Written By:
Jelena Kabić
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Jelena Kabic is a sports betting writer that focusses on responsible gambling. A psychologist by vocation, Jelena volunteered in a rehab facility, where she worked with gambling addicts. She now reviews all our content to ensure it discusses betting in a socially responsible way.
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About Author
Amy's introduction to the gambling world was 6 years ago, when she joined a casino operator as a content specialist. Since then, she's helped launch and maintain gambling review sites in over 8 different countries. She's tested dozens of casinos and sportsbooks, which is how she can spot a subpar brand in an instant!
Last Update
October 9, 2023
Last Update:
Best NCAAB Betting Sites in Canada (Ultimate Guide)
NCAAB Betting Sites
NCAAB is very different compared to professional basketball. College students tend to play with more vigour, but the games are less predictable.
All of this and much more makes NCAAB very attractive for bettors in Canada.
Our guide will tell you all about betting on NCAAB and especially the upcoming March Madness, and will provide you with some tips to improve your winning chances!
Best NCAAB Betting Sites
How to Start Betting on NCAA
- Choose a Sportsbook
First, find a sportsbook that offers good NCAA betting markets and odds. We recommend Bet99 or bet365. - Register
Sign up and verify your identity. - Place a Deposit
This varies from sportsbook to sportsbook and can be anywhere from $5 to $20. - Find NCAA Events
At Bet99, you’ll find it in the menu on the left by opening Basketball>USA>NCAAB. - Place a Bet
Choose the game you want to bet on, decide the size of your bet, and place a wager.
NCAA Basketball Betting Markets
If you’re getting into NCAA betting, it’s important to know that you’ll often find fewer available betting markets for NCAA basketball than for NBA (especially the Toronto Raptors) or other big leagues.
For example, Sports Interaction tends to offer the following betting markets for NCAAB:
- Moneyline
- Spread
- Alternate spread
- Over/Under
- Alternate Over/Under
- Winning Margin
- First/Second Half.
That said, big teams and important games (such as the March Madness tournament) usually get a higher amount of betting markets available, as you’ll see in the next segment of this guide.
How Do You Bet on March Madness in Canada?
March Madness is a different name for the NCAA Division I Men’s basketball tournament. It’s the most exciting time of the year for those who like betting on NCAA.
how it works
Starting on March 14th, during seven rounds, 68 teams will compete for the national title.
Betting on March Madness works the same way as betting on NCAAB generally.
However, it’s the most popular part of the season, so finding sportsbooks with top odds and the widest variety of betting markets becomes extra important.
March Madness 2023: Odds and Favourites
We compared top sportsbooks’ odds for the upcoming March Madness tournament, so you can have a general idea of which sportsbooks have the best numbers.
| Sportsbook | SE Missouri State Redhawks | Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
| Bet99 | 2.40 | 1.55 |
| bet365 | 2.50 | 1.58 |
| Sports Interaction | 2.50 | 1.56 |
| Betano | 2.50 | 1.57 |
| bwin | 2.50 | 1.55 |
In this example, bet365 has the highest odds for the favourite, although they’re all quite competitive. Meanwhile, everyone but Bet99 has the same odds for the underdog, with Bet99 having noticeably lower ones.
We did another comparison, this time on a Texas Southern vs Fairleigh Dickinson game:
| Sportsbook | Texas Southern | Fairleigh Dickinson |
| Bet99 | 1.70 | 2.10 |
| bet365 | 1.76 | 2.10 |
| Sports Interaction | 1.75 | 2.11 |
| Betano | 1.75 | 2.12 |
| bwin | 1.71 | 2.15 |
Once again, bet365 has the best odds for the favourite, while this time, bwin takes the cake for the underdog.
But how do they fare in terms of available betting markets?
For the upcoming West Virginia @ Maryland game, apart from the regular moneyline, spread, and totals bets, Bet99 has the following betting markets:
- Winning margin
- Point range
- Odd/Even
- Halftime/Fulltime
- Will there be overtime
- 1st half
- Combo (winner+total)
For the same game, Betano had all those markets plus these player specials:
- top rebounder
- top assists
- top point scorer
- top three-point shots scorer.
However, none could compare to bet365, which besides the basic bets and player props also has alternative bets and same game parlays.
So besides having competitive odds, bet365 also has the most betting markets available for March Madness.
Therefore, bet365 and Betway are great choices when it comes to odds, but they can’t beat the amount of betting markets offered by Bet99.
What is the Appeal of Betting on the NCAA?
Now that we’ve showed you how to bet on NCAAB and where it’s best to do it, let’s talk about the appeal of NCAA.
You may be new to betting on college basketball and are wondering whether it’s worth it and what’s in it for you.
As you’ll see below, NCAA has shorter games but longer shot clocks than the NBA. This means the dynamic of the game will be different, and players will look to do as much as possible during the limited time they have.
appeal of NCAAB
Many bettors enjoy NCAA because those players haven’t “made it” yet. They’re yet to be scouted and potentially drafted for the NBA, but it’s not a given.
Because they have much to prove, they give it their all on the field, which shows! Plus, NCAA is still a fairly undeveloped betting market in Canada.
Not being nearly as popular as professional basketball leagues means the odds are more likely to vary, and you can more easily find a value bet compared to NBA or even WNBA.
Is it Better to Bet on the NCAAB Than on NBA?
Let’s start by discussing the most obvious differences between the two.
- At 30 seconds, NCAAB has a longer shot clock. In the NBA, it’s 24 seconds.
- The full game of NCAAB lasts only 30 minutes, compared to 48 minutes in the NBA.
- The 3-point line is farther away in the NBA: 23 feet, 9 inches vs 20 feet, 9 inches.
- NCAA players have a tighter defence, whereas NBA players tend to huddle up at the 3-point line.
- NBA games are generally more fast-paced since the players are professional athletes, usually taller and stronger than college players.
In terms of betting, the differences are as follows:
- NBA tends to have more betting markets (some of which we’ve made predictions on for the season 2023/24) since it’s simply a more popular league. For example, Bet99 lets you build a bet and even bet on quarters for NBA, but not for NCAAB.
- NCAA makes it easier to find a value bet because it’s not as popular and has fewer experts constantly looking into and adjusting odds.
With all that in mind, here are side-by-side pros and cons (we highlighted the two main ones) of betting on NCAA to help you determine whether it’s the right sport for you.
| Pros | Cons |
| Value Bets Easier to Find | More Defensive |
| Underdogs More Likely to Win | Fewer Betting Markets Available |
| More Energy and Effort Shown | Not as Fun to Watch |
We’ll conclude this part by stating that live streaming is a big part of betting nowadays. If you enjoy watching the game while betting, NBA may be a better choice for you.
Live streams of NBA games are widely available, and they’re just more fun to watch.
However, if you’re after value bets and quicker games, then NCAA should be just right.
Can You Bet on WNCAAB?
Yes, Canadians can also bet on women’s NCAAB. Many sportsbooks cover that competition as well, and because it’s even more underground than NCAAB, it means the value bets are even easier to find.
However, it also means fewer betting markets. At the time of writing this, Bet99 had only one futures bet for NCAAB (W).
What Types of Bets are Best to Place on NCAA Games?
As we’ve determined while comparing NCAA against NBA, these games tend to differ quite a lot. Therefore, even if you want to give betting on NCAA a go, you may not be sure what kind of bets would be a good pick.
We’re here to help!
Since there aren’t that many betting markets to choose from, there aren’t many bets to place, either.
However, one solid tip is to target well-rested teams postseason. Placing a moneyline bet on them usually leaves less space for unwanted surprises.
If you’re betting on a game with more betting markets than usual, you’ll likely be able to wager on the number of rebounds. In that case, find a decent player and bet on 8.5 rebounds over.
Tip!
One good pick for this is Adama Sanogo from UConn Huskies.
Because NCAA is a lot more unpredictable than the NBA, there aren’t many bets that can significantly improve your chances of winning. You’ll simply have to follow the teams closely and rely on statistics to guide your bets.
However, certain betting tips may help you out further.
NCAA Betting Tips
The best betting tip when it comes to NCAA is fading the public by understanding who the majority is betting on.
What is NCAA Public Betting?
NCAA public betting (or consensus picks, as it’s also called) shows you who the majority of the bettors see as the favourite.
In other words, you’ll be able to fairly easily find information on exactly what percentage of bettors are leaning one way or the other.
fading the public
You can use this information in order to “fade the public”, aka, bet against the majority.
But why would you do that in the first place?
Because it helps you determine whether a team is over/undervalued. Consequently, the odds for the underdog will likely be higher than they should be.
This gives you a great opportunity for value bets and is among the best betting strategies you can try.
Some other betting tips we can give you are:
- Don’t be afraid to bet on the underdog regardless of the public opinion — surprises are a lot more common in NCAA than they are in the NBA.
- Avoid parlay bets with NCAAB. After all, these games are highly unpredictable, and you don’t want your betting efforts going down the drain because a clear favourite lost by 2 points.
Why Can’t NCAA Athletes Gamble?
If you’ve been researching the topic of NCAA betting, you may have come across the information that NCAA athletes aren’t allowed to gamble.
This may look suspicious, but the reason is actually very simple. They’re forbidden from betting in order not purposefully to lose games and end up winning money for themselves.
However, just to be safe, the NCAA forbids them from placing bets not only on college events, but on professional games, too.
FAQ
Can you bet on university sports (NCAA) in Canada?
Yes, Canadians can bet on university sports like NCAA basketball and football.
Where can I bet on college football in Canada?
Just like the majority of sportsbooks in Canada let you bet on college basketball, they let you bet on college football, too. You can refer to our list of safe and legal sports betting sites to find the sportsbook you’ll place your next NCAAF bet on.
How do you bet on the NCAA basketball tournament?
We have a step-by-step guide in this post, but in short — register at a legal sportsbook, place a deposit, find the match you’re after and bet!
How do you bet on the NCAA football championship?
After registering at a sportsbook of your choice, place a deposit, select NCAAF from the list of available sports, choose the match and betting market and place your wager.
Can NCAA athletes bet on NBA?
No, NCAA athletes as well as coaches are forbidden from betting on sports in general, not just on NCAA. That means they cannot bet on NBA, either.
