March Madness Betting Shatters All Records
The first three days of the 2009 March Madness betting season has broken all traffic records for Gambling911.com, with each day an improvement in the numbers.
"We have had over a million hits each day," said Gambling911.com matriarch, Payton O'Brien.
Sunday kicked off with 1.4 million hits, Monday followed with 1.6 hits and Tuesday with 1.7 hits.
These numbers were dramatic increases over last year where traffic ranged from 600,000 to 846,000 hits the final day before tip off. Traditionally, the heaviest concentration of betting for the NCAA Tournament is between Selection Sunday and Thursday's tip off.
"There will be wagering throughout the tournament, especially with the more popular televised games, but the online sportsbooks rely on the masses placing bets leading into the tournament while they are all excited over their brackets and in a winning mood," said O'Brien.
March Madness is among the most bet on events of the year, extending over a few weeks. Thus far, single day events such as the Super Bowl and Oscars have received more betting traffic this year though Tuesday's March Madness traffic just barely beat Oscars Sunday by a few hundred hits.
Gambling911.com had 2.2 million hits Super Bowl Sunday. The Oscars received 1.7 million hits.
"Wednesday's March Madness traffic will be the most of the week thus far," O'Brien predicted.
$100 million will be bet on March Madness in Las Vegas. By contrast, approximately $12 billion will be bet online for March Madness.
Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
