March Madness 2023: 4 Tips for the Final Four

College basketball will be the centre of attention next month as the eagerly anticipated 2023 March Madness tournament gets underway.

Teams across the United States are battling to be included in the big event which starts with the First Four matches on March 14-15.

Sports bettors will be eager to place their March Madness bets on Bovada throughout a tournament that offers a plethora of wagering opportunities.

The outright market has already attracted plenty of interest, with Houston (+650), Purdue (+850) and Alabama (+850) the top ranked teams at the moment.

Read on as we look at the schedule and venues for March Madness 2023, before picking out the quartet of teams we think will progress to the Final Four in Houston.

March Madness 2023 Schedule

Selection Sunday takes place on March 12 – two days before the first game is scheduled. Here is the breakdown of the tournament:

• Selection Sunday: March 12
• First Four: March 14-15
• First round: March 16-17
• Second round: March 18-19
• Sweet 16: March 23-24
• Elite Eight: March 25-26
• Final Four: April 1
• NCAA championship game: April 3

March Madness 2023 Venues

The First Four games are staged on March 14/15, before the tournament begins in earnest on March 16. The Final Four will be hosted in Houston on April 1 & 3.

• March 14-15: First Four – Dayton, OH – UD Arena
• March 16 & 18: First/Second Rounds – Birmingham, AL – Legacy Arena
• March 16 & 18: First/Second Rounds – Des Moines, IA – Wells Fargo Arena
• March 16 & 18: First/Second Rounds – Orlando, FL – Amway Center
• March 16 & 18: First/Second Rounds – Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center
• March 17 & 19: First/Second Rounds – Albany, NY – MVP Arena
• March 17 & 19: First/Second Rounds – Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena
• March 17 & 19: First/Second Rounds – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
• March 17 & 19: First/Second Rounds- Greensboro, NC – Greensboro Coliseum
• March 23 & 25: West Regional – Las Vegas, NV – T-Mobile Arena
• March 23 & 25: East Regional – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
• March 24 & 26: Midwest Regional – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center
• March 24 & 26: South Regional Louisville, KY – KFC Yum! Center
• April 1 & 3: Final Four – Houston, TX – NRG Stadium

March Madness 2023 – 4 Teams to Follow

Houston

Houston are the bookmakers’ favourites to win the tournament and they will fancy their chances of making it through to the Final Four.

Home advantage could give them a vital edge if they progress to that stage, although there are good reasons to oppose them in the outright market.

While they have a well-balanced roster, teams from the American Athletic Conference rarely get their hands on the prestigious March Madness title.

Kelvin Sampson’s team undoubtedly have the talent to progress to the Final Four, but they may well come up short when the heat is really on.

UCLA

UCLA have a rich history of success in NCAA basketball having previously clinched the championship on a record 11 occasions.

However, they have failed to lift the trophy since then, with their runners-up finish in 2006 the closest they have come to adding to their tally.

They were extremely unfortunate not to reach the championship game in 2021, losing out 93-90 in a thrilling encounter against Gonzaga.

UCLA’s current roster is greater than the sum of its parts and their ability to edge past opponents in tight matches could help them reach the Final Four.

Kansas

No team has won consecutive NCAA basketball championships since Florida achieved the feat (2006 & 2007), but Kansas could be the team to end that run.

They were overlooked a little last year, but deservedly got the job done with a hard-fought 72-69 victory over North Carolina at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

Head coach Bill Self knows the time of day where college basketball is concerned and it would be foolish to underestimate his team’s chances of winning another title.

With Dajuan Harris Jr pulling the strings and a talented supporting cast around him, it would be no surprise to see Kansas pitch up in the Final Four again.

Alabama

While each of the three teams we have highlighted would be worthy March Madness winners, we have a sneaky suspicion that Alabama are the team to beat this season.

Southeastern Conference teams have a decent record in this tournament, providing the winners on 11 previous occasions including three since the turn of the century.

Confidence in Alabama’s hopes of lifting the title are strengthened by their hugely impressive 71-65 victory in Houston earlier in the season.

With a solid defence and lightning quick attacking unit at their disposal, Alabama are undoubtedly the value bet to be this year’s March Madness winners.