WATCH: March Madness Picks From A Pro Bookmaker On ‘The Edge’

With the March Madness men’s basketball tournament underway, bettors are looking for wagering options that could pay off heading to the title game in early April.

This week on “The Edge,” professional bookmaker Casey Lewless offers his Final Four picks and explains why he likes UConn to win its second national title in a row.

As Lewless explains, depth is an issue with many teams during the transfer-portal era, but UConn has the key players in place

“They have every piece of the puzzle,” he said.

Take SEC To Win The Most Games: Lewless

Lewless also gives insight into other March Madness bets that could pay off, including which conference could win the most games during the tournament and who might win the Most Outstanding Player award.

Lewless likes the Southeastern Conference, with Kentucky, Tennessee, Auburn and other teams, to perform well in the tournament.

“Taking the SEC at plus 425, there’s a ton of value there,” he said.

Lewless is a longtime Las Vegas bookmaker now managing two Penn Entertainment sportsbooks at casinos in Northwest Louisiana — Margaritaville and Boomtown. The Margaritaville sportsbook recently was expanded into a two-story operation.

The casinos in the Shreveport-Bossier City area of Northwest Louisiana are the closest legal sports betting properties to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Sports betting is illegal in Texas.

Key Dates: Men’s March Madness Basketball Tournament

March 21-22: First round

March 28-29: Sweet 16

March 30-31: Elite Eight 

April 6: Final Four in Glendale, Arizona

April 8: NCAA championship game in Glendale, Arizona.

Bettors can check here for March Madness betting sites.