Online March Madness betting

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) - We may not have a hometown team in the tournament, but that won’t stop sports fans in the Heartland from getting involved in the madness.

One thing that comes right along with March Madness is sports betting. The first-round matchups began Thursday morning, so if you’ve bet on games, you could have already won or lost some money.

Sixty-eight million people across the country are expected to bet as much as $15.5 billion on this year’s NCAA Tournament. People in Ohio, Kansas, Massachusetts and Maryland can cast online bets on the basketball tournament for the first time. A total of 33 states including Illinois now allow at least some form of sports wagering.

With the increased popularity of online sports betting the Better Business Bureau has tips to make sure your wager is safe.

“Look for an established, approved service,” BBB Regional Director Whitney Quick said. “So, look for whitelisted sports books that have been approved by your area’s gaming commission. In the United States, ESPN has a list of where sports betting is legal. Don’t fall for tempting ads, ignore gambling related pop-up ads, email spam or text messages. Make sure you’re reading the fine print on the incentives. "

Quick also said that fine print is important. Even legitimate sports betting sites can freeze your winnings if they notice irregular playing patterns.

Even though you could win some money most people will lose at least a little. There has never been a verified perfect bracket, despite several contestants coming painstakingly close in recent years.

Sports Betting is still illegal in Missouri and Kentucky; however, there have been efforts by lawmakers in both states looking to change that.