March was a terrific month for sports fans and punters alike, with ample betting opportunities on major tournaments. Rugby fans had the chance to watch the Six Nations Cup, while football enthusiasts were delighted by the last Euro 2024 qualifiers. There was no shortage of entertainment for tennis enthusiasts, as action-packed tournaments have returned to US soil. Top League of Legends teams grabbed the last playoff spots and March madness brought NCAA basketball into the spotlight.
Known as the Guinness Men's Six Nations event, the iconic tournament has set another significant milestone, with Ireland at its center. The 130th season of the tournament was hosted by France, but the home nation was unable to cause a significant upset. Ireland was the defending champion, and when the 2024 edition started on February 2, bookmakers ranked it at the top of the list.
The 2023 champions cruised through the tournament and lost a single match against England by the odd point. When the dust set on March 16, Ireland was crowned winner for the fifth time while winning back-to-back championships for the third time in history. They accomplished a similar feat in 1949 and 2015 and are already credited with the first chance in 2025.
After a long hiatus following the Australian Open, tennis action returned to hardcourt tournaments, this time in the United States. Alcaraz and Swiatek suffered several surprising defeats, but both former number ones have returned to form. The Spanish champion defeated his rival Medvedev in the Indian Wells final, while Swiatek crushed Maria Sakkari of Greece in straight sets.
Carlos Alcaraz extended his successful run in the Miami Open, where he advanced to the quarterfinals. There is a good chance for him to face the Russian again, as Daniil has also reached the final act of the competition. Swiatek crushed opponents in the opening rounds but was stunned by Alexandrova in the quarterfinals, and he has likely concluded the hardcourt season.
Football fans have turned their attention from the Champions League and Europa League playoffs to Euro 2024 qualifiers in March. Three more teams were in contention for the final spots of the main event, with Poland, Georgia, and Ukraine qualifying for the summer tournament. Punters who wagered on yellow and red cards cashed in you, as many players were sent off during this stage of the event.
Poland and Georgia were lucky to progress to Euro 2024 after winning the penalty shootout. Their first five players kept their cool and sent the national teams to the most important football event of the year. Ukraine’s performance was even more impressive, as the team had to overcome an early goal deficit twice and scored two unanswered goals to secure qualification.
League of Legends fans were blessed with an epic Spring Split and are entitled to be enthusiastic about the playoffs. The North American LCS jumped to the start and sent eight teams to the postseason, with FlyQuest and Cloud9 as the main favorites. The former have already secured their spot in the finals, while the latter will be facing Team Liquid in the loser’s bracket for a last-ditch effort.
G2 Esports and Fnatic crushed competitors in the European LEC and will go to the playoffs as the main favorites. Both teams are expected to qualify for the upcoming MidSeason Invitational, where they will square off with the top teams from the LPL and LCK. Bilibili Gaming and JD Gaming lead the pack from the Chinese region, while T1 and Gen.G have claimed the top spots in South Korea.
Commonly referred to as the March Madness tournament, the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament is in full swing. The best National Collegiate Athletic Association teams are in the spotlight and for a brief period they eclipse NBA action. Nearly all the favorites are still in play, with the phase of Sweet 16 picking them against each other on March 28 and March 29.
UConn and North Carolina are expected to advance to the conference finals, at the expense of San Diego and Alabama. The universities of Purdue and Houston have an equally strong claim, while NC State and San Diego State play the role of dark horses. Punters know that Duke University can never be ruled out and the odds of them causing an upset against the number one seed are quite tempting.
The winners of the March Madness tournament will be known mid-April and the last major tennis tournaments held in the US will crown their winners in the opening week. Sports action returns to the old continent, for the Champions League quarterfinals and the tennis clay season. In anticipation of the Roland Garros tournament, the best tennis players will compete in Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid, and Rome. Rafael Nadal is expected to feature in at least one of these preliminary events.
Football fans are in for a treat, as the best European football clubs are back in the Champions League. PSG and Barcelona enjoy even odds to advance to the quarterfinals and the games between Arsenal and Bayern are just as close. Manchester City takes on Real Madrid in the most anticipated match of this stage and the English champions are massive favorites to advance. The same odds of 1/2 are given by major bookmakers to Atletico Madrid to advance at the expense of Dortmund.
Basketball and rugby fans were the main beneficiaries of an action-packed March, with the Six Nations Cup and March Madness tournament stealing the show. Tennis fans were delighted by the Indian Wells and Miami Open games and their focus will switch to European clay tournaments in April. As the last teams have secured their place in the Euro 2024, football fans can now watch and bet on Champions League qualifiers and semifinals in the second month of spring.
Blackjack
Slots
Roulette
Baccarat
Craps
Poker
