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Last Updated on March 17, 2023
Making March Madness bets is an extremely popular activity for people throughout the country, and even non-sports fans end up getting caught up in the madness. There is no escaping the drama and excitement that comes during the month of March, as the NCAA Tournament is one of the best sporting events in the world. We will explore the most basketball-crazy spots in the best March Madness cities.
Even though the NCAA tends to host games throughout the country, there are always locations that tend to fall in love with March Madness even more. You are going to find people watching college basketball all over the country, but it just tends to mean more in specific cities in the United States.
Here is a look at some of the cities where basketball reigns supreme.
Dayton, Ohio
You probably don’t think of Dayton, Ohio, as a basketball-crazy city, but it’s a huge part of March Madness every single year. Since the NCAA Tournament has expanded to 68 teams, Dayton, Ohio, has been where the event kicks off each year.
Dayton has been a top choice by the NCAA to host 1st and 2nd round matchups in the past, but it’s now the official location of the “First Four” every single year. There are some teams that simply have the dream of making it to Dayton and getting a small taste of the NCAA Tournament.
The fans in this city always seem to support the event well, and that great atmosphere helps to get the tournament off to a great start each year.
Indianapolis, Indiana
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When it comes to basketball, there is no state in the country that loves the sport more than the state of Indiana. While other states tend to focus more on football, residents of the Hoosier State are all about basketball.
Indianapolis is the capital city of Indiana, and it’s also a location that has often served as a host to the Final Four. The NCAA likes to spread out the Final Four and give other cities a chance to host, but it’s hard to find a location better than Indianapolis.
Everything is centrally located in Indianapolis, and that makes it easy for fans to get around. It’s worth a trip to the Final Four the next time that it is in Indianapolis to see just how crazy the residents are about the sport.
Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina
Perhaps no city in the United States is crazier about college basketball than Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. This is home to the Duke Blue Devils and North Carolina Tar Heels, which are two of the most successful programs in tournament history.
These two schools also hate each other, and they root for their opposing school to lose, just as hard as they root for their team to win. This is an area of the country that always has plenty of attention paid to it during college basketball season.
Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas is home to the Kansas Jayhawks, and it’s also considered one of the birthplaces of basketball. Phog Allen Fieldhouse is one of the best college basketball venues in the country, and the Jayhawks are typically one of the best teams in the nation.
Kansas just won the 2022 NCAA Championship, and they are always a team that seems to be in the mix to win a title. The fans in Kansas love their college basketball, and they love supporting the Jayhawks.
Los Angeles, California
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Los Angeles, California is known for many things, and college basketball is among them. There are plenty of college basketball teams in Los Angeles, but it is UCLA that stands out among the rest.
The UCLA Bruins have won the most NCAA Tournament championships, and they are a team that has a ton of history. There are also some years in which the NCAA hosts games in LA, and that only adds to the excitement.
No One Can Escape the Madness
Even though there are some specific cities that tend to enjoy March Madness more than others, this is an event that is really enjoyed by everyone. No city is able to escape the Madness of March, especially when a local team is involved.
College campuses are full of excitement when their team is making a run through the NCAA Tournament, and it gets crazier with every win that a team records. College basketball is popular all year long, but things really ramp up during the NCAA Tournament.
