Now that the Super Bowl is in the books, it’s time to turn our attention to the second most important betting event of the year, the NCAA Men’s College Basketball Tournament. Also called March Madness, the tournament takes place after conference throw downs, which is why in our How to Bet 2022 March Madness blog, we discuss the best way to make money from conference tourneys before moving to the Big Dance. Check out how to bet the 2022 March Madness Tournament.

2022 March Madness Handicapping Betting Tips

? New #Power36 from @TheAndyKatz!

1. Gonzaga
2. Kentucky
3. Arizona
4. Auburn
5. Kansas
6. Duke
7. Purdue
8. Illinois
9. Providence
10. Villanova
11-36. ? https://t.co/V3qYFDBjV8 pic.twitter.com/Hi4qiKgEol

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) February 14, 2022

READ MORE: How to Bet on the 2022 March Madness Tournament

1. Look to back a potential 1-seed to win the title

1-seeds win far more national titles than any other seed. Last season, the 1-Baylor Bears beat the 1-Gonzaga Bulldogs. 1-seed Virginia won the National Championship in 2019. In 2018, 1-seed Villanova beat Michigan. Since there was no NCAA Tournament in 2020, a 1-seed has won the National Championship in 3 straight seasons.

The streak is actually 4 seasons because North Carolina won the title as a 1-seed in 2017. Villanova won as a 2-seed in 2016. So if you don’t want to back a 1-seed, go for a 2-seed.

This year’s 1-seeds project to be Gonzaga, Kentucky, Arizona, and either Auburn or Kansas. The 2 seeds should be either Auburn or Kansas, Baylor, Duke, and Purdue.

2. Bet before conference tournaments

Make sure to lay down money before conference tournaments start. This is especially true if you like either a potential 1-seed, like Arizona or Gonzaga, or a potential 2-seed like Duke or Baylor.

If the potential 1-seed wins their conference tournament, their odds will significantly dive. If the potential 2-seed wins their conference tournament, they could end up a 1-seed, which sends their odds diving.

3. Don’t back chalky Gonzaga

No offense to the Zags, the team can win the National Championship, but what’s up with the odds? The Zags haven’t played a good team since Texas Tech on Dec. 18. Sure, the Zags dusted the Red Raiders, but Gonzaga will face a team like Arizona, or Baylor, or Kansas, or Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament. So at the current odds, the Zags are a play against.

4. Back a team or teams with excellent defenses

If you’re debating between a team with a great offense and one with a good defense, go with the squad with the better defense. Better yet, go with a team with a great offense and a great defense.

Arizona has both. So does Kentucky and so does Auburn and Purdue. Teams like Zona, Kentucky, Auburn, and the Boilermakers are tough to beat because if they aren’t hitting their shots, they can buckle down and play lock down defense until the offense gets going.

Squads like Baylor, who can struggle on offense, and Duke, which can fall flat on the defensive end of the court, tend to fail in the NCAA Tournament. Consider defense first and then look for a team that can light up the scoreboard.

This is just one of the many sports betting guides that you can read here at NitroBetting news. Stay tuned for more NCAAB game previews and articles and don’t forget to check out the latest Basketball betting odds on the sportsbook.