoring first half, an opportunity might be in front of you. The second-half total is going to be taking that first half into account, making the Under a sharp play for two teams that are about to cool off.

This could go the other way, if two high-scoring teams are struggling to find their rhythm in the first half, allowing for an Over play on the second half total.

Expecting cold shooting to turn around is more risky, however, as fatigue sets in during tournament games.

Strategic Checklist for Live Betting 2026 March Madness

Outside of the above strategies, here are some factors to consider when live betting on March Madness.

• Latency Matters: I mentioned Caesars and bet365 as the fastest sports betting apps for live betting, and that’s important in a fast-paced game like basketball. Odds are also constantly changing, so you want a sportsbook that is updating quickly, and not freezing you out when trying to place a bet. DraftKings, FanDuel and BetMGM excel in this area.
• 4-Minute Warning: The last four minutes of a college basketball game, especially a high-stakes game like you’ll find in the NCAA Tournament, can take a while. Teams will foul to extend the game, which is going to severely impact the live total. A lot of points can be racked up at the free-throw line with no time coming off the clock, which you need to take into account before placing a late live bet.
• Line Shop: Always, always, always line shop. I realize you’re looking for speed while live betting, but if you have two or three betting apps at the ready, you can find the best spread carrying the best odds (live lines are typically carrying a vig between -115 and -125).