![](https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MjA1MTU0MTA3NjcxOTc5NTg0/usatsi_22772578.jpg)
March Madness Predictions: NCAA Tournament Round of 64 Picks Today, 3/21
Technically, the NCAA Tournament has already started with the First Four games, but many people consider today the actual start of March Madness. There are 16 games today and in this article, we will have our March Madness best bets for the day. We’ll then teach you how to make your March Madness picks at Caesars Sportsbook to unlock a $1,000 first bet.
If you’re located in AZ, IA, IL, IN, LA, KS, KY, MA, MD NJ, NY, OH, TN, WV or WY and are ready to join Caesars now to make your March Madness predictions, USE THIS LINK 🔗 and enter the Caesars promo code SI1000 to get started.
If you’re ready to wager on a variety of betting markets for March Madness this year, make sure to check out the best March Madness betting apps to activate a new account and earn $2,500 in welcome bonuses.
MARCH MADNESS PREDICTIONS: BYU -10 (-110 at Caesars) and Creighton -13 (-110 at Caesars)
Click here 👈 to join Caesars Sportsbook with the promo code SI1000 and use our March Madness predictions to unlock up to $1,000 in first-bet insurance.
March Madness Predictions: Round of 64 Picks for the NCAA Tournament 2024 Day One - 3/21
With so many games on today’s slate, it can be hard to figure out what to bet on. Luckily, we have you covered with expert March Madness predictions. The first game that our experts are targeting is in the East Region, with the #6 seed BYU taking on the #11 seed Duquesne.
Duquesne has won eight games in a row, including four games in five days during the Atlantic 10 Tournament. The Dukes feature a top-30 defense according to KenPom, but will be facing the 11th-ranked offense in the nation in BYU. We’ll have our expert BYU vs. Duquesne predictions in the next section.
The second of our expert March Madness picks comes from the #3 Creighton vs. #14 Akron game in the Midwest region. Creighton lost in the first round of the Big East Tournament but had won seven of their last eight prior to that.
Akron won back-to-back games by a combined four points in the MAC Tournament to earn the conference’s auto-bid for the second time in three seasons. In the following section, we will give you our Akron vs. Creighton picks for today’s game.
We’ll have our March Madness best bets in the next section, but you can ➡️ click here ⬅️ if you are ready to join Caesars Sportsbook using the Caesars promo code SI1000 and make your picks on any of the available March Madness odds.
March Madness Best Bets for Day One of Round of 64 Games Featuring: BYU vs. Duquesne & Akron vs. Creighton
As mentioned above, our March Madness best bets for today come from the BYU vs. Duquesne odds and the Akron vs. Creighton odds at Caesars Sportsbook. Let’s begin with our BYU vs. Duquesne picks for the game that tips at 12:40 PM ET.
#6 BYU vs. #11 Duquesne Predictions
Our BYU vs. Duquesne picks include a recommended bet on BYU -10 (-110 at Caesars). As mentioned earlier in the article, BYU’s offense is among the best in the country, as they rank 11th in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency. Duquesne’s defense ranks 28th in KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency, but that is perhaps misleading.
According to ShotQuality, Duquesne’s defense ranks 103rd. Additionally, Duquesne benefitted from poor opponent three-point shooting during the Atlantic 10 Tournament, as their four opponents made just 27.7 percent of their threes against them. BYU owns the second-highest three-point attempt rate in the country, so there could be some regression due for the Duquesne defense.
#14 Akron vs. #3 Creighton Predictions
Our Akron vs. Creighton picks include a best bet on Creighton -13 (-110 at Caesars). Creighton could find offensive success against Akron in transition, as the Bluejays rank in the 90th percentile in transition offense, while Akron ranks in just the 20th percentile in transition defense.
On the other end of the court, Creighton does an excellent job of taking away the three. Just four teams in the country allowed a lower three-point rate than Creighton and Akron ranks in the top 75 nationally in three-point attempt rate.
Click this link 🔗 to join Caesars Sportsbook now! When you enter the Caesars promo code SI1000 and make your March Madness picks, you can receive up to a $1,000 in bonus bet if your first bet doesn’t win!
How to Unlock a $1,000 First Bet on Caesars for the First Round of the NCAA Tournament Today
With so many games today, you will want to make sure you are a member of Caesars Sportsbook. Whether you want to use our BYU vs. Duquesne picks, our Akron vs. Creighton picks, or make picks using any other March Madness odds, Caesars Sportsbook has you covered!
When you follow the steps below, you will receive up to $1,000 in first-bet insurance at Caesars.
- Click here ⚡ to activate your Caesars account
- During registration, enter the Caesars promo code SI1000
- Make a deposit of at least $10
- Bet up to $1,000 using any available March Madness odds
- If your first bet doesn’t win, you will receive a bonus bet equal to your losing bet!
March Madness is underway, so don’t miss your chance to claim your $1,000 first bet at Caesars Sportsbook. Click this link and enter the Caesars promo code SI1000 to unlock the first-bet insurance!
Latest Odds for March Madness Round of 64 From Caesars Sportsbook Including: Arizona, Iowa State, Washington State & Gonzaga
In addition to the matchups discussed in this article, there are several other great games on the slate today. Caesars Sportsbook has odds for each matchup, which can be seen below.
Thursday, March 21
- #15 Long Beach State +20.5 (-110) vs. #2 Arizona -20.5 (-110) - 2 PM ET
- #12 McNeese +6 (-110) vs. #5 Gonzaga -6 (-110) - 7:25 PM ET
- #15 South Dakota State +16 (-110) vs. #2 Iowa State -16 (-110) - 7:35 PM ET
- #10 Drake -1.5 (-110) vs. #7 Washington State +1.5 (-110) - 10:05 PM ET
Activate your Caesars Sportsbook account ⚡and make your picks using any of the March Madness odds above. When you enter promo code SI1000, your first bet at Caesars will have up to $1,000 in first-bet insurance.
Enjoyed this article? Further enhance your betting experience with our guides, handpicked for you:
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Hope is here. GamblingHelpLineMA.org or call (800) 327-5050 for 24/7 support (MA). Call 1-877-8HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 21+ and present in select states. FanDuel is offering online sports wagering in Kansas under an agreement with Kansas Star Casino, LLC. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, KY, MI, NJ, OH, PA, IL, TN, VA, VT), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org(MD), 1-800-522-4700 (WY), or visit www.1800gambler.net (WV).
The Arena Media Brands, LLC and its partners may receive compensation for links to products and services on this website. The Arena Media Brands editorial team is not involved in the creation of this content.