Las Vegas During March Madness: A Fan's Survival Guide

March Madness tips off in mid-March, and the opening two days, that first Thursday and Friday, are the main event in Vegas. That is when 30-plus games run across the day and the sportsbooks are absolutely electric.

The weather is a bonus. March highs in the 60s and 70s make it comfortable to be out between sessions, though pools are only just starting to reopen.

This is one of the busiest weekends of the year for the books, so the room is packed, the energy is high, and seats are gold. Plan accordingly.

Circa downtown is the headliner. Its multi-story sportsbook with a giant screen is purpose-built for exactly this, and it is the loudest, best big-game atmosphere in the city. It also runs viewing parties during the tournament.

The Westgate SuperBook is the other legend, one of the largest sportsbooks anywhere, with a wall of screens and serious bettor energy.

On the Strip, the books at Caesars Palace, the larger MGM properties, and the renovated rooms all show every game and have plenty of betting windows.

My pick for pure atmosphere is Circa, but you need a plan to get a seat there on opening Thursday.

This is the whole game. The big books sell viewing party packages for opening Thursday and Friday that include a reserved seat, and often food and drink credit. Buy these in advance, because the prime rooms fill up.

If you are not buying a package, get there extremely early. Like, before the first game tips early. Walk-up seating disappears fast on opening day.

Bring a group and tag-team seats so someone always holds the table. Once you have a spot, you do not give it up until the night session.

If the marquee books are full, the Strip casino books are a solid backup. Every casino shows the games, so you will never lack a screen, just maybe the best one.

Set a budget for the day before you sit down. With that many games, it is easy to fire on everything. Decide your bankroll, spread it out, and enjoy the swings.

Eat and hydrate. Opening day is a 12-hour-plus marathon from morning tip to the night games. Build in food and water or you will fade by the evening session.

Mix in props and live betting to keep every game interesting, even the blowouts. That is half the fun of watching in a book.

If you want a break, the weather is nice enough in March to step outside between sessions, grab a meal off-property, and reset before the night games.

Hotel rates climb for the opening tournament weekend because it draws a serious crowd, though it is nowhere near F1 or New Year's pricing.

Stay downtown if Circa is your target, or center-Strip if you want flexibility between the big Strip books. Proximity to your book of choice saves you a lot of hassle.

Book the viewing packages well ahead of your trip. That is the single move that separates a great March Madness weekend from standing in the back of a packed room squinting at a screen.