When is 2024 men's basketball March Madness? Dates, times and odds for the tournament
The college basketball season is winding down and March is coming! Less than three weeks remain before the 2024 men's March Madness tournament begins. The UConn Huskies will look to become the eighth program in NCAA history to win back-to-back titles, and the first since Florida did so in 2006-07. They certainly have the talent. Ranked No. 1 in the Coaches Poll, the Huskies might have the best opportunity to repeat of any team in the last 15 years.
Their path to another championship will be daunting though. The usual contenders are still lurking. Purdue, Houston, and Arizona are right on UConn's heels in the polls. Blue bloods like North Carolina and Kansas rank at the bottom of the top-ten. Even UConn's opponents in the finals from a season ago, San Diego State, have remained a top-tier program in 2024. Anything can happen in the madness, and 2024 should offer even more incredible buzzer-beaters, Cinderella stories, and heartbreaking upsets.
Here are the dates to look out for for the upcoming men's basketball March Madness tournament.
CBB News: Washington State is rising and just getting started: 'We got a chance to do something'
When is Selection Sunday?
Selection Sunday is set for March 17, 2024, two days before the start of the tournament.
When does the tournament start?
The tournament starts on March 19 with the First Four games being played between March 19 and 20.
The Round of 64 starts officially on March 21.
When is the Final Four?
The Final Four is slated for April 6-8, 2024. It will be hosted by Arizona State University with games being played at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, home of the NFL's Arizona Cardinals.
Where will the first and second round games be played?
All games from the Round of 64 to the Elite 8 will be played between March 21-30. The following stadiums will each be venues for the first and second rounds of the tournament:
Barclays Center - Brooklyn, NY
Spectrum Center - Charlotte, NC
Gainbridge Fieldhouse - Indianapolis, IN
CHI Health Center - Omaha, NE
PPG Paints Arena - Pittsburgh, PA
Vivint Smart Home Arena - Salt Lake City, UT
Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena - Spokane, WA
FedExForum - Memphis, TN
The following venues will all play host to the regional games:
East Regional: TD Garden - Boston, MA
South Regional: American Airlines Center - Dallas, TX
Midwest Regional: Little Caesars Arena - Detroit, MI
West Regional: Crypto.com Arena - Los Angeles, CA
2024 March Madness championship odds
Odds via BetMGM, as of March 3, 2024.
UConn (+500)
Purdue (+700)
Houston (+750)
Arizona (+1000)
Tennessee (+1300)
Alabama (+1800)
North Carolina (+1800)
Auburn (+1800)
Kansas (+2000)
Iowa State (+2000)
Kentucky (+2200)
Duke (+2500)
Marquette (+2500)
Creighton (+3000)
Baylor (+3500)
Illinois (+3500)
Michigan State (+5000)
Wisconsin (+5000)
BYU (+6000)
NCAAB News: Connecticut, Purdue hold top spots as USA TODAY Sports men's basketball poll gets shuffled
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness 2024: Key dates, locations from First to Final Four