Sportsbook Handicappers Note NCAA Tourney Expansion. Get ready for three more teams on the board at the sportsbook for the NCAA college basketball tournament next year. The NCAA has said that they are going to expand the tournament from 65 to 68 teams next year. There were rumors at the Internet sportsbook that the NCAA wanted to expand to 96 teams but that is not going to happen right now.
Sportsbook handicappers odds on the NCAA Tournament are among the most popular of the year and adding three teams definitely won’t hurt. What was also announced is that CBS and Turner Broadcasting will be showing the games for a long time to come. The NCAA reached a $10.8 billion deal with CBS and Turner Broadcasting for the next 14 years. The deal includes exciting news for those people that bet at the Internet sportsbook because the NCAA is saying that every game in the NCAA Tournament will be broadcast live. “It was a goal from the very, very beginning and I believe it’s what our memberships want and it’s want our fans want across the country,” interim NCAA president Jim Isch said. “I think without question, it was one of the driving factors in our position and why CBS and Turner make such great partners.”
The last time the NCAA Tournament expanded they went from 64 to 65 teams in 2001. Many people wanted more teams included in the tournament but expansion is not as easy as people think. “As a coach I’d like to see more people get in but 68 is a good step and the easiest way, to have the least amount of turmoil,” Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim said. “There’s really no way to do a little bit bigger expansion. You can’t expand by eight, 10. There’s no way to figure that out. This is the easiest way and hopefully down the road there will be a bigger expansion.”
The exciting news for those betting games at the sportsbook is that finally every game can be seen live. CBS, TBS, TNT or truTV could be showing the games. This starts right away with everything through the second round being shown on the four networks. CBS and Turner will split coverage of the regional semifinal games, while CBS will get the regional finals, the Final Four and the championship game through 2015. In 2016 the regional finals will be split between CBS and Turner while the Final Four and the championship will be split between CBS and TBS.