Las Vegas will host the NCAA Final Four basketball championship for the first time.
The final games of March Madness will take place at Allegiant Stadium on April 1 and April 3, 2028. The Las Vegas Raiders’ home stadium will host 65,000 fans for the event.
UNLV Director of Athletics Erick Harper said:
“We couldn’t be more excited to be a part of hosting the NCAA Men’s Final Four in Las Vegas at Allegiant Stadium. Our city has been a hub for basketball on all levels for many years and now to welcome one of the premier events in all of sports is a culmination of how Las Vegas has truly become the sports and entertainment capital of the world. We look forward to working closely with the LVCVA and the NCAA to put on an amazing event like our city is known for.”
Don’t-miss championship games in Las Vegas
The 2028 Las Vegas Final Four isn’t the latest collegiate championship visiting Sin City. The NCAA announced that Las Vegas would be hosting various championship events. The NCAA Regionals (Sweet 16 and Elite 8) will be the most popular during March Madness 2023 at T-Mobile Arena on the Vegas Strip.
The NCAA is bringing nearly 10 championship events from 2023-26:
- 2023 Division I men’s golf regional: Bear’s Best
- 2023 NCAA women’s bowling championship: South Point
- 2024 Division I women’s golf regional: Spanish Trail
- 2024 Division III men’s golf championship: Boulder Creek Golf Club and The Legacy
- 2024 Division III men’s and women’s soccer championships: UNLV
- 2025 Division II women’s golf championship: Boulder Creek Golf Club
- 2026 Men’s championships in golf: Boulder Creek Golf Club
Be sure not to miss the NCAA men’s Frozen Four (hockey) at T-Mobile Arena in 2026.
March Madness betting in Las Vegas
March Madness is big business in Las Vegas. The action begins before the NCAA basketball tournament, as numerous conferences host championship tournaments in Las Vegas.
Earlier this year, Las Vegas hosted an NCAA basketball tourney for five conferences. Chris Reynolds, athletics director at Bradley and the chair of the committee, said:
“We are excited to bring the NCAA’s premier championship to Las Vegas, a city that for a number of years has hosted numerous championships from several member conferences.”
The first weekend of March Madness in Las Vegas has been a major attraction for many years before the city became a host venue. This weekend is one of the busiest for sports wagering in Las Vegas. The amount of money bet on March Madness during the first weekend is close to what Las Vegas sportsbooks see for the Super Bowl. Though the Big Game is the largest single sports betting event in Las Vegas, there are 48 college basketball games during the first four days of March Madness.
Busy Nevada sportsbooks
Las Vegas sportsbooks are so busy that venues charge a reservation fee for seats. There’s so much demand that there are paid parties anywhere casinos on the Vegas Strip can fit TV screens. Many off-strip properties offer complimentary viewing. Sportsbooks, hotels, bars and restaurants will likely be full of college basketball fans.
Major sporting events in Vegas
The Las Vegas tourism board has trademarked the Greatest Arena on Earth. Las Vegas is the hottest city for major sporting events looking for a host.
Las Vegas is already home to NFL and NHL teams. The Las Vegas Aces are the current WNBA champions and play home games at Mandalay Bay. This year, Las Vegas jumped into hosting major sporting events with the NFL Pro Bowl and the NFL Draft. The city also hosted the NHL All-Star Game for the first time.
In addition to the NCAA events, Las Vegas will host the new NFL Pro Bowl games and Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The Super Bowl in Vegas will take place at Allegiant Stadium in 2024.
New pro teams and venues possible
There are rumors Las Vegas will eventually be home to an MLB, MLS or NBA team.
It’s also possible that the NCAA College Football Playoff could come to Las Vegas before the Final Four.
The Oakland A’s are currently negotiating with Oakland for a new stadium district. If that falls through, the team could move to Las Vegas. Various sources say Las Vegas will eventually be home to MLS and NBA teams.
There are plans for at least two more arenas to host sporting events in Las Vegas sometime in the future. Oak View Group has significant plans for an arena, casino, and hotel complex south of Mandalay Bay. The stalled All Net Arena next to the Sahara continues to say it will move forward to build a new sports venue on the Vegas Strip.
Las Vegas is already synonymous with sports betting, and the city is taking hosting to another level.
