College basketball’s biggest event is back – NCAA March Madness is about to take over screens, brackets, and conversations everywhere.

68 teams. One championship. Three weeks of absolute chaos. From buzzer-beaters to Cinderella stories, this is basketball at its wildest – and with millions of fans locked in, it’s the perfect time to get your ads in the game.

For advertisers and publishers, this is prime time to cash in. At Adcash, we’ve got top-tier sports traffic to get your ads in front of the right crowd. Want to maximize your revenue during the madness? Here’s how.

COUNTRIES TO TARGET

Yeah, March Madness is huge in the U.S. – that’s a given. But don’t sleep on Canada, the UK, and China – they’re all in on the action too.

And if you’re looking for bonus traffic, Italy, France, and Germany have plenty of NCAA fans ready to click. Go where the eyeballs are.

WHEN & HOW TO RUN YOUR CAMPAIGNS

March Madness isn’t like the NBA – it’s a sprint, not a marathon. Games come fast, emotions run high, and fans are glued to their screens. Want in? Here’s when to go hard:

🔥 Selection Sunday (March 16) – The hype starts. Fans are losing their minds over which teams make it.
🔥 First Four (March 18-19) – The first do-or-die games. Engagement spikes early.
🔥 First & Second Rounds (March 20-23) – Absolute chaos. Wall-to-wall games. Maximum eyeballs.
🔥 Sweet 16 & Elite Eight (March 27-30) – Fewer teams, higher stakes, more adrenaline.
🔥 Final Four & Championship (April 5-7) – This is it. The biggest, baddest matchups of the season. Conversions go through the roof.

You can check the full game schedule out here.

Pro Tip: Run ads during prime-time games and keep your budget open – traffic surges fast, and you don’t want to miss out.

AD CONTENT & CREATIVES

If your ads don’t scream March Madness, you’re doing it wrong. Go bold. Go high-energy. Go full basketball mania.

🏀 Use killer visuals – Jerseys, hoops, brackets, action shots. If it doesn’t look like basketball, it’s getting ignored.
🏀 Tap into the hype – “Final Four Deals,” “Bracket Buster Promos” – these work because fans are already in obsession mode.
🏀 Make it relevant – Selling merch? Running betting offers? Pushing a streaming service? Tie it to the tournament, or get left behind.

This is not the time for subtlety – lean into the madness.

AD FORMATS THAT WORK BEST

March Madness = insane engagement across multiple ad formats. Here’s what works:

🔥 Pop-Under, Banners & Interstitials – Perfect for grabbing attention during game time.
🔥 In-Page Push Ads – Sneak into the action while fans browse. Subtle but effective.

Including the team names in your Push ads will improve your click and conversion rate significantly. This type of campaign is extremely effective when you use them leading up to and during the game. You might also want to increase the frequency of ads shown when the event is getting closer.

PAYMENT MODELS TO USE

Want maximum ROI? Pick the right model:

💰 CPA Target Bid Type – If you’re tracking conversions, this is your MVP.
💰 CPM for Pop-Unders – No tracking? No problem. Get guaranteed exposure.
💰 CPC for Banners, Interstitials & Push – Only pay for real interest. No wasted spend.

Pro Tip: Up your bids during Elite Eight, Final Four, and the Championship.
Biggest games = biggest returns.

MONETIZATION STRATEGY

Don’t wing it – March Madness is a goldmine if you play it right.

💰 Use sports-specific keywords – NCAA, March Madness, Final Four – SEO matters.

💰 Max out your eCPM – Adcash serves up top-tier rates and flexible payouts. More $$, less hassle.

💰 Go with high-performing formats – Pop-Unders & Push Ads bring the best returns.

💰 Basketball themed landing pages – Make the visitors feel like they’re courtside.

CREATE A PERFECT SETUP

Too many ads = annoyed users. Too few ads = missed $$$. Find the balance.

🏀 Stick to 10 impressions per user – No frequency capping = better revenue.
🏀 Need a custom NCAA setup? – Hit up your Publisher Manager or Support. Let’s optimize your game plan.

Slam Dunk Your March Madness Ads!

March Madness moves fast – blink and you’ll miss it. Now’s the time to go all in and grab every advertising opportunity. Play it smart, and you’ll be racking up wins – just like the teams on the court.

Want more expert tips on crushing sports event ads? Check out our in-depth guide for pro strategies. 

See you on the advertising court!