We’re gearing up for March Madness by diving into Round 1 to find the best parlay picks. With so many games happening at the same time, it’s an ideal opportunity to build parlays.
In this article, you’ll find a best bet along with a longshot and Same Game Parlay. Each parlay may consist of different bet types, such as moneylines, point spreads, Over/Unders, and player props.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the March Madness Round 1 parlays.
March Madness Round 1 Parlays
All CBB odds used for March Madness parlay bets are current as of 1 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 14, and are courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
NCAA Tournament Round 1 Top Parlay (+220) | DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
- Creighton Moneyline (-215) vs N.C. State
- Saint Mary’s Moneyline (-190) vs VCU
- Virginia Moneyline (-230) vs Furman
Creighton slots at 13th overall on Pomeroy’s rankings, ahead of higher seeds like Baylor, Duke, and Kansas State.
The Blue Jays are in the top 30 in both offensive and defensive adjusted efficiency. They should take advantage of N.C. State’s 85th-ranked defense in this matchup.
Saint Mary’s is one of the best defensive teams in the nation, ranking ninth on Pomeroy’s rankings.
- Find more of our March Madness best bets.
The Gaels have impressive wins against San Diego State and Gonzaga on their resume. VCU’s 140th-ranked offense will have a tough time in this matchup.
Virginia is a top-25 defensive team that has notable wins against Baylor and Duke this season.
We’ve seen Furman have difficulties with tournament teams throughout the year, including losses to Penn State and N.C. State. Their defense ranks 183rd in the nation.
NCAA Tournament Round 1 Longshot Parlay (+444) | DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 0.5 Units
- Utah State Moneyline (-130) vs Missouri
- Michigan State Moneyline (-130)) vs USC
- Memphis Moneyline (-135) vs Florida Atlantic
No. 10 Utah State may be a much better team than their seed suggests because they rank 18th, per KenPom. The opposite could be the case with No. 7 Missouri, who comes in at 51st. Utah State’s 13th-ranked offense is in a mismatch against Missouri’s 178th-ranked defense.
We’re betting on head coach Tom Izzo to help the Spartans get it done against USC here. This is a balanced team with a top-45 rank on both offense and defense, per KenPom.
- Fill out your March Madness bracket.
The Trojans come into the tournament with four losses in their last nine games.
Memphis looks like a potential dark horse in this tournament. They just knocked off top-seeded Houston to win the AAC Conference Championship. The Tigers grade well on both sides of the floor, coming in the top 35 on offense and defense.
NCAA Tournament Kentucky vs Providence Same Game Parlay (+165) | DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
- Kentucky Moneyline (-130)
- Under 145.5 Points (-125)
Kentucky has the 14th-ranked offense in the country, which is good news against a Providence team that is 108th on defense. That’s a mismatch that we could see John Calipari’s side exploit early and often in this matchup.
The Wildcats are 3.5-point favorites here, but we’ll play it safe by taking them to win outright on the moneyline. The 145.5-point total feels like a high bar to clear in a first-round matchup, even with Providence’s defensive deficiencies.
I’m projecting Kentucky to control this game and cover the spread, which could mean that they’ll slow down the pace in the second half. This would bode well for the Under, so we’ll play it conservatively and bet on this game to go below the number.
