Teams in the NBA League are free to rest because America is watching the final college basketball league tournament. Instead of NBA stars, all eyes are on the players who are just waiting to become one. Millions of spectators, crowded stands, and a spectacle on the floor are moving from the sphere of professional sports to one of the students.
Instead of LeBron and Bryant, and all the other players who earn millions of dollars playing basketball, when March comes, the eyes of America see only beardless young men who, instead of money, are driven only by the love of the game. The basketball season in the American College League is entering its final phase, which means the annual culmination of everything that this competition brings, rivalries and traditions of which there are no seniors in this sport, excitement on and around the field, and players who will soon become game-winners, in the strongest league in the world.
Undoubtedly the best basketball in the world is played in the country where this game originated, in America. But what certainly sounds unusual, at least to the average sports fan on this side of the ocean, is when the month of March comes, the NBA League, with all its stars, falls into the background.
So, why is it called the madness then?
Source: cbssports.com
NCAA basketball, the competition of university teams in America, is entering its final, knockout, phase in the last month of winter, and in that period, nothing is more important, than when it comes to sports, of course. The final four of this competition are more watched than the NBA finals. And yet, it is undeniable that the NBA has far better players and far more attractive matches and moves.
So why is that? What motivates so many people to turn their backs on the biggest stars of this sport for a moment and focus all their attention on players who are just trying to become known players in this game?
Many basketball fans, or sports fans in general, have a common belief that professional athletes are overpaid and cold, which always implies a dose of resignation. Also, the athlete who was paid so much money lacks the motivation to continue the fire on the pitch. There have been cases in which some NBA players state that they can hardly wait to retire. Of course, they are in the minority, but there are enough of them to start controversies.
On the other hand, you have players who are motivated only by their love of sports and the desire to one day play in the strongest league in the world. In order to succeed in that, since only one percent of college players continue to play professional sports after school, they have to present themselves in the best possible light to fans and potential employers for four years.
NBA players are so high quality, so physically superior, that it is not uncommon for the whole team to be reduced to one player, which, despite the inevitable great moves, reduces the charm of the game. College teams, precisely because these players are usually between 18 and 22 years old and do not have the individual quality of NBA stars, play as a team. The team consists of five players on the field, with of course the players coming in from the bench.
How come a college tournament is so popular?
Source: theathletic.com
The education system in America is such that it inevitably creates a great connection and a strong sense of attachment to the school that someone attends, and that feeling, which is spontaneously transmitted to family members, becomes something like a family heritage and lasts a lifetime.
The most-watched game in history was the college team game before the All-Star game played in Dallas in 2010 in front of over 100,000 people who took over the title.
The tradition that the basketball team, immediately after winning a trophy, cut the net from the basket as a souvenir comes from college basketball.
The fact that former President Obama announced his forecast of who’s going to win, publicly, should tell you enough about this country’s obsession with this tournament.
Who has the best odds to win this year?
There are as many as 68 teams who are going to battle for this year’s winner. The battle will last seven rounds, and so far all eyes are on the Gonzaga team. However, teams like Purdue, Duke, and Kansas are also seen as the potential winners of the tournament. Moreover, spectators will surely expect the most from Duke, as this would potentially be their 101st trophy.
This year’s semi-finals are supposed to take place on the 3rd of April, in New Orleans.
According to SafestBettingSites, this year’s competition brings so many great opportunities to bet. So, if you’re a fan, and like to bet on sports, why not test your forecast on this year’s tournament. Just make sure you find a safe betting site for this activity.
Source: thehackpost.com
In the end, a couple of words about sports betting
Sports betting is a very broad term that encompasses many disciplines and sports that appear in betting itself. Rare are those players who can be successful in multiple sports, and very often in multiple leagues within a single sport. It is for this reason that sports bettors choose to specialize in certain leagues and sports in general.
Basketball is one of the sports that are very popular among sports bookmakers and undisputed football and tennis as one of the sports that have the highest volume of payments in online sports bookmakers throughout the year. What is interesting about basketball betting is the fact that there are not as many betting markets as in football for example, but even so, basketball betting itself is extremely interesting and can be very profitable.
But in order for it to be profitable, you need to have a love for the game in order to follow all the tournaments and become a successful bettor.
