March Madness betting is everywhere — what Long Islanders need to know before they place a bet

For John Romano, 76, betting on March Madness brackets is a yearly tradition.

The Lindenhurst resident is a fan of St. John’s University in Queens, which made it into the tournament this year, along with Hofstra University in Hempstead and Long Island University, which has campuses in Brookville and Brooklyn. How he bets, he said, “depends on the lines,” and he pays close attention to the matchups.

He sets a limit — he never wants to lose more than $500.

“When you keep losing, you back off,” Romano told a Newsday reporter Tuesday at Jake’s 58 Casino Hotel in Islandia.

That kind of limit-setting is exactly what experts say can get harder during March Madness, when betting apps make it easy to place wagers instantly, chase losses and keep gambling without ever leaving the couch.

March Madness is the NCAA’s annual Division I college basketball tournament, with separate men’s and women’s brackets made up of 68 teams each. Both begin with play-in games known as the First Four and end in early April with national championship games.

But for most fans — and where the bulk of bracket picks and bets begin — the tournament really starts with the first full round: March 19 for the men and March 20 for the women.

This year’s sportsbook handle for March Madness is projected to total $3.97 billion, according to data provider H2 Gambling Capital. That is up 7.6% from last year, which was up 26.1% from the year before. In 2025, New Yorkers wagered more than $26 billion through online sports betting.

The rise of online betting has had a “tremendous” impact on the Long Island gambling scene, said Joshua Mass, problem gambling coordinator at Family & Children’s Association, a Garden City nonprofit.

“You can gamble right from your couch,” he said. “Accessibility is one of the key factors leading to problem gambling or any addictive behavior.”

Even with those risks, betting remains a central part of March Madness for many fans. If you’re planning to take part — whether through a bracket, a pool or a sportsbook app — here’s what to know before you start.

How betting works now: It’s in your pocket

There are two legal ways to bet in New York: at a sportsbook inside a casino, or through a mobile app.

For most Long Islanders, the second option dominates. Platforms like FanDuel, DraftKings, Caesars and others allow users to place bets quickly, without ever leaving home.

Most bets fall into three main categories:

• Spread: A margin-of-victory bet. A favored team must win by more than the set number of points. An underdog can lose and still “cover.”
• Moneyline: A straight bet on which team wins. Favorites pay less; underdogs pay more.
• Total (over/under): A bet on whether the combined score will be higher or lower than a set number.

“You have a bunch of different choices,” said Stephen Shapiro, a professor of sport and entertainment management at the University of South Carolina.

Take the spread. Shapiro said that when he viewed odds last week, the Michigan men’s team was favored by 5 points against Houston. For someone betting on Michigan, the Wolverines would have to win by more than 5 points for the bet to pay out. But for someone betting on Houston, the Cougars would not have to win outright — they would just have to finish within 5 points.

The moneyline is more straightforward, but it can still trip people up. If a team is listed at minus 150, Shapiro said, a bettor has to risk $150 to win $100. If a team is listed at plus 150, a bettor risks $100 to win $150 because that team is considered less likely to win.

He offered another example: in a matchup between Utah and Cincinnati, Cincinnati was listed at minus 690. That meant a bettor would have to risk $690 for the chance to win $100.

“Cincinnati is a heavy favorite in this case, so the betting platform is requiring the bettor to take a significant financial risk to win $100,” Shapiro said.

Then there is the total, or over/under. If the total is 152, Shapiro said, a bettor who takes the over is betting that the two teams will combine to score more than 152 points. A bettor who takes the under is betting they will score fewer.

Sportsbooks also offer prop bets, which let users wager on a specific player or team outcome rather than just the final score. A bettor, for example, might take a player to score more than 18.5 points, or a team to finish over a set point total. Some bettors also place futures — long-range wagers on outcomes later in the tournament, such as a team reaching the Final Four or winning the championship.

Those choices — and the constant updating of odds — are part of what keeps users engaged.

Why sportsbooks push parlays

If there is one bet type that defines the modern sports betting experience, it is the parlay — especially the same-game parlay, which combines multiple bets from a single matchup.

Parlays bundle multiple bets into one wager. The payout can be large — but only if every leg hits.

Miss one, and the entire bet loses.

“Parlays are very popular because they’re typically hard to win,” Shapiro said.

That is exactly the point.

“Each bet is profitable for a sportsbook,” said Brendan Dwyer, a professor at Virginia Commonwealth University.

He said the house edge grows as more bets are added. The math works against the bettor quickly. If a single bet has a 50% chance of winning, he said, two linked bets have a 25% chance and three fall to 12.5%.

“It gets ugly fast for a gambler,” Dwyer said. “But the excitement is real, and you only need to hit one, and you are hooked. It feels like the lottery.”

The real purpose of bonus bets

Promotions are everywhere during March Madness — and they are not designed to give money away.

They are designed to keep people betting.

Bonus bets, for example, are credits provided by sportsbooks. If a bettor wins, they keep the profit but not the original stake. If they lose, the credit disappears.

More common are “bet and get” offers — bet a small amount and receive a much larger amount in bonus bets.

Dwyer pointed to offers in which a bettor puts down $5 or $10 and gets $150 or $200 in bonus bets.

“This trains individuals to deposit money,” he said.

So-called “risk-free” bets follow the same logic.

“If you bet $100 and lose, you don’t get the $100 back,” he said. “You get $100 to bet on more sports.”

The goal is not to eliminate risk. It is to keep users inside the app.

When betting stops being fun

Eric Short, who led Long Island University to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1981, said he understands the appeal of betting — but chooses not to participate.

“There’s nothing wrong” with it, he said. “But sometimes it can go too far.”

“You lose sight of the level of competition, the camaraderie, the passion,” he said. “I want to see good competition. I want to see athletes do their best.”

Experts say that shift — from watching the game to chasing the next bet — is a key warning sign.

Mass said one of the clearest red flags is preoccupation.

“If they’re thinking about it constantly,” and it begins to affect work or relationships, he said, that is a problem.

Other warning signs include:

• Increasing the size of bets
• Trying and failing to cut back
• Feeling distressed when not betting
• Betting on credit
• Chasing losses by betting more

Teenagers and young adults are particularly vulnerable, Mass said, because their brains are still developing.

Why live betting makes it worse

Live betting — placing wagers during a game — is one of the fastest-growing parts of the industry.

It also carries some of the highest risk.

Bets can be placed repeatedly, with odds changing in real time. That makes it easier for bettors to react emotionally — especially after a loss.

Dwyer said in-game bettors often chase earlier losses and try to capitalize on momentum. He recommends setting delays of at least 10 minutes between live bets.

“Live betting speeds everything up and clouds an individual’s ability to balance reason and emotion,” he said.

How to stay in control

Experts say there are ways to reduce risk — but they require discipline.

Dwyer recommends setting clear limits:

• A weekly or monthly deposit cap
• A maximum bet size
• Time buffers between bets

Mass said bettors should also set limits before opening an app — not after they start losing.

Another strategy: keep betting social and small.

Sticking to a modest pool with friends or family can provide accountability in a way apps do not.

“If it ever reaches a point where it becomes too much,” Mass said, handing control of an account to a trusted person can help.

He also recommends turning off app notifications, which are designed to keep users engaged based on their behavior.

Where to get help

March is Problem Gambling Awareness Month, and local groups are stepping up outreach.

The Family & Children’s Association offers counseling and support for individuals and families dealing with gambling issues, with locations in Hempstead and Hicksville. Long Island Gamblers Anonymous offers peer support.

New York also provides 24/7 help at 877-846-7369.

Residents can also choose to self-exclude themselves from sports betting platforms.

“There’s treatment available,” Mass said. “There’s help to manage those symptoms and outcomes.”