The NCAA Tournament has arrived, and March Madness begins with wall-to-wall watch and wager action on college basketball’s biggest event. The highlight for sports fans is watching and wagering on 48 college basketball games over the opening four-day weekend March 16-19.
St. Patrick’s Day will also make for much celebration for basketball fans and others looking to enjoy the pools and cocktails at their favorite casinos and sportsbooks.
With one of the most anticipated and fun weekends of the spring upon us, here’s what casinos and sportsbooks are doing to allow Arizona sports betting enthusiasts to enjoy March Madness even more as three teams from Arizona play in the Big Dance.
Arizona Teams to Watch During March Madness
Selection Sunday on March 12 revealed three college teams in Arizona playing in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. The Arizona Wildcats (28-6) are a No. 2 seed in the South Region. The Wildcats come off a first place finish in the Pac-12 Tournament in Las Vegas, and now travel to Sacramento, CA to play no. 15 seed Princeton on Thursday, March 15, at 1:10 p.m. PT.
If Arizona beats Princeton, it would face either No. 7 Missouri or No. 10 Utah State to advance to the Sweet 16 in Louisville, Ky.
The Arizona State Sun Devils (22-12) made the 68-team NCAA Tournament field as one of the last teams in the bracket. The Sun Devils are in a First Four play-in game against fellow No. 11 seed Nevada. That game in Dayton, Ohio, is set for Wednesday, March 15, at 6:10 p.m. PT. A win sends the Sun Devils to Denver to play No. 6 TCU at 7 p.m. PT on Friday, March 17.
Phoenix’s Grand Canyon University (24-11) won the WAC championship to make it to the NCAA Tournament. Grand Canyon is a No. 14 seed and plays No. 3 Gonzaga Friday, March 17, in Denver starting at 4:30 p.m. PT. The Antelopes have an uphill battle as a -15.5 point underdog against the Bulldogs.
March Madness Casino Viewing Options
- Casino Arizona – Scottsdale
- Casino Del Sol – Tucson
- Desert Diamond – Tucson, Glendale and Sahuarita
- Lone Butte – Chandler
- Wild Horse Pass – Chandler
- Vee Quiva – Laveen Village
- Mazatzal – Payson
- Paradise – Yuma
- We-Ko-Pa – Fort McDowell
- Apache Gold – San Carlos
- Apache Sky – Winkelman
Most of these locations with TV viewing spots are free. Wild Horse Pass does have a fee up to $125 per person.
The Casino Arizona CAZ sports bar in Scottsdale has two theater quality projection screens plus a huge video wall with 46 4k flat screen televisions to watch the games while enjoying food and beverage specials.
Sportsbook Offers in Arizona
Sports betting is legal in Arizona. If you like to watch and wager on the games, you can choose from 17 Arizona sports betting apps. Many online sportsbooks offer enticing promotions, including:
You cannot place player props in Arizona, but you should find lots of game props on NCAA Tournament games, plus alternative spreads, totals and same game parlays. However you choose to enjoy March Madness, take advantage of all the opportunities to enjoy the college basketball games, and use responsible gambling resources if you’re struggling with a gambling habit or want to discuss with a training counselor.