How to Bet on Women’s March Madness 2022 Guide

Updated Mar 14, 2022 · 4:33 PM PDT

Estimated Read Time: 5 minutes

March is perhaps the best time of year to be a basketball fan. While the NBA playoff race is heating up, the NCAA brings not one but two college basketball national championship tournaments worth watching.

There’s non-stop action available for sports bettors as both the men’s and women’s March Madness tournaments are played simultaneously. However, with only an estimated one percent of betting volume going to the women’s bracket, there’s value hiding in plain sight.

Read on for an intro to women’s March Madness betting and advice for wagering on the 2021 women’s NCAA tournament.

Ways to Bet on Women’s March Madness

The types of bets available for the women’s March Madness tournament are very similar to the wagers you can make on the men’s tournament. Here are some of the most common ways to bet on The Big Dance:

Bet on individual games (moneylines, spreads, totals)
Bet on the tournament champion
Wager on Final Four futures
Live betting markets
March Madness props, such as tournament MOP, the biggest margin of victory, highest-scoring game, first team to 15 points, etc.

For a detailed explanation of each of these bet types, refer to our in-depth guide on how to bet on March Madness.

Why You Should Bet on Women’s March Madness

The better question is, why not bet on women’s March Madness? Lines are offered, but it’s still a fairly unsaturated betting market. This can be a good thing in terms of finding value lines, as sportsbooks allocate fewer handicapping resources to smaller markets. Just keep in mind that odds will also be less affected by public money and perception.

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Women’s basketball has few, if any, “one and done” players who play one season then turn pro, as is common with star players in NCAA men’s basketball. Many of the biggest names in women’s basketball – Breanna Stewart, A’Ja Wilson, and Sabrina Ionescu, for example – played four years at their respective universities before heading off to the WNBA. Having stars around for four years allows for rich team chemistry, compelling storylines, and more consistent team data from one year to the next.

The women’s game is growing, and with legal sports betting available in more than 20 states, there’s never been a better time to get in on the action.

Betting Trends in Women’s College Basketball

The women’s March Madness field is getting deeper each year, and the sport’s popularity is growing as a result.

Gone are the days when the UConn Huskies waltzed their way to a title without letting an opponent within 20 points the entire tournament.

In fact, the 11-time champion Huskies haven’t won since four-time Most Outstanding Player Breanna Stewart took her talents to the WNBA in 2016. No doubt that’s something freshman phenom Paige Bueckers is looking to change.

Ten different teams have reached a Final Four in the past four years (2016-2019), including four first-time Final Four contenders (Oregon, Oregon State, Syracuse, and Washington).

That said, even as the competition gets stiffer, it’s worth keeping in mind historical trends in women’s college basketball. Here are some unique considerations you should be aware of when betting on women’s March Madness.

At least one #1 seed has made the Final Four every year

There have been four instances of all four #1 seeds making the Final Four (1989, 2012, 2015, and 2018). The championship game has featured two #1 seeds 14 times, most recently in 2019 when Baylor beat Notre Dame by a single point (82-81).

Of the 18 teams to enter the tournament unbeaten, nine have gone on to win it all

The UConn Huskies account for six of those championships, including the most recent in 2016. The only other unbeaten teams to win a title are the 1986 Texas Longhorns, the 1998 Tennessee Lady Volunteers, and the 2012 Baylor Lady Bears.

The 2014 final between UConn and Notre Dame featured two unbeaten teams, with the Huskies coming out on top.

Early upsets are rare

Since the expansion to a 64-team tournament in 1994:

#1 seeds are 103-1 against #16 seeds
#2 and #3 seeds are each 104-0 against #14 and #15 seeds, respectively

Looking for a first-round upset? The #9 seed went 55-49 against the #8 seed between 1994 and 2019.

NCAA Women’s Basketball History

Basketball was one of a dozen women’s sports added to the NCAA championship program in 1981-82. Since then, 15 teams have won it all, with the Connecticut Huskies and Tennessee Lady Vols taking home half of all NCAA Women’s Basketball Division I titles thus far.

Team	Championships	Last Won
Connecticut	11	2016
Tennessee	8	2008
Baylor	3	2019
Louisiana Tech	2	1988
Notre Dame	2	2018
Stanford	2	1992
USC	2	1984
Maryland	1	2006
North Carolina	1	1994
Old Dominion	1	1985
Perdue	1	1999
South Carolina	1	2017
Texas	1	1986
Texas A&M	1	2011
Texas Tech	1	1993

Over the years, 28 other teams have reached a Final Four but have yet to win a title. Recently, that list includes:

Louisiana State
Duke
Louisville
Oklahoma
Mississippi State
Missouri State
Rutgers
California
Michigan State
Minnesota
Oregon
Oregon State
Penn State
Syracuse
Washington

The NCAA canceled the men’s and women’s March Madness tournaments in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, the entire women’s tournament will be played in the San Antonio area.

Basics of the Women’s March Madness Tournament Today

The women’s March Madness tournament expanded to 64 seeds in 1994. Unlike the current men’s tournament, the women’s bracket does not feature a play-in round. Thirty-two teams qualify automatically by winning their conference tournament, while the remaining 32 are selected at-large by a selection committee.

The seeding for the single-elimination tournament is released during a selection show on a Monday in the middle of March – typically the day after Selection Sunday for the men’s bracket. From there, basketball chaos ensues as both the men’s and women’s tournaments are played throughout the remainder of March, culminating with the Final Four’s and National Championship games in early April.

One other key difference between the men’s and women’s tournaments is the women play four ten-minute quarters instead of two 20-minute halves. You’ll find lines available for each quarter.

Where to Find NCAA Women’s Basketball Betting Information
The biggest key to any successful sports betting strategy is to do your research.

Sportsbooks are sometimes slower to adjust betting lines for sports that receive less overall betting volume, so if you follow women’s college basketball closely enough, you can likely find an edge.

The women’s tournament receives less media attention than the men’s, but all 63 women’s March Madness games are available on ESPN.

For basketball fanatics looking to take a deeper dive into women’s college basketball, here are some suggestions for where to find useful information ahead of the tournament.

Of course, the NCAA also has a dedicated hub page for women’s basketball, and the top schools all receive extensive coverage from their athletics departments and campus sports media.

Women’s March Madness FAQ

Here are some common FAQs about women’s March Madness.

How many people watch women's March Madness?

The 2021 women's March Madness final between Arizona and Stanford registered an average of 4 million viewers.

Who won women's March Madness in 2021?

Stanford won the 2021 women's March Madness tournament.

How many teams are in the women's March Madness bracket?

There is a 68-team women's March Madness bracket for the 2022 tournament.

What is the women's NCAA basketball tournament called?

Like the men's NCAA basketball tournament, the women's NCAA basketball tournament is branded as March Madness as of 2022.

Find Success Betting on Women’s Basketball

There’s plenty of value to be found betting on women’s basketball, but learning how to wager on March Madness can be tricky at first.

Sports Betting Dime has you covered. Check out our How to Bet on Sports section for more advice on all things college basketball betting.

Have fun and enjoy the action out there!

Natalie Abele

Sportsbooks Gambling

A lifelong athlete and sports fan who’s worked in sports for over ten years, Natalie brings a firsthand perspective and keen interest in sports business to her work. She’s excited to observe and analyze the future of the sports betting industry as it heats up.