So far, the 2021-2022 NCAA men’s college basketball season hasn’t gone as planned. Due to the ongoing pandemic, many collegiate games have been postponed. However, schools are still allowing fans to attend and travel to games when they aren’t canceled, both of which are good indications that the NCAA will continue to navigate the ongoing health and safety hurdles.
There is light at the end of the tunnel with all that said. The 2022 NCAA March Madness Tournament is still scheduled to begin in roughly two months. The postseason tournament often upsets and has captivating storylines for nearly a month. Before the tournament tips off, check out our five ways to make the most out of the 2022 NCAA March Madness Tournament.
Bracket Pools
Friendly or competitive bracket pools are synonymous with the March Madness Tournament. For most fans, filling out a bracket each March is an annual tradition like no other, as it’s a friendly way to compete against your friends and colleagues and find a reason to watch and follow each tournament game.
If you’re looking to add excitement to this year’s tournament, try your hand at filling out a bracket. If it’s your first time, don’t be too discouraged if you don’t get all the picks correct, as it’s nearly impossible. Well, not quite. The NCCA claims if you know a little something about basketball, your odds of getting every pick correct is 1 in 120.2 billion.
In addition to bracket pools, you can also place bets at sportsbooks, which can up the stakes depending on how much you’re willing to wager. Louisiana online sports betting is widely accessible via mobile sportsbook apps, and each legal sportsbook app will undoubtedly have odds on the 2022 NCAA March Madness Tournament.
All-in-all, bracket pools are a fun way to stay engaged throughout the entire tournament and offer you a chance to win some pocket money if you choose to partake in a pool for money.
Watch Selection Sunday
Before the tournament event tips off, the NCAA, in conjunction with ESPN, broadcasts the live unveiling of the entire tournament field. This year the Selection Sunday show is scheduled to air on Sunday, March 13th (sometime in the late afternoon EST).
First and foremost, the Selection Sunday show is a great way to get into the spirit of March Madness. There’s a level of excitement watching live reactions from teams and coaches, and ESPN does an excellent job bringing experts to preview marquee matchups.
Additionally, the selection show is a good resource if you choose to bet on any March Madness games and/or partake in a bracket pool. You’ll receive in-depth breakdowns of matchups seedings and even get a chance to hear picks from experts.
Download the March Madness App
One unfortunate reality of the March Madness tournament is several games are played during standard working hours for most adults in the USA. Luckily, the live-action is available at the tap of a button on your smart device.
Download the official March Madness app from your device’s app store to access the live stream of the 2022 March Madness tournament. However, if you plan to watch more than three hours’ worth of games, you will need to sign in via a verified TV provider.
Nevertheless, the accessibility of the app is key for folks who can’t sit in front of a TV for four straight days during opening weekend.
Attend a Watch Party Event
One way to enhance your viewing experience of the tournament is to attend a watch party event at a local sports pub, bar, sportsbook, or even a friend’s house. Each year the tournament offers exciting plots, upsets, and close games. Enjoying the suspenseful action in a live atmosphere can enhance your experience as many of the emotions from the game can impact each viewer.
Furthermore, certain venues such as sports bars or sportsbooks will have multiple screens playing several games at once. Thus, making it easier to track all the actions without missing any key moments. One city famous for its sportsbooks and watch party events is Las Vegas. If you are a Vegas native or plan on traveling there in March, be sure to check out this complete list of watch party events for the 2022 tournament.
Don’t Miss The Final Four
With a full slate of games scheduled during the first weekend, Thursday through Sunday, it’s highly likely that you will miss quite a few matchups throughout the tournament. That said, if you can, do make time to watch both Final Four games and the national championship.
The Final Four is up there with the World Series, Super Bowl, and NBA Finals as one of the top sporting events in America. If you’re lucky enough to attend in person, the entire week is arguably one big party throughout the host city. This year, the Final Four is at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, LA.
However, the reality is most of us cannot attend the Final Four live, but viewing the games in real-time is not a bad second option. The level of competition is high, and the level of play is second to none. This year, savor the moment and enjoy the Final Four to cap off what is expected to be another great and entertaining NCAA March Madness Tournament.
Featured Photo by Ben Hershey on Unsplash
