March Madness Betting Guide: First Round, Thursday

We have finally arrived! The first official day of the NCAA Tournament is happening on Thursday, and it will probably be one of the least productive work days on the calendar. This is definitely up there with the Monday after the Super Bowl, the day after Christmas, and, well, Friday if you did not already take a vacation day.

With 16 basketball games tipping off and as many as four happening at once, having wall-to-wall sports from noon to midnight gives you every reason to get excited, whether you like basketball or not. Enter the buzzer beaters, close finishes, and upsets, and it makes for some of the most memorable gambling situations you will encounter.

Thursday's slate is full of opportunities to get involved outside of your typical bracket pool, so let's take a look at some of our best bets for Thursday.

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(14) Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks vs. (3) Texas Tech Red Raiders