March Sports in Las Vegas: NASCAR, March Madness, UFC

^{March Madness is one of the biggest sporting events of the year and takes over Las Vegas sportsbooks in March. The city will play host to four NCAA tournaments this year. (Photo: SOPA Images Limited / Alamy Live News)}

LAS VEGAS – March is one of the best months of the year for sports fans in Las Vegas. The city is shaking off winter and rolling into one of the busiest stretches of its entertainment calendar. 

The warmer weather pairs perfectly with the start of pool season, which lines up with spring break, St. Patrick’s Day, and the opening rounds of March Madness. Gamblers should also look forward to March 6, when the gaming area at the Oasis Pool deck at Fontainebleau opens for the season.

The NCAA basketball tournaments are the focus, but visitors can watch and wager on multiple conference tournaments inside casinos before March Madness begins nationwide.

The month also features NASCAR, combat sports, and nine home games for the Vegas Golden Knights. Late-breaking news from February will also bring another combat sports event to Sphere.

There’s a lot, so let’s get to it!

College Basketball Takes Over

Before March Madness tips off, Las Vegas will host four NCAA conference tournaments:

• West Coast Conference at the Orleans: March 5-10
• Mountain West Conference at Thomas & Mack Center: March 11-14
• Western Athletic Conference at the Orleans: March 11-14
• Big West Conference at Lee’s Family Forum: March 11-14

After conference champions are crowned, the NCAA unveils the tournament field. The first weekend of games takes place March 19-22.

This is the second-most-wagered sporting event in Nevada, behind the Super Bowl. Visitation for the opening weekend rivals the Super Bowl, as the tournament overlaps with spring break and the start of pool season. Unfortunately, St. Patrick’s Day falls just before the tournament begins. This takes the party to another level.

Unlike a typical game day in Las Vegas, the opening weekend is packed. There are 16 games on each of the first two days and eight more on Saturday and Sunday.

Sportsbooks will be packed, and many charge for seats. As with the Big Game, watch parties are everywhere. The key difference is duration. The Super Bowl lasts one day, while March Madness stretches across four days during the opening weekend. That means paying for up to four days of parties, which can get pricey.

NASCAR Weekend Brings 100,000 Fans

Unless you follow the sport closely, it is easy to underestimate the scale of a NASCAR weekend in Vegas. About 100,000 fans are expected at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for multiple races.

Before the cars hit the track, the NASCAR Hauler Parade begins at 4:30 p.m. on March 13. The trucks that transport the cars around the country will roll down the Strip starting at Luxor, then head north through downtown on Main Street before proceeding to the speedway.

The races follow on Saturday and Sunday:

• March 14: LiUNA NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series
• March 15: Pennzoil 400 NASCAR Cup

Vegas Golden Knights Back Home 

The Golden Knights played only a few home games in February due to the Olympic break. Nine players represented six countries at the Olympics.

Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin helped the United States win gold. Mark Stone, Shea Theodore, and Mitch Marner earned silver when Canada fell in overtime.

Now it is back to work with nine home games at T-Mobile Arena this month:

• March 6 vs. Minnesota
• March 8 vs. Edmonton 
• March 12 vs. Pittsburgh 
• March 14 vs. Chicago 
• March 17 vs. Buffalo
• March 19 vs. Utah
• March 26 vs. Edmonton 
• March 28 vs. Washington
• March 30 vs. Vancouver 

Combat Sports Return to the Strip

Both boxing and MMA return with championship fights this month.

UFC 326 takes place at T-Mobile Arena on March 7. Max Holloway faces Charles Oliveira in the main event of the 13-fight card, which begins at 5 p.m.

On March 28 at MGM Grand WBC super welterweight champion Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora will defend his title against former unified champion Keith “One Time” Thurman.

Recently announced: Sphere will host its first boxing match Sept. 19, featuring a rematch between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

The event will mark the second combat sport at the venue, best known for films and music residencies. UFC 306 in 2024 was the highest-grossing event in UFC history.