The just-released VSiN March Mania Betting Guide is chock full of advice on betting the tournament and filling out your bracket.
Here are three of the many insights you will find in the 132-page PDF:
1️⃣ The 6–11 matchup is the upset sweet spot
Historically, 11-seeds are almost coin-flips against 6-seeds in the first round.
Example from the guide: VCU is widely viewed by VSiN analysts as a dangerous underdog against North Carolina.
👉 Bracket tip: Consider picking one 11 over a 6.
2️⃣ Slow teams are great underdog bets
Teams that play slow tempo and strong defense tend to keep games close.
Example from the guide: Northern Iowa ranks near the bottom nationally in tempo, which could make it difficult for St. John’s to pull away.
👉 Bracket tip: If you’re picking an upset, look for a team that controls pace and limits possessions.
3️⃣ Experience still matters in March
The guide notes that veteran backcourts and experienced teams often outperform seeds in the tournament.
Example: Purdue’s veteran guards have 140 career starts together, making them a strong candidate for a deep run.
👉 Bracket tip: Favor teams with experienced guards and tournament-tested coaches.
➡️ Download the guide here if you are VSiN Pro subscriber
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🏀 First Four: Tuesday’s games
Two spots in the Round of 64 will be decided tonight in Dayton.
Midwest Region — 16 vs. 16
UMBC (+1.5) vs. Howard — 6:40 ET, truTV
👉 Preview
West Region — 11 vs. 11
Texas (+1.5) vs. NC State — 9:15 ET, truTV
👉 Preview
👉 Greg Peterson’s Best Bets include the NCAA games, plus some NIT openers.
👉 Find all the first-round previews at our NCAA Tournament Hub.
🧨 Survivor blueprint: Plan the whole tournament
March survivor pools aren’t about picking winners — they’re about mapping the entire bracket.
Adam Burke offers his guidance — especially if you are preparing to enter the $1 Million High Stakes Survivor Madness.
- Start with your championship game teams, then work backward
- Use weaker teams early if it helps preserve stronger ones
- Build a path with flexibility in later rounds
The takeaway:
To win Survivor, you need a full-tournament plan — not just daily picks.
👉 Adam takes his own advice and comes up with 10 picks to survive to the end.
👉 Find out more about High Stakes Survivor Madness contest and enter
We also are offering the VSiN March Betting Contest, presented by ProphetX and EdgeBoost.
The mission: Make 44 ATS or Total picks from Round 1 through the national championship with $6,000 in prizes and a trip at Vegas at stake.
👉Read the rules — and register for free
Note: Make sure you sign up for an EdgeBoost account using the code VSiN so you are eligible for double the prize money.
📊 More bracket advice
We asked VSiN hosts to fill out their brackets and share them.
👉 See how VSiN’s experts filled out their brackets
Liam Durbin, my analytics-driven horse racing handicapper from my days at the Chicago Tribune, has applied his model-building to the bracket.
👉 Get his picks from start to finish.
Zach Cohen’s NBA Report
Hawks soaring
The Hawks are suddenly one of the hottest teams in the NBA.
- Atlanta is 11-1 over its last 12 games with the league’s best net rating after Monday’s 124-112 win over Orlando.
- The biggest shift: elite defense + balanced scoring — not just Trae Young-centric offense.
- Jalen Johnson is leading the surge (24-15-13 vs. Orlando), while role players like Nickeil Alexander-Walker (41 pts) are popping on any given night.
The takeaway:
This isn’t a fluke run — it’s a different version of the Hawks.
- Not quite contenders yet
- But -105 to make the playoffs looks playable
- And the Southeast Division (+800 pre-win) is now within reach (just 1.5 games back)
Tuesday NBA slate
Not a marquee TV night — but still some betting angles.
- Heat vs. Hornets: Charlotte looks for revenge after a loss 10 days ago
- Thunder vs. Magic / Suns vs. Timberwolves: Playoff-caliber matchups
Betting angle:
The “braindead parlay” stays in play.
- Pistons vs. Wizards
- Pacers vs. Knicks
- Spurs vs. Kings
👉 Strategy: Keep fading tanking teams — it cashed at plus-money to start the week.
Zach posts his Best Bets every morning.
👉 Find Zach’s picks on our NBA page.
He also does a fresh episode of the Hardwood Handicappers podcast Monday-Friday.
