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Report: College Basketball’s March Madness brings Joy to Online Betting Companies

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The American Gaming Association (AGA) recently reported that over $8.5 billion was wagered on college basketball’s “March Madness” by Americans in 2019 – via a mix of illegal and legal bets.

Of course, 2021 brings with it a new and very different landscape due to the ongoing global health pandemic and also due to the expansion of the legal sports-betting market in the USA.

This year’s NCAA March Madness has begun – but due to COVID-19, for the first time in the history of the competition, the entire tournament is being held in one single state (Indiana this year).

The National Championship Final itself is set to play out on April 5th 2021 at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

March Madness – Betting facts, figures, and trends

The latest research and analysis has brought some interesting March Madness sports-betting estimates, facts, and figures to light.

Three times as many Americans planned to wager on this year’s March madness via online sportsbooks compared to 2019.

The pandemic is unquestionably a factor in the huge increase of anticipated bettors, with 17.8 million people expected to gamble on March Madness this year compared with 5.8 million people in 2019.  

Even so, 8.3 million bettors are expected to place a bet at a physical sportsbook, which is up 79% from 2019.

That figure is only expected to grow in the future with 45% of American adults now living in a state with legalized sports betting and more states opening up.

“We’ve seen a 200% increase in site searches related to March-Madness betting in 2021 – with sports fans looking for the latest odds & futures for the tournament”  

The dramatic growth in the popularity of sports betting over the course of the last two years can be attributed to the expansion of the legal market, as 73.6 million more Americans in 14 new legal jurisdictions can legally place bets on March Madness this year compared to the 2019 tournament.

A March Madness tournament bracket might be great fun, but it’s worth looking at more traditional wagers at more realistic betting odds on the Money Line, Point Spread and Totals for those hoping to realistically win a few dollars.

There could be a big jump in traditional bets on this year’s tournament compared to 2019, with 30.6 million Americans expected to wager such bets, up from 17.8 million two years ago.

Other March-Madness facts & figures:

  • The odds of picking all 63 March Madness games correctly is 1 in 9.2 quintillions! (That’s 9,200,000,000,000,000,000)
  • The longest streak of correct NCAA tournament bracket picks to start the tournament currently stands at an astonishing 49, with an Ohio resident correctly predicting the entire 2019 NCAA tournament into the Sweet 16.
  • 47.4 million American adults plan to bet on March Madness (that’s more than 20% of the population), about the same number that indicated they would bet on the tournament in 2019.  
  • 30.6 million Americans expect to place more traditional bets on this year’s tournament, up from 17.8 million in 2019
  • 17.8 million say they will place a bet online, up 206% from 5.8 million in 2019
  • 8.3 million expect to place a bet at a physical sportsbook, up 79% from 2019
  • Betting with friends/colleagues remains popular – March Madness will likely generate $4.6 billion of wagers from 40 million people betting with friends and colleagues through a total of 149 million brackets, the AGA said.
  • Regulated Vs International Sportsbooks: The remaining $3.9 billion of wagers will come mostly by way of international websites and bookmakers, though 4.1 million people will also place legal bets through licensed U.S based casinos and sportsbooks in las vegas and other states with legal sports betting operators.
  • Gonzaga University’s “Bulldogs” team is the betting  favorite to win the tournament  

Daniel Lechner

Studio combines engagement tools with bespoke, franchise and omnichannel content under single umbrella

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White Hat Studios, a dedicated US iGaming market supplier, has unveiled Amplify Suite, a comprehensive engagement ecosystem designed to deliver operators flexibility, creative autonomy, and measurable commercial impact.

Amplify consolidates the provider’s promotional tools and proprietary content into a fully connected, scalable framework, equipping operators with a diverse range of performance-enhancing solutions engineered to maximise growth across regulated US markets.

Built on an API-first foundation, the suite incorporates White Hat Studios’ Engage promotional engine, comprised of tools such as Win Spins, Super Mode, and Triggers, alongside its award-winning Progressive Jackpot networks. This services an increasing demand for advanced gamification tools, enabling operators to stimulate user activity and drive sustained engagement.

These promotional tools are complemented by the studio’s first-class content portfolio. With a track record of creating custom products for tier-one operators, Amplify Bespoke will build on this momentum to deliver bespoke slots that support deeper brand integration and exclusive IP ownership.

Amplify Franchises transforms standalone hits into enduring game families, exemplified by the US-renowned 7s Fire Blitz™ series. By leveraging player familiarity and brand loyalty, franchises consistently drive momentum upon launch and can reignite traction across a game brand.

The suite is further strengthened by Amplify Omni, enabled through the studio’s landmark distribution agreement with Gaming Arts. The partnership facilitates the conversion and distribution of White Hat Studios content across US land-based casinos, while also supporting the transition of land-based titles into regulated online markets for the first time.

This powerful two-way content pipeline enhances the ecosystem, allowing US brands to engage and convert players seamlessly between casino floors and digital platforms.

The launch of Amplify represents a significant milestone in White Hat Studios’ strategic evolution, connecting its full product portfolio within a single, unified framework. Custom-built for US markets, the suite is set to redefine how operators engage their audiences and elevate commercial performance.

 

Daniel Lechner, SVP Sales and Marketing at White Hat Studios, said: “Amplify will serve as the promotional and engagement backbone of White Hat Studios. Bringing our diverse offering under one cohesive ecosystem, the suite is optimised to deliver tangible impact across the entire player journey.

“By combining configurable engagement tools with premium, high-performing content, Amplify empowers US operators to differentiate and scale within competitive environments.”

The post Studio combines engagement tools with bespoke, franchise and omnichannel content under single umbrella appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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White Hat Studios launches all-in-one engagement ecosystem Amplify Suite

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White Hat Studios, a specialist provider for the regulated US iGaming market, has introduced Amplify Suite, a fully integrated engagement ecosystem built to give operators greater flexibility, creative control, and measurable commercial results.

Amplify brings together the company’s promotional tools and proprietary content into a single, scalable framework, offering a broad set of performance-driven solutions designed to accelerate growth across US markets.

Built on an API-first architecture, the suite incorporates White Hat Studios’ Engage promotional engine, featuring tools such as Win Spins, Super Mode, and Triggers, alongside its established Progressive Jackpot networks. The combined offering addresses rising demand for advanced gamification, enabling operators to boost player activity and sustain long-term engagement.

These capabilities are supported by the studio’s premium content portfolio. Known for delivering tailored products for tier-one operators, the new Amplify Bespoke arm expands this approach, offering custom slot development that allows for deeper brand integration and exclusive IP ownership.

Meanwhile, Amplify Franchises is designed to turn successful standalone titles into long-term game families. A key example is the popular 7s Fire Blitz™ series, which demonstrates how familiar branding and player loyalty can drive strong launch performance and ongoing engagement across a franchise.

The ecosystem is further enhanced by Amplify Omni, powered through a landmark distribution agreement with Gaming Arts. This partnership enables the distribution of White Hat Studios’ content across US land-based casinos, while also facilitating the transition of land-based titles into regulated online environments for the first time.

By enabling this two-way content flow, Amplify strengthens connections between retail and digital channels, helping operators engage players seamlessly across both spaces.

The launch marks a major step in White Hat Studios’ strategic development, unifying its entire product portfolio within a single ecosystem tailored specifically for the US market.

Daniel Lechner, SVP of Sales and Marketing at White Hat Studios, said: “Amplify will serve as the promotional and engagement backbone of White Hat Studios. Bringing our diverse offering under one cohesive ecosystem, the suite is optimised to deliver tangible impact across the entire player journey.

“By combining configurable engagement tools with premium, high-performing content, Amplify empowers US operators to differentiate and scale within competitive environments.”

The post White Hat Studios launches all-in-one engagement ecosystem Amplify Suite appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Zitro Announces the U.S. Rollout of FANTASY Cabinet

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Zitro has announced the U.S. rollout of FANTASY, its latest slot cabinet, following an outstanding early reception across multiple states. Since its debut, FANTASY has resonated with players and operators alike, quickly positioning itself as one of the standout new cabinets on casino floors nationwide.

The cabinet launched its U.S. journey in Minnesota before expanding into Michigan, California, Arizona, New Mexico, and North Carolina, and the story has been consistent across all six states. Strong player engagement, positive operator feedback, and consistent floor performance have followed FANTASY everywhere it has gone.

FANTASY’s strong performance reflects the depth of the experience it delivers. Zitro developed world-class content specifically for this cabinet, including stunning animations, exceptional graphics, and a rich multimedia experience that connects with today’s players. An individual game color lighting system gives each title a distinct identity on the casino floor, and every title was developed exclusively for this form factor. The result is a complete entertainment experience that goes well beyond the cabinet itself.

“We always knew FANTASY was something special, but the response we’ve seen across different casino properties has exceeded our most optimistic expectations. Players are genuinely connecting with this cabinet, operators are seeing the results on their floors, and we believe this is just the beginning of a defining journey for FANTASY in the US,” said Derik Mooberry, CEO of Zitro USA.

The post Zitro Announces the U.S. Rollout of FANTASY Cabinet appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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