Aces.com has as many team and cross sport parlays, if bets and proposition bets as any Las Vegas hotel -- without the crowds
Super Bowl may be the single biggest betting event of the year, but from the Opening Round to the Final Four and on to the NCAA Championship, much more money is bet on March Madness college basketball. Office pools are more popular than ever, but these days millions of bets are placed on the Internet through online sportsbooks like Aces.com.
I talked to Rene Quesada, Manager of Aces.com, about March Madness wagering:
IS IT TRUE THAT MARCH MADNESS IS ONE OF THE BUSIEST TIMES OF THE YEAR FOR AN ONLINE SPORTSBOOK?
Quesada: March Madness is always the second biggest event on our calendar, but this year there’s a lot of extra interest – there’s been some great conference races, a couple of favorites have already been eliminated, and there’s a lot of in some of the lesser-known teams. As always, we ran a $1 Million Dollar Bracket Contest, and a second-chance Sweet 16 Bracket Challenge, and those really draw the crowds. So yes, it’s busy around here right now – we’re getting new players signing up in droves this time of year, people that don’t necessarily bet on other sports.
At Aces.com, we try to re-create the Las Vegas gambling experience. Most of our players go to Vegas regularly and are fairly serious gamblers. March Madness is nuts in Vegas though. Some of our guys are tired of the line-ups and competition for a good spot in the lounge. We offer as many props as any Vegas hotel, so they can bet March Madness at home and hit the strip in the off-season.
A COUPLE OF FAVORITES WERE ELIMINATED IN ROUNDS 1 & 2. WHERE DO YOU THINK TAR HEELS BETTORS WILL PUT THEIR MONEY NOW THAT THEIR TEAM HAS BEEN ELIMINATED?
I suppose now that Duke is the only North Carolina team left, some Tar Heels fans will bet on them, but so much Heels-Blue Devils rivalry I think a lot of Heels fans would bet on just about anybody BUT Duke.
AFTER ROUNDS 1 & 2 AND THE ELIMINATION OF OHIO STATE AND THE TAR HEELS, HOW MANY PLAYERS WERE LEFT IN YOUR MILLION DOLLAR BRACKETS CONTEST?
24,000 players entered the contest but, with all the upsets, no one’s left in the running for the million. Last year though, we had two guys in the game right until the final matches – it was looking like we were going to have to write a pretty big check! So you never know…
We’re also running a “second chance” Sweet Sixteen brackets contest – win $16,000 for picking the winners from here on in the tournament.
HOW DOES NCAA BASKETBALL BETTING COMPARE TO WHAT’S WAGERED ON THE SUPER BOWL?
Quesada: It’s spread over a month or so, but more money is wagered on March Madness than the Super Bowl, and Super bowl is the single biggest betting event any time, anywhere. We give players so many ways to bet - team parlays, cross sport parlays, if bets and tons of proposition bets. And we offer in-game betting.
WHAT DOES THE TYPICAL BETTOR WAGER ON IN THE TOURNAMENT, FAVORITES OR UNDERDOGS?
Who wouldn’t love to cash in on a long shot? Underdogs have their appeal, but then it’s hard to bet against strong favorites like Connecticut, Duke, Villanova and Texas. I’d say we’re pretty evenly split.
WHAT SORT OF ACTION DO YOU SEE ON MONEY LINES AND TOTALS?
Again we’re split evenly.
WHO BETS ON NCAA BASKETBALL?
Quesada: Basically, everybody bets on March Madness. The people who attend or attended the colleges and universities involved in this event bet on March Madness. The people who have a "strong" university in their state bet and the people who live nearby a college or university that is participating bet on the event, too.
AREN’T PEOPLE MORE INTERESTED IN NBA BASKETBALL? DOES EVERYONE JUST SWITCH TO NCAA IN MARCH?!
Quesada: Our NBA action is pretty steady. With the NCAA, there’s more opportunities to bet on the local team though, so a lot of people that don’t usually get into basketball tune-in when it’s the hometown team. After the NCAA Championship, a lot of those players still have an appetite for basketball and start following the NBA playoffs.
HOW MUCH DO PEOPLE TYPICALLY BET ON COLLEGE BASKETBALL?
Quesada: Most people wager about the same amount on a college basketball game as they would on an NFL game or baseball, golf, NASCAR, or whatever or any other sport. At sites geared more toward recreational bettors, the average bets are not high, usually $25 - $50 at a time. The average Aces.com player likes to lay down $50 - $100 at a time.
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2006 NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT - ODDS TO WIN
APR 01, 2006 07:00 PM ET
(As posted at Aces.com March 22, 2006)
Boston College 12-1
Bradley 100-1
Connecticut 2-1
Duke 5-1
Florida 11-1
George Mason 100-1
Georgetown 25-1
Gonzaga 15-1
LSU 25-1
Memphis 8-1
Texas 12-1
UCLA 8-1
Villanova 7-1
Washington 35-1
West Virginia 30-1
Wichita St 75-1
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PROPS FOR MARCH 24 GAMES
(As posted at Aces.com March 22, 2006)
GEORGE MASON VS WICHITA ST
George Mason - Total Points
Over 63 (-115)
Under 63 (-115)
Wichita St - Total Points
Over 61 (-115)
Under 61 (-115)
Total 3 Point FGs Made by BOTH Teams
Over 13 (-125)
Under 13 (-105)
Largest Lead of the Game
Over 11.5 (-135)
Under 11.5 (+105)
Jai Lewis (G Mason) Total Total Points+Rebounds
Over 21.5 (-115)
Under 21.5 (-115)
Kyle Wilson (Wichita St) Total Points (Must Start)
Over 10.5 (-130)
Under 10.5 (Even)
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WASHINGTON VS CONNECTICUT
Washington - Total Points
Over 75 (-115)
Under 75 (-115)
Connecticut - Total Points
Over 81 (-115)
Under 81 (-115)
Total 3 Point FGs Made by BOTH Teams
Over 12.5 (-130)
Under 12.5 (Even)
Largest Lead of the Game
Over 15.5 (-115)
Under 15.5 (-115)
Brandon Roy (Wash) Total Points+Rebounds+Assists
Over 30.5 (-115)
Under 30.5 (-115)
Rudy Gay (UCONN) Total Points - Must Start
Over 16.5 (-115)
Under 16.5 (-115)
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GEORGETOWN VS FLORIDA
Georgetown - Total Points
Over 62.5 (-115)
Under 62.5 (-115)
Florida - Total Points
Over 65.5 (-115)
Under 65.5 (-115)
3 Point FGs Made by BOTH Teams
Over 13.5 (-115)
Under 13.5 (-115)
Over/Under Largest Lead of the Game
12.5 (-115)
Under 12.5 (-115)
Roy Hibbert (G-Town) Total Points+Rebounds
Over 20.5 (-115)
Under 20.5 (-115)
Taurean Green (Florida) Will he Miss At Least 1 Free Throw
Yes (No Attempt/NO Wins) +130
No (No Attempt/NO Wins) -160
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BOSTON COLLEGE VS VILLANOVA GAME
Boston College - Total Points
Over 69 (-115)
Under 69 (-115)
Villanova - Total Points
Over 71.5 (-115)
Under 71.5 (-115)
3 Point FGs Made by BOTH Teams
Over 15 (-115
Under 15 (-115)
Over/Under Largest Lead of the Game
Over 12.5 (-115)
Under 12.5 (-115)
Craig Smith (BC) Total Points - Must Start
Over 19.5 (-115)
Under 19.5 (-115)
Allan Ray (Villanova) Total Points+Assists - Must Start
Over 21.5 (-115)
Under 21.5 (-115)
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