Top 5 Apps for Live Betting on the First Weekend of March Madness

Published: March 19, 2026 at 11:55 am EDT

Best apps for live betting March Madness — Detailed viewed of March Madness logo during a practice session ahead of the first four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at University of Dayton Arena. Credit: Rick Osentoski / Imagn Images

Caesars Sportsbook and bet365 are consistently the best apps for live betting
The NCAA Tournament is one of the best opportunities for in-game bets
The best college basketball betting apps offer expansive live betting markets

March Madness is the culmination of the college basketball season, but in a lot of ways, it’s really its own separate event.

Teams are now under the pressure of high-stress, single-elimination games where matchups, and hot-or-cold shooting make all the difference. This is why live betting March Madness is so popular, and potentially profitable.

While pre-game lines, especially in early rounds, have season-long stats fully baked in, in-game betting lines reflect all of that filtered through the lens of what’s happening in the exact moment.

Here are the top five college basketball betting apps for live betting on March Madness.

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Top 5 Sportsbook Apps for Live Betting the NCAA Tournament

When looking at the best sports betting apps for live betting during the NCAA Tournament, I’m considering a few things: app speed, live betting odds, user experience, live betting platform and potential betting limits.

Caesars Sportsbook: Best Live Betting Platform

Perhaps the main reason so many people rave about Caesars Sportsbook as a live betting option is that its in-game platform is the best on the market.

Caesars live streams several events, but even games it does not have the rights to are illustrated in real-time at the top of the in-game menu. This allows you to see beyond the boxscore (which is also available), an especially important tool for betting on a game that might not be on your main screen at home or the bar.

bet365: Fastest App for Live Betting

All of the best college basketball live betting apps are fast. I’ve tested it, and you can get from opening the app to placing a live bet within 30 seconds at all five of the apps listed here.

But none are as fast as bet365, which clocked in at an astonishing 13 seconds from tapping the app to placing your wager.

With a streamlined design that’s focused on its odds and efficiency, bet365 has ditched some of the app extras to make your betting experience as straightforward as possible.

DraftKings: Best Live Betting Odds

Since bettors have more information, and the odds are more volatile while live betting, sportsbooks tend to increase the vig or juice on either side of a spread or total.

The standard goes from -110 pregame to -120. But at DraftKings, that’s often -115 on both sides, and if you see -120, that means you’re getting -110 on the other side.

These are small differences if you’re making $5, $10 or $20 bets, but can add up over the course of a 67-game tournament.

FanDuel: Best Live Betting User Experience

FanDuel’s user experience is great for bettors of all stripes, whether you’re just getting started or experienced. That extends to its live-betting experience.

With a simple design that’s easy for bettors to navigate and understand, getting in quickly to place a bet is a breeze. You don’t have to worry about weird hang-ups like a pop-up promotion or slow 2-factor authentication slowing you down.

BetMGM: Best Live Betting App for High Rollers

You might find yourself hitting a ceiling when live betting, as limits can be put in place.

BetMGM typically allows larger wagers across the board, including with live betting. For many of us, the $10 live bet you’re plopping down during the first afternoon of the tournament is getting through everywhere.

But some will be looking for more, and you don’t want to get slowed down by the book rejecting your bet because it’s over the limit.

Paul Costanzo

Evergreen Writer/Editor; Sportsbook Expert

With nearly two decades of experience in sports media, Paul Costanzo turned his professional attention to sports betting and online gambling in January of 2022. He's covered every angle of the industry since then, managing and creating content for PlayMichigan and The Sporting News, and now SBD.

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