One of the most confusing parts of March Madness is figuring out just what is allowed to be bet where.
Rules on college betting are where US sports betting jurisdictions tend to differ the most. The majority of legal states have some form of restriction on college betting, whether it is on player props, in-state betting or college sports entirely like one state.
Find out where the 37 states involved in March Madness betting fall on their college rules.
Which states limit March Madness betting?
Every state regulates sports betting a bit differently. Below is a list of 23 US jurisdictions that are either sending teams to the tournament or hosting tournament games and that also limit betting on college basketball.
Arizona
Teams (2): Arizona, Grand Canyon
Arizona is a top-10 market for sports betting, even with regulations banning college player props in the state.
Those disappointed by the lack of props can still bet on the in-state teams.
Colorado
Teams (1): Colorado State
Host: First/second rounds (Denver)
Those in attendance for the first and second rounds can bet on the Colorado State Rams, but college player props are not allowed.
Connecticut
Teams (2): UConn, Yale
The rules about betting on teams from Connecticut change as soon as one of those teams enters an NCAA tournament.
Bettors can bet on both UConn and Yale during the tournament, but not for individual games. They can only bet on either team to win the entire tournament.
The state allows player props on athletes from non-Connecticut schools.
Florida
Teams (1): Florida
Florida’s sports betting market is a monopoly operated by Hard Rock Bet through the Seminole Indians. The compact that allowed sports betting outlaws all college prop bets.
Betting on Florida games, though, is allowed.
Illinois
Teams (2): Illinois, SIU Edwardsville
There is no betting on in-state colleges in Illinois. College props are also not allowed.
Indiana
Teams (1): Purdue
Host: Midwest Regional (Indianapolis)
Indiana has a partial ban on college player props. Anyone looking to place bets on team or player props must place those bets before the game starts, as the Indiana Gaming Commission banned live college prop betting.
Betting on in-state teams is allowed.
Iowa
Teams (2): Drake, Iowa State
Betting on in-state college teams is allowed in Iowa, but only on the teams. In-state college player props are not allowed.
Lousiana
Teams (1): McNeese
Louisiana was not in this section of the list last year, as the state allowed college player props during the 2024 NCAA Tournament. The regulator changed its mind, though, and banned college player props as of Aug. 1, 2024.
Maryland
Teams (2): Maryland, Mount St. Mary’s
Like Louisiana, Maryland banned college player props in 2024. Betting on both in-state schools involved in this year’s tournament is allowed, though.
Mississippi
Teams (2): Ole Miss, Mississippi State
Mississippi is in a unique situation as it was one of the first states to launch sports betting post-PASPA but has never legalized online sports betting.
If you’re heading to a Mississippi casino to bet, you can bet on the two in-state teams, but college prop bets are not allowed.
Nebraska
Teams (2): Creighton, Omaha
Betting on in-state colleges is not allowed, as an amendment banning such betting was what helped push the legalization bill over the finish line in 2021. A bill to add in-state college betting was submitted this year but remains in committee.
College props are also banned for in-state players.
New Jersey
Host: East Regional (Newark)
New Jersey bans betting on in-state college teams, but that is not an issue since no NJ schools made the tournament this year. Unfortunately for those going to watch the games, New Jersey also bans betting on collegiate events that take place in the state.
New Mexico
Teams (1): New Mexico
The betting menus at New Mexico’s casinos can vary as betting is not regulated by the state and is therefore left up to the individual tribes to decide what to offer.
New York
Teams (1): St. John’s
People in New York cannot bet on St. John’s, as betting on in-state schools is not allowed. New York does not allow betting on college props, either.
Ohio
Teams (2): Akron, Xavier
Host: First Four (Dayton), first/second rounds (Cleveland)
This is now the second March Madness that will not include betting on player props in Ohio after the state’s regulators changed its rules in early 2024.
Betting on in-state schools like Akron and Xavier is permitted.
Oregon
Teams (1): Oregon
Tribal sportsbooks can choose to offer markets on the Oregon Ducks if they want, but the DraftKings Sportsbook regulated by the lottery does not allow college betting of any kind. Oregon is the only US sports betting jurisdiction that bans college betting completely.
Pennsylvania
Teams (2): Robert Morris, St. Francis
Betting on in-state schools in Pennsylvania is allowed. There is no betting on college player props, though.
Rhode Island
Teams (1): Bryant
Host: First/second rounds (Providence)
Bettors in Rhode Island can bet on Bryant as well as those games held in Providence, but not on individual players. College player props are banned in the state.
Tennessee
Teams (4): Lipscomb, Memphis, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
Tennessee does not allow betting on college player props and imposes a live betting restriction on team props. That means bettors must get those team prop bets in before a game begins.
Betting on in-state teams is allowed.
Virginia
Teams (3): Liberty, Norfolk State, VCU
Virginia does not allow betting on in-state schools, even in a tournament. There is also no college prop betting in Virginia.
Washington
Teams (1): Gonzaga
Host: First/second rounds (Seattle)
Betting on games held in Seattle is allowed at tribal sportsbooks in the state, but player props and other bets on in-state schools are not allowed.
Washington, DC
Teams (1): American
There is no betting on teams from within the District of Columbia or on those team’s players.
Wisconsin
Teams (2): Marquette, Wisconsin
Host: First/second rounds (Milwaukee)
Bettors must be on site at a Wisconsin tribal casino to place bets. Betting on in-state teams is not allowed.
States with no March Madness betting restrictions
There are just six states involved in this year’s tournament that have no exclusions on college betting.
Arkansas
Teams (1): Arkansas
Kansas
Teams (1): Kansas
Host: First/second rounds (Wichita)
Kentucky
Teams (2): Kentucky, Louisville
Host: First/second rounds (Lexington)
Michigan
Teams (2): Michigan, Michigan State
Montana
Teams (1): Montana
North Carolina
Teams (4): Duke, High Point, UNC, UNC Wilmington
Host: First/second rounds (Raleigh)
States without legal sports betting
Eight states sending 19 teams to March Madness do not allow sports betting in their borders.
Alabama
Teams (4): Auburn, Alabama, Alabama State, Troy
California
Teams (4): San Diego State, St. Mary’s, UC San Diego, UCLA
Host: West Regional (San Francisco)
Georgia
Teams (1): Georgia
Host: South Regional (Atlanta)
Missouri
Teams (1): Missouri
Oklahoma
Teams (1): Oklahoma
South Carolina
Teams (2): Clemson, Wofford
Texas
Teams (5): Baylor, Houston, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech
Host: Final Four (San Antonio)
Utah
Teams (2): BYU, Utah State
