March is one time of the year that many people who don’t know a parlay from a point spread suddenly become sports bettors by risking a few bucks in an N.C.A.A. men’s tournament pool.
If you’re one of them, and feel as if your annual entry is starting to seem like a donation, here’s good news: If you follow a few simple guidelines, you can significantly increase your chances of winning. And you can do it without having obsessively followed college basketball this season. Indeed, you can even have an edge over the hard-core fans who don’t follow these tips and cling only to their own impressions of the teams.