After two last minute shots during the NCAA college basketball regular season drastically changed betting lines, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is altering how they review buzzer-beaters in the NCAA tournament.
“During the NCAA tournament, we will review all shots made at the buzzer, as necessary, in the interest of accuracy of score and team and player statistics and even if the outcome of the game isn’t riding on the officials’ call,” said David Worlock the NCAA Director of Media Coordination/ Statistics.
New Jersey is an area close to very successful college basketball programs like Villanova, who won the NCAA basketball tournament last year. While residents are not able to bet on New Jersey-based schools in the March Madness Tournament, they are free to place bets on other teams. Referees reviewing last minute shots will most definitely give residents more security in placing their bets through a local sportsbook.
Atlantic City is one the locations where legal sports gambling casinos can operate within the state. Bettors can place their bets for the NCAA Tournament there as well as catch the sometimes heartbreaking final crunch-time minutes of a college basketball game.
The sports betting experience for New Jersey residents can take quick and drastic turn if a shot that isn’t supposed to count ends up counting gives them a bad beat. Executives from Caesars and MGM founded a new organization called Sports Wagering Integrity Monitoring Association (SWIMA) “to help combat fraud or illegal and unethical activity.”
The Pac-12 conference has also seen the need for integrity monitoring services. The likes of which can keep New Jersey bettors from receiving false results as they adjust to legal sports betting on March Madness contests within their own state.
“Fraud prevention and consultative services are key tools that support preserving and protecting the integrity of our sports and sports competition,” said Larry Scott, Pac-12 executive.
Hopefully the change in review protocol for the March Madness tournament will ensure a non-tampered environment for local bettors to enjoy the recently legal activity of sports betting in New Jersey. That being said, March Madness brackets are still the most common way for college basketball fans to have more fun with the NCAA Tournament. Brackets and office pools are based more on the total games won rather than placing traditional sports bets on each game.
With March Madness brackets extremley tempermental as it is - there is about a 1 in 9,223,372,036,854,775,808 of a perfect bracket - the last minute shot reviews just add another element of anticipation to your office challenge.