The first weekend of March Madness is one of the best times of the year to be in Las Vegas. The long weekend of fun begins on Thursday, March 15, with 16 basketball games. The action begins at 9 am and ends around 9 pm. The games continue through the weekend until Sunday, March 18. Sure, 48 games of basketball in four days is great but that’s just the beginning.
Las Vegas has something for everyone. Spring Break for many colleges falls during this week and there are plenty of twenty-somethings running around town partying. However, the party gets turned up a notch on Saturday, March 17. St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated. Between the three events, there’s partying inside, outside and all over Las Vegas.
You know that it’s legal to wager on the basketball games but technology has made gambling on March Madness even better. Thanks to mobile sports wagering apps, you can place bets anywhere in the state of Nevada. You can enjoy the action from a comfortable seat in the sportsbook but you can also leave the sportsbook to party. You can visit a dayclub and party poolside with the spring breakers or at one of the St. Patrick’s Day parties.
Hotels on the Vegas Strip will be near capacity with so many people in Las Vegas to watch and wager on the games and party like there’s no tomorrow. Even with the different “excuses” to visit Las Vegas this week, March Madness is still the king. Visitors to Las Vegas can do more than one thing at a time on vacation but March Madness is often the link for this week.
There’s no reason someone can’t enjoy basketball and green beer or parties by the pool. The action is more than any sportsbook can handle and there are watch parties anywhere a bar, restaurant or casinos can stick multiple televisions. Visitors can try to watch the games in the sportsbook but they’re often full before tipoff of the first game of the day.
More sportsbooks than ever are reserving seats in the sportsbook for customers and guests willing to pay for the right to watch the games. Prices for parties with a guaranteed seat to watch March Madness games on the Vegas Strip average $100-$200 per person per day. The parties may include food and/or beverage but that can add up.
Related: These Are The Basics Of Betting On Basketball in Las Vegas
Video Credit: @sportsbooktom
Skip The Strip
However, there are some viewing options that offer a great viewings experience for little to no cost. Sports bettors generally agree that the Westgate and South Point casinos offer some of the best odds (South Point is offering -105 lines just for March Madness). They also offer great viewing experiences. Even though both are off the Vegas Strip, they’re relatively close and not difficult to visit.
You can hop in an Uber or Lyft and be at Westgate in a few minutes from the Vegas Strip or downtown Las Vegas. The monorail stops here too but that might take a little longer with the walking to the stations. The South Point is about a 10-15 minute car ride from the casino corridor of the Vegas Strip.
The Westgate is home to the world’s largest sportsbook and also has Hoops Central inside the International Theater. Both spaces are free and will be standing room only before tipoff. However, there is a VIP option in the sportsbook and it’s only $25 per day to reserve a seat inside the theater for Hoops Central.
The South Point has a party in their ballroom for just about every major event. While this is often considered a Las Vegas locals casino, more sports bettors are finding great value in these parties. The March Madness party has free general admission seating with beer and food specials. Those great odds are available at remote betting stations inside the ballroom.
Related: (Last year’s article) Leave The Vegas Strip For A Great Casino To Watch March Madness
Related: March Madness In Vegas Is Fantastic
Both viewing scenarios are different and can save hundreds of dollars from parties on the Vegas Strip during the first weekend of March Madness. Best of all, for sports bettors, is that they’re both home to some of the savviest sportsbook operators in Las Vegas.
If you only need a taste of the Madness, you can take in a day or two of action at one of the parties and fund a mobile sports wagering account. Since you can watch and wager on the games anywhere in the state, this will allow you to spend the rest of the busy weekend in the middle of St. Patrick’s Day and Spring Break fun!
