BetUS Sportsbook: March Madness History

NCAA March Madness Tournament History

The 68th incarnation of March Madness will take place from March 16th – April 7th, 2008 across a dozen U.S. states, ending with the Men’s Final Four Championship Game at the Alamodome, in San Antonio, Texas.

Started in 1939, the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship was a tournament played between just eight teams until 1950. It gradually expanded until 2001, when it reached the current total of 65 teams.

The term March Madness is believed to have first been used to describe the NCAA men’s basketball tournament in 1982 by Brent Musburger during the CBS broadcasts of the games. The term is actually jointly owned by the NCAA and the Illinois High School Association.

The Madness refers to the frenzied action on the hardcourt - with 49 games being played on the first weekend alone – and the passion those games ignite in both fans and those who love to do a little NCAA college hoops betting.

Much like the NFL has enjoyed a boom in popularity thanks to the rise in fantasy football leagues, NCAA college basketball betting has exploded to a new level in recent years with the surging popularity of March Madness bracket contests.

With some using NCAA college basketball odds and lines and others simply picking winners, NCAA basketball brackets have taken America by storm. BetUS.com will have a free, printable NCAA basketball bracket, so you can get your office or group into the mix with ease. Join BetUS.com and receive free schedules, brackets and hot, BetUS girl DVD's and calendars, with Andrea Lowell.

Don't forget to check out the BetUS free printable bracket PDF