LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — March Madness is considered the busiest time in the calendar year for Las Vegas sportsbooks.
The first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament bring out even more crowds of bettors than Super Bowl weekend. Final Four and national championships will see more tourists and locals flock to the books.
WATCH | Nick Walters breaks down what to expect from Final Four weekend
The women's Final Four is being played in Tampa, Florida on Friday, while the men's Final Four is being played in San Antonio on Saturday. The national championships are on Sunday and Monday, respectively.
March Madness is never predictable, but it's been more favorable to the favorites than it has in years.
Seven of the eight teams remaining between the men and women are 1-seeds. And for the time since 2008, all four men's teams in the Final Four are 1-seeds.
Channel 13 sports reporter Nick Walters went to Red Rock Casino in Summerlin to hear what the tournament has been like this year.
“Basketball overload, it’s nuts," local bettor Rick Kennedy said. "It’s literally madness for us as well. Buzzer beaters, bad beats types of things.”
"The atmosphere has been tremendous," said Chuck Esposito, director of racing and sport at Red Rock Casino. "The crowds, the handle, no real Cinderella story, but I think the tournament has been incredible on both the men’s and women’s side. To have seven 1-seeds playing between the two and the only 2-seed is UConn, who has been to 16 of the last 17 tournaments on the women’s side, is pretty exciting.”
“I remember the very first day, before we opened, there were 50 people sitting out here at 6 a.m. waiting to get one of these seats at center court for the action of the tournament," Esposito added.
Watch the full interview with Red Rock's Chuck Esposito:
Some things never change, like March Madness offering madness. But this year's tournament has been unlike any in the last decade plus.
“The tournament’s been very chalky, favorite-laden so far," Esposito said. "The tournament overall has been pretty good for the bettors so far. Favorites of 6 points or more are 32-3 against the number in the tournament. The good news is that neither one of these games have touched six points yet. So maybe we get an underdog to cover.”
“All four 1-seeds getting in, that’s pretty easy right? You’d think!" Kennedy said. “Didn’t have (big upsets) this year. Nothing too crazy where one side of the bracket is completely blown up.”
Watch the full interview with local sports bettor Rick Kennedy:
Remaining in the women's bracket are South Carolina, Texas, UCLA, and UConn. Those still alive in the men's bracket are Florida, Auburn, Duke, and Houston.
Esposito tells Channel 13 that Duke is the favorite over Houston and that the majority of money is going on the Blue Devils in that matchup. The Florida-Auburn game is closer, but there is more money going on the favored Gators.
“It wears me out when I’m listening to the announcers," Kennedy said about the atmosphere in sportsbooks lately. "That shot didn’t matter, but oh yes, it did. It always matters. You got half the book cheering that the shot went in."
"Even if you’re out and about in the casino and you hear a big roar, somebody hit a shot or missed a shot that would’ve cost somebody a bet at the very end.”
