This weekend, Sin City is preparing to party as the popular NCAA tournament series, March Madness, gets underway. A similar experience to Mardi Gras of Louisiana, March Madness is a time to celebrate an entertaining event that takes place in the college sports world. Betting abounds as Las Vegas offers several options for wagering on the college basketball teams and games, with most sports books becoming standing room only venues as the games occur.

March Madness offers a Super Bowl style betting event but of massive proportions. Players have three weeks to wager on 67 NCAA basketball games with 32 tip-offs from Thursday to Friday and then 48 more hours of crazy game play. The Review Journal quoted MGM Resorts sports book director, Jay Rood, stating that if you are college basketball fan, then the event is better than the Super Bowl, due to more action. There is more passion involved and there is nothing else to compare March Madness to.

March Madness means big business for Las Vegas, Nevada and not just for the sports books in town. The weekend is very profitable for the workers on the Strip as well. Cab drivers, cocktail waitresses, etc., everyone sees tips and busy days as punters come to Las Vegas to take part in March Madness betting. Bookmakers feel that March Madness will actually surpass the Super Bowl in wagers placed, with more than $132.5 million spent. It is believed that $130 to $150 million will be wagered during the entire basketball series.

Lines have already opened with first-round matchups offered, with the Jayhawks as the favorite over Austin Peay. Bettors are looking at the brackets to try and determine the upsets to earn a pretty penny. Not many see Austin Peay taking down the Jayhawks during the first round. West Virginia is the favorite over Stephen F. Austin, but only by a small margin. California is also the favorite over Hawaii while Iowa State is believed to be able to defeat Iona.

Betting on the March Madness tournaments is always excited as players never know when an upset will take place. Big wins, major upsets and tons of betting is expected as the 2016 March Madness gets underway.