Horse Racing, greyhounds and snooker specialist with thirty years experience of writing about sport across multiple platforms. A QPR and Snooker fan
What is March Madness?
March Madness is a knock-out competition for 68 teams to decide the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament.
There are seven rounds of knockout games including the famous Final Four round at the semi-final stage.
What are the dates of March Madness 2022?
- Selection Sunday: 13th March
- First Four: 15th-16th March
- First round: 17th-18th March
- Second round: 19th-20th March
- Sweet 16: 24th-25th March
- Elite Eight: 26th-27th March
- Final Four: 2nd April
- NCAA championship game: 4th April
To see which team the OLBG basketball handicappers are predicting to win the 2022 March Madness, head over to the Basketball Picks page.
When did March Madness begin?
The first official tournament for NCAA Division I was in 1939 and was won by Oregon who beat Ohio State 46-33.
Why is it called March Madness?
The term ‘March Madness’ dates back to 1939 when it was first used by an Illinois school official but has been in wider use since Brent Musberger of CBS used it during the 1982 coverage and the term has stuck ever since.
When is the 2022 March Madness?
This year’s tournament will run from Sunday 13th March until Monday 4th April.
With the great news that the 2022 March Madness competition is definitely going ahead, the best Basketball handicappers on OLBG will be raring to get involved.
These are the top profitable basketball tipsters who have all made a profit over the last twelve months on OLBG!
Where are the March Madness games 2022?
Where is the Final Four this year? The final four will be played at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
Here are the venues for each round of March Madness:
| Round | Date | Location | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selection Sunday | 13th March | N/A | N/A |
| First Four | 15th-16th March | Dayton, Ohio | UD Arena |
| First/Second | 17th-19th March | Buffalo, New York | KeyBank Center |
| First/Second | 17th-19th March
|
Indianapolis, Indiana | Gainbridge Fieldhouse |
| First/Second | 17th-19th March
|
Fort Worth, Texas | Dickies Arena |
| First/Second | 17th-19th March
|
Portland, Oregon | Moda Center |
| First/Second | 18th-20th March | Greenville, South Carolina | Bon Secours Wellness Arena |
| First/Second | 18th-20th March
|
Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Fiserv Forum |
| First/Second | 18th-20th March
|
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | PPG Paints Arena |
| First/Second | 18th-20th March
|
San Diego, California | Viejas Arena |
| Sweet 16/Elite Eight | 24th-26th March | San Antonio, Texas | AT&T Center |
| Sweet 16/Elite Eight | 24th-26th March | San Francisco, California | Chase Center |
| Sweet 16/Elite Eight | 25th-27th March | Chicago, Illinois | United Center |
| Sweet 16/Elite Eight | 25th-27th March | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Wells Fargo Center |
| Final Four | 2nd-4th April | New Orleans | Caesars Superdome |
How are the teams seeded?
The selection committee allocates a rating for each team based on how each team has performed in their regular season and conference tournament. The teams are rated between 1 and 68. Four teams are illuminated in the initial round which is known as the First Four.
After that, the remaining 64 teams are split into four sections and ranked 1 to 16. In each section the team ranked 1 plays the team ranked 16, the team ranked 2 plays 15 etc etc.
What teams have recently won March Madness?
Below is a table of the last ten NCAA Champions, runners-up and the final score:
The event was not held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic
| Year | Winner | Runner Up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Baylor | Gonzaga | 86-70 |
| 2019 | Virginia | Texas Tech | 85-77 |
| 2018 | Villanova | Michigan | 79-62 |
| 2017 | North Carolina | Gonzaga | 71-65 |
| 2016 | Villanova | North Carolina | 77-74 |
| 2015 | Duke | Wisconsin | 68-63 |
| 2014 | Connecticut | Kentucky | 60-54 |
| 2013 | Louisville | Michigan | 82-76 |
| 2012 | Kentucky | Kansas | 67-59 |
| 2011 | Connecticut | Butler | 53-41 |
What teams have won the most renewals of March Madness?
Below is a list of all the teams that have won more than 'March Madness'.
Can you predict who will make it through to the 2022 March Madness Final?
Every year, once the full set of teams are announced and the seedings have been decided, basketball fans all over the world will study the art of 'bracketology'.
Bracketology is where fans try and predict each individual game's outcome via a bracketing chart and see if they can forecast which teams will make it through to the March Madness Final.
How do you think you would get on trying to forecast the winners of so many games?
Why not print off your own bracket here and see how close you get to predicting a perfect bracket!
Once you have made all your selections make sure you add your picks on OLBG and be in with a chance of winning a share of the big cash prizes on offer!
