No Do-Overs for NCAA

Just a couple of weeks ago, excitement was building for what could have been one of the best March Madness tournaments ever. No clear favorite was established. It seemed any team could get hot and make a run at this year’s NCAA title.

Then came the coronavirus. The season’s over. For good.

All Bets Are Off

March Madness is arguably a Top 3 most-bet event of the year. Now that college hoops are nixed, so are all the bets that go along with it. Big time upset winners like 16-seed UMBC Retrievers of two years ago (+2500 moneyline) won’t be there to bless your virtual wallet this spring.

Any futures bets on Final Four participants or national championship winners should already be voided and paid back out. The only thing left to do is embrace March Sadness and look forward to next year.

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As for the Players

Hundreds of college players nationwide have come to terms with the fact that they’ve played their last game. For those not fortunate enough to go on to the next level, their playing careers are effectively ended.

With the way eligibility works in the NCAA, there’s no hope for the winter athletes. Since they had already played about 90% of their season, there’s no chance the NCAA can grant them an extra year.

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Spring athletes are a little more fortunate. They can get this season of eligibility back, since their schedules had just begun. Despite this stroke of luck, it’s still a major hassle, as these athletes will have to pay for an extra year of college to play the extra season.

Bottom line, there are no winners here. Athletes and sports fans alike are taking a huge hit, and the NCAA is hit hardest. Its season aligns with the college academic year, and you cannot postpone college seasons.

For now, all we can do is hope professional sports return as quickly as possible, and bets are back on.

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