One of the more enjoyable ways to partake in March Madness wagering is to try and hit it big with a parlay or two.
Whether it be picking March Madness upsets, favorites, or trying your hand at NCAA Tournament props, putting together a parlay is exciting, and that only builds as you hit each leg.
But with 32 first-round games and endless options, where do you start? We’ve got a few ideas for you to run with on Thursday and Friday as we bring you our best March Madness picks to throw into a parlay for Round 1.
Round 1 parlay picks
Click on each pick to jump to the full analysis.
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Parlay Pick 1
PARLAY: Furman ML + Missouri ML + Charleston ML + Penn State ML = +3,951 at DraftKings
Furman moneyline (+190)
I decided to swing for the fences on Day 1 of March Madness and go with a “lottery ticket” parlay that has a strong chance of hitting — or at least getting you a solid early cash-out option should your book offer it.
We start with Furman. Thirteen-seeds have had a decent run of success the past few years against four-seeds. Three of last year’s four 13-seeds covered their spread, and the year before saw North Texas defeat Purdue and Ohio defeat…that’s right, Virginia.
Those same Cavaliers have an outstanding defense yet again this season, but they’re going to need every bit of it against Furman’s 12th-best effective field goal percentage and nation-best 59.1{dec8eed80f8408bfe0c8cb968907362b371b4140b1eb4f4e531a2b1c1a9556e5} shooting from inside the arc. More importantly, Furman ranks Top-20 in the nation in 3-pointers attempted and made per game.
If the Paladins can get a lead on the Hoos, Virginia’s offense isn’t set up to mount a comeback.
Missouri moneyline (+105)
Despite being the higher seed in this 7-10 matchup, the Missouri Tigers are slight underdogs heading into the game. But I’m not sure they should be. Utah State isn’t a bad team, but it’s just 2-5 against Quad 1 teams. Missouri has been battle-tested, going 6-9 in Quad 1 showdowns.
Furthermore, the Aggies struggle with taking care of the basketball. That’s a problem for a team playing Missouri. The Tigers rank fourth in the nation in turnovers forced per game, and ninth in turnovers forced per play.
Combine that with their ability to keep up with Utah State’s scoring output, and they have all the tools to pull off the upset.
Charleston moneyline (+190)
Charleston is a dangerous 12-seed, and San Diego State has struggled to put games away this season. Why should that concern the Aztecs? Because nobody in college basketball grabs more offensive rebounds per game than the Cougars.
Their 11.8 offensive rebounds pace college basketball, and they rank 12th in offensive rebound rate.
For as physical as the Aztecs are, they won’t be able to bully the Cougars. More importantly, the Cougars rank 38th in the nation in scoring after halftime, whereas San Diego State ranks 248th. Charleston will look to punish San Diego State from downtown, ranking in the Top 10 nationally in makes, and attempting more threes than any team in America.
If they can get multiple attempts on some trips, it’ll springboard them to an unexpected win.
Penn State moneyline (+135)
The final leg in the parlay is Penn State. Jalen Pickett & Co. love to launch from downtown, leading the Big 10 with nearly 11 made 3-point shots per game, ranking third in college basketball. The Nittany Lions are very effective on the offensive end, and have three players with 50 or more made shots from downtown.
Texas A&M is one of the better defensive squads in the tournament, but one area where the Aggies struggle is defending the outside shot.
Their 25.2 attempts allowed per game are among the most in the country, and it would negate their interior defense. If they aren’t getting to the line, and Penn State can bang in some long-range daggers, it could put a knife in A&M’s tournament really quickly.
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Parlay Pick 2
PARLAY: J. Wilson o30.5 PRA + A. Tubelis o31.5 PRA + B. Miller o31.5 PRA = +556 at DraftKings
Jalen Wilson o30.5 points + rebounds + assists (-110)
For our second parlay, we’re going to key on players who are the go-to guys for their respective teams with outstanding first-round matchups. First up is Jalen Wilson of Kansas.
The Big 12 Player of the Year has become the man for Bill Self, especially over the past month. It wasn’t his fault the Jayhawks fell to Texas in the conference title game, as he posted 24 points and grabbed six rebounds. It was his fifth consecutive 20+ point performance, and his fourth straight game with at least 30 combined points, rebounds, and assists.
Howard will present a terrific opportunity for him to dominate. The Bison rank in the 200s in most defensive categories, in part because they love to push the tempo.
Wilson has dominated mid-major and lower teams this year, topping the 31.5 points, rebounds, and assists mark in wins over Omaha, NDSU, and Texas Southern, among others. He should do so again here.
Azuolas Tubelis o31.5 points + rebounds + assists (-110)
Second-team AP All-American Azuolas Tubelis should also have a great first-round contest.
The Arizona big man took his game up a notch in the Pac-12 Tournament, and has averaged 21 points and 10.2 boards over his last five games – including a pair of battles with UCLA. He also registered three or more assists in a trio of those games.
Arizona ranks third in the nation in rebounding, and there should be plenty of opportunities for Tubelis to cash in on the glass against a Princeton team that attempts 24 shots from behind the arc per game.
Additionally, Tubelis will also be driven by his performance in last year’s NCAA Tournament, where he was a no-show against TCU and Houston. Add in the injuries to Oumar Ballo and Kerr Kriisa, and I expect the offense to run through Tubelis even more.
Brandon Miller o31.5 points + rebounds + assists (-125)
Rounding out the parlay is the best player on the best team in America. Alabama‘s Brandon Miller is a sure-fire early pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, but first he’s got to focus on beating Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Not that it’s going to take a whole lot when you consider how small the Islanders are.
Miller is a terrific all-around player, averaging 19.6 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. Now he’s going to likely be matched up with someone giving up at least three to four inches in height, enabling him to get some easy looks and crash the glass.
He did just that in the SEC Tournament, averaging 11 rebounds and 20.3 points per game. Miller also dropped four dimes in each game.
Look for him to ball out once again and cash in a nice parlay.
