Betting on every underdog in March Madness sounds like a crazy idea, but there might be something to it! The NCAA Division I Tournament is known for its wild nature, so it’s an interesting plan worth considering.
I’ve tested this approach in the past two years, with 2024 showing some promise before 2025 completely destroyed my bankroll! Still, this was one of the worst years ever for betting on underdogs, and I’m not ready to call it quits yet.
I will test this approach again in 2026 by betting on all underdogs during March Madness, so stay tuned! I will only back moneyline wins this year to keep it simple. I will be adding all my picks and tracking my results in this post, starting from the First Four, so if you’re interested, make sure to visit after each round.
Also, adding some ground rules would be helpful, so let’s start there.
Betting Every March Madness Underdog – The Rules
Backing all underdogs during March Madness is going to be a crazy adventure, so I want to bring at least some order to this type of March Madness bracket betting. Let me explain the plan by going through every major aspect of my idea.
Rule 1: Game Selection
I will be betting on all games, including the First Four, as long as the moneyline for one of the teams is higher than +100. If the odds for both sides are lower than that, which happened a few times last year, I will exclude the game.
I thought about adding more criteria, like only gambling on at least 5-point underdogs and such, but I decided against it. I want to keep it simple and simply bet on every team that’s expected to lose.
Rule 2: Market of Choice: Moneyline
I tried both moneylines and spreads last year but wasn’t happy with the latter. That’s why I’m sticking with moneyline wagers on March Madness underdogs in 2025. Nice and simple!
Rule 3: Line Shopping
Using a single sportsbook for underdog betting would be very limiting, so I will use multiple March Madness betting sites. At the same time, I want to keep it fairly simple and easy to replicate for a regular college basketball fan.
That’s why I decided to limit the number to three bookmakers: Bovada, BetUS, and BetOnline. They are my favorite US sportsbooks and consistently deliver high odds, as well as cool March Madness bonuses and promos.
I won’t use any offers, though, I want to see how this works without any extra help. I will simply check the bookies and get the best March Madness odds and lines for the purpose of my approach.
Want a complete guide on March Madness betting strategies? Check out our full March Madness betting guide.
Rule 4: Stakes
I only bet $10 per game last year because I targeted both spreads and moneylines, but I’m raising the stakes to $100 per wager in 2025! With the March Madness underdog betting spreads out of the way, the risk will be more manageable, so I’m happy to give it a proper go!
Rule 5: Results and Tracking
I will track my March Madness underdog betting results by posting every single bet in this article before the games (odds and lines included) and updating the outcome when the game is finished. I will provide updates after each round of the competition, showing my results and providing commentary on how the whole test is going in this March Madness bracket betting.
Moneyline Betting on All March Madness Underdogs in 2026
I’ve added two underdog bets for the First Four, but the other two don’t have a clear favorite, so you won’t find them in the table below. I will keep monitoring the odds in case that changes.
Also, I’ve added all Thursday underdogs to the table. I didn’t the ones from Friday since the moneyline odds are not available for all of them, but they will be included on Wednesday.
| Bet | Odds | Bookie | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prairie View to beat Lehigh | +145 | Bovada | Pending |
| Miami Ohio to beat SMU | +260 | Bovada | Pending |
| First Four Ends Here | |||
| TCU to beat Ohio State | +125 | Bovada | Pending |
| Troy to beat Nebraska | +661 | BetOnline | Pending |
| South Florida to beat Lousiville | +186 | BetOnline | Pending |
| High Point to beat Wisconsin | +390 | BetUS | Pending |
| Siena to beat Duke | +2500 | BetOnline | Pending |
| McNeese State to beat Vanderbilt | +475 | Bovada | Pending |
| North Dakota State to beat Michigan State | +1000 | BetUS | Pending |
| Hawaii to beat Arkansas | +795 | BetOnline | Pending |
| Virginia Commonwealth to beat North Carolina | +130 | BetOnline | Pending |
| Texas A&M to beat Saint Mary’s CA | +140 | BetOnline | Pending |
| Pennsylvania to beat Illinois | +2000 | BetOnline | Pending |
| Saint Louis to beat Georgia | +122 | BetOnline | Pending |
| Kennesaw State to beat Gonzaga | +1450 | BetOnline | Pending |
| Idaho to Beat Houston | +2000 | BetOnline | Pending |
Excluded Games
The following games were excluded, because they were too close (no team available at +100 or higher):
- UMBC vs. Howard (First Four)
- Texas vs. NC State (First Four)
March Madness Underdog Betting from 2025 Summary
Here’s what happened when I bet on all March Madness underdogs in 2025.
2025 Underdog Betting Summary
- Total bets: 64
- Bets won: 13
- Bets lost: 51
- Total staked: $6,400
- Total Returned: $3,017
- Balance: -$3,393
| Bet | Odds | Bookie | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego State to beat North Carolina | +160 | Bovada | Lost |
| St. Francis PA to beat Alabama State | +145 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Mt. St. Mary’s to beat American | +120 | Bovada | Won |
| Texas to beat Xavier | +125 | BetOnline | Lost |
| First Four Ends Here | |||
| McNee State to beat Clemson | +282 | BetOnline | Won |
| High Point to beat Purdue | +295 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Arkansas to beat Kansas | +165 | BetOnline | Won |
| Nebraska Omaha to beat St. John’s | +1500 | BetUS | Lost |
| Creighton to beat Louisville | +130 | Bovada | Won |
| Utah State to beat UCLA | +193 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Wofford to beat Tennessee | +1500 | BetUS | Lost |
| SIU Edwardsville to beat Houston | +3500 | Bovada | Lost |
| Georgia to beat Gonzaga | +130 | BetUS | Lost |
| Drake to beat Missouri | +225 | Bovada | Won |
| NC Wilmington to beat Texas Tech | +1025 | BetUS | Lost |
| UC San Diego to beat Michigan | +125 | Bovada | Lost |
| Yale to beat Texas A&M | +270 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Va Commonwealth to beat BYU | +138 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Montana to beat Wisconsin | +1150 | BetUS | Lost |
| Baylor to beat Mississippi State | +105 | BetUS | Won |
| Norfolk State to beat Florida | +3500 | Bovada | Lost |
| Oklahoma to beat Connecticut | +170 | BetOnline | Lost |
| New Mexico to beat Marquette | +155 | BetOnline | Won |
| Bryant to beat Michigan State | +1250 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Vanderbilt to beat Saint Mary’s CA | +150 | Bovada | Lost |
| Robert Morris to beat Alabama | +1725 | BetUS | Lost |
| Lipscomb to beat Iowa State | +790 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Troy to beat Kentucky | +500 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Liberty to beat Oregon | +265 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Akron to beat Arizona | +750 | BetUS | Lost |
| Memphis to beat Colorado State | +120 | BetUS | Lost |
| Grand Canyon to beat Maryland | +445 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Alabama State to beat Auburn | +2800 | Bovada | Lost |
| Mississippi to beat North Carolina | +112 | BetOnline | Won |
| Xavier to beat Illinois | +135 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Round 1 Ends Here | |||
| Creighton to beat Auburn | +320 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Gonzaga to beat Houston | +190 | Bovada | Lost |
| McNeese State to beat Purdue | +215 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Arkansas to beat St. John’s | +275 | Bovada | Win |
| UCLA to beat Tennessee | +185 | Bovada | Lost |
| Drake to beat Texas Tech | +250 | Bovada | Lost |
| Michigan to beat Texas A&M | +130 | BetOnline | Won |
| Baylor to beat Duke | +550 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Connecticut to beat Florida | +410 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Saint Mary’s CA to beat Alabama | +195 | Bovada | Lost |
| New Mexico to beat Michigan State | +270 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Mississippi to beat Iowa State | +190 | BetOnline | Won |
| Kentucky to beat Illinois | +130 | Bovada | Won |
| Colorado State to beat Maryland | +255 | Bovada | Lost |
| Oregon to beat Arizona | +165 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Round 2 Ends Here | |||
| BYU to beat Alabama | +190 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Maryland to beat Florida | +230 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Arizona to beat Duke | +390 | BetUS | Lost |
| Arkansas to beat Texas Tech | +200 | BetUS | Lost |
| Mississippi to beat Michigan State | +148 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Kentucky to beat Tennessee | +170 | BetUS | Lost |
| Michigan to beat Auburn | +355 | BetUS | Lost |
| Purdue to beat Houston | +320 | BetUS | Lost |
| Sweet 16 Ends Here | |||
| Texas Tech to beat Florida | +275 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Alabama to beat Duke | +270 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Michigan State to Auburn | +200 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Tennessee to beat Houston | +150 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Elite 8 Ends Here | |||
| Auburn to beat Florida | +134 | BetUS | Lost |
| Houston to beat Duke | +220 | Bovada | Won |
| Final Four 4 Ends Here |
Note: The March Madness 2025 final was one of the games excluded from this experiment because there was no clear underdog (odds of +100 or higher).
March Madness Underdog Betting from 2024 Summary
Here’s a full timeline with my comments and results summary of my March Madness underdog betting experiment in 2025. In that year, I actually targeted both spreads and moneylines.
Moneyline Betting Summary
Summary
-
- Total bets: 63
- Bets won: 20
- Bets lost: 43
- Total staked: $630
- Total Returned: $640.55
- Balance: +$10.55
| Bet | Odds | Bookie | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wagner vs. Howard | +145 | BetUS | Won |
| Virginia vs. Colorado State | +120 | Bovada | Lost |
| Grambling vs. Montana State | +150 | Bovada | Won |
| Boise State vs. Colorado | +120 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Washington State vs. Drake | +105 | BetUS | Won |
| Akron vs. Creighton | +600 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Long Beach State vs. Arizona | +1300 | Bovada | Lost |
| McNeese State vs. Gonzaga | +222 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Morehead State vs. Illinois | +565 | BetOnline | Lost |
| NC State vs. Texas Tech | +180 | BetUS | Won |
| Oakland vs. Kentucky | +700 | Bovada | Won |
| Oregon vs. South Carolina | +110 | Bovada | Won |
| Samford vs. Kansas | +265 | Bovada | Lost |
| South Dakota State vs. Iowa State | +1000 | BetUS | Lost |
| St. Peter’s vs. Tennessee | +1300 | Bovada | Lost |
| Duquesne vs. BYU | +315 | BetUS | Won |
| UAB vs. San Diego State | +230 | BetUS | Lost |
| Colgate vs. Baylor | +750 | BetUS | Lost |
| Coll Charleston vs. Alabama | +395 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Grand Canyon vs. Saint Mary’s CA | +200 | Bovada | Won |
| James Madison vs. Wisconsin | +195 | BetOnline | Won |
| Longwood vs. Houston | +1300 | Bovada | Lost |
| Clemson vs. New Mexico | +105 | BetOnline | Won |
| Northwestern vs. Fla Atlantic | +125 | Bovada | Won |
| Stetson vs. Connecticut | +1600 | Bovada | Lost |
| Utah State vs. TCU | +140 | BetUS | Won |
| Vermont vs. Duke | +520 | BetUS | Lost |
| Western Kentucky vs. Marquette | +750 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Yale vs. Auburn | +615 | BetOnline | Won |
| Wagner vs. North Carolina | +1700 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Colorado State vs. Texas | +115 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Grambling vs. Purdue | +1600 | Bovada | Lost |
| ROUND 1 ENDS HERE (BALANCE: +$118.05!!!) | |||
| Dayton vs. Arizona | +360 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Kansas vs. Gonzaga | +170 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Michigan State vs. North Carolina | +155 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Washington State vs. Iowa State | +230 | BetUS | Lost |
| Oakland vs. NC State | +220 | Bovada | Lost |
| Texas vs. Tennessee | +220 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Duquesne vs. Illinois | +395 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Oregon vs. Creighton | +180 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Clemson vs. Baylor | +165 | BetOnline | Won |
| Colorado vs. Marquette | +145 | Bovada | Lost |
| Northwestern vs. Connecticut | +950 | BetOnline | Lost |
| James Madison vs. Duke | +245 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Texas A&M vs. Houston | +360 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Yale vs. San Diego | +200 | Bovada | Lost |
| Utah State vs. Purdue | +430 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Grand Canyon vs. Alabama | +190 | BetOnline | Lost |
| ROUND 2 ENDS HERE (BALANCE: -$15.45) | |||
| Alabama vs. North Carolina | +165 | BetOnline | Won |
| Clemson vs. Arizona | +250 | Bovada | Won |
| Illinois vs. Iowa State | +115 | BetUS | Won |
| San Diego State vs. Connecticut | +460 | BetOnline | Lost |
| NC State vs. Marquette | +235 | BetOnline | Won |
| Gonzaga vs. Purdue | +195 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Creighton vs. Tennessee | +135 | BetUS | Lost |
| Duke vs. Houston | +165 | BetOnline | Won |
| SWEET 16 ENDS HERE (BALANCE: +$47.55) | |||
| Clemson vs. Alabama | +140 | BetUS | Lost |
| Illinois vs. Connecticut | +365 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Tennessee vs. Purdue | +150 | BetOnline | Lost |
| NC State vs. Duke | +230 | BetOnline | Won |
| ELITE 8 ENDS HERE (BALANCE: +$40.55) | |||
| Alabama vs. Connecticut | +615 | BetOnline | Lost |
| NC State vs. Purdue | +365 | BetOnline | Lost |
| FINAL FOUR ENDS HERE (BALANCE: +$20.55) | |||
| Purdue vs. Connecticut | +260 | Bovada | Lost |
| FINAL BALANCE: +$10.55 |
Spread Betting Summary
Summary
-
- Total bets placed: 63
- Bets won: 26
- Bets lost: 37
- Total staked: $620
- Total Returned: $497.97
- Balance: -$133.13
| Bet | Odds | Bookie | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia (+2) vs. Colorado State | -102 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Wagner (+3.5) vs. Howard | -115 | BetOnline | Won |
| Boise State (+2.5) vs. Colorado | -110 | BetUS | Lost |
| Grambling (+4) vs. Montana State | -110 | BetOnline | Won |
| Washington State (+1.5) vs. Drake | -105 | BetOnline | Won |
| Akron (+12.5) vs. Creighton | -110 | Bovada | Lost |
| Long Beach State (+21) vs. Arizona | -110 | BetUS | Won |
| McNeese State (+6.5) vs. Gonzaga | -110 | Bovada | Lost |
| Morehead State (+12) vs. Illinois | -110 | BetUS | Lost |
| NC State (+5) vs. Texas Tech | -110 | BetUS | Won |
| Oakland (+14) vs. Kentucky | -115 | BetOnline | Won |
| Oregon (+1.5) vs. South Carolina | -110 | Bovada | Won |
| Samford (+7.5) vs. Kansas | -110 | Bovada | Won |
| South Dakota State (+16.5) vs. Iowa State | -110 | BetOnline | Lost |
| St. Peter’s (+21.5) vs. Tennessee | -110 | Bovada | Lost |
| Duquesne (+8.5) vs. BYU | -110 | BetUS | Won |
| UAB (+7) vs. San Diego State | -115 | BetUS | Won |
| Colgate (+14) vs. Baylor | -115 | Bovada | Lost |
| Coll Charleston (+9.5) vs. Alabama | -110 | Bovada | Lost |
| Grand Canyon (+5.5) vs. Saint Mary’s CA | -105 | Bovada | Won |
| James Madison (+5.5) vs. Wisconsin | -103 | BetOnline | Won |
| Longwood (+24.5) vs. Houston | -110 | BetUS | Lost |
| Clemson (+1.5) vs. New Mexico | -110 | BetUS | Won |
| Northwestern (+2.5) vs. Fla Atlantic | -110 | Bovada | Won |
| Stetson (+26.5) vs. Connecticut | -110 | Bovada | Lost |
| Utah State (+3.5) vs. TCU | -110 | BetOnline | Won |
| Vermont (+12) vs. Duke | -110 | Bovada | Lost |
| Western Kentucky (+14) vs. Marquette | -110 | BetUS | Lost |
| Yale (+13) vs. Auburn | -110 | BetUS | Won |
| Wagner (+25) vs. North Carolina | -115 | Bovada | Lost |
| Colorado State (+2) vs. Texas | -105 | Bovada | Lost |
| Grambling (+26.5) vs. Purdue | -110 | Bovada | Lost |
| ROUND 1 ENDS HERE (BALANCE: -$14.32) | |||
| Dayton (+4.5) vs. Arizona | -110 | BetUS | Lost |
| Kansas (+4.5) vs. Gonzaga | -110 | BetUS | Lost |
| Michigan State (+4) vs. North Carolina | -110 | BetUS | Lost |
| Washington State (+6.5) vs. Iowa State | -110 | Bovada | Lost |
| Oakland (+6.5) vs. NC State | -110 | BetUS | Won |
| Texas (+6.5) vs. Tennessee | -105 | Bovada | Won |
| Duquesne (+10.5) vs. Illinois | -115 | Bovada | Lost |
| Oregon (+5) vs. Creighton | -113 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Clemson (+4.5) vs. Baylor | -110 | BetOnline | Won |
| Colorado (+3.5) vs. Marquette | -105 | Bovada | Lost |
| Northwestern (+14.5) vs. Connecticut | -110 | BetUS | Lost |
| James Madison (+7) vs. Duke | -110 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Texas A&M (+9.5) vs. Houston | -110 | Bovada | Won |
| Yale (+5.5) vs. San Diego | -110 | Bovada | Lost |
| Utah State (+10.5) vs. Purdue | -110 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Grand Canyon (+6) vs. Alabama | -110 | BetOnline | Lost |
| ROUND 1 ENDS HERE (BALANCE: -$97.43) | |||
| Alabama (+4.5) vs. North Carolina | -110 | Bovada | Won |
| Clemson (+7) vs. Arizona | -108 | Bovada | Won |
| Illinois (+2) vs. Iowa State | -110 | BetUS | Won |
| San Diego State (+11) vs. Connecticut | -108 | BetOnline | Lost |
| NC State (+6.5) vs. Marquette | -105 | Bovada | Won |
| Gonzaga (+5.5) vs. Purdue | -110 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Creighton (+3) vs. Tennessee | -110 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Duke (+4) vs. Houston | -107 | BetOnline | Won |
| SWEET 16 ENDS HERE (BALANCE: -$81.18) | |||
| Clemson (+3) vs. Alabama | -110 | BetUS | Lost |
| Illinois (+8.5) vs. Connecticut | -107 | BetOnline | Lost |
| Tennessee (+3.5) vs. Purdue | -115 | BetOnline | Lost |
| NC State (+6) vs. Duke | -110 | BetUS | Won |
| ELITE 8 ENDS HERE (BALANCE: -$103.17) | |||
| Alabama (+11.5) vs. Connecticut | -105 | Bovada | Lost |
| NC State (+9.5) | -110 | BetUS | Lost |
| FINAL 4 ENDS HERE (BALANCE: -$123.17) | |||
| Purdue (+7) vs. Connecticut | -110 | BetUS | Lost |
| FINAL BALANCE: -$133.17 |
Final Thoughts
I feel obliged to share some predictions and a warning for this March Madness underdog betting experiment. For a start, please, gamble responsibly if you decide to follow me and bet on all March Madness underdogs this year. It’s a tricky system that could easily go wrong, so don’t risk money you can’t afford to lose!
My expectations last year were to lose money from the spreads and win from the moneylines, which is exactly what happened. This is why we will only target the moneylines in 2025.
We’ll see what happens, and I promise to analyze the results thoroughly when the tournament is over. Good luck to everyone on your March Madness underdog betting in 2025!




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