The NCAA tournament brings a relentless pace, with games stacked from morning to night, leaving little time for analysis or rest.
While casual fans focus on upsets and Cinderella stories, professionals navigate a high-pressure grind of quick decisions, limited preparation and constant risk management, all while balancing everyday life away from the screen.
South Shore Press Columnist Stefan Mychajliw spoke to South Shore Press Sports Director and nationally known sports betting Tom Barton to give us the inside scoop on how maddening March Madness can be for him.
Tom Barton: “It’s absolutely crazy. The madness doesn’t start when you’re filling out your brackets. It started weeks ago with the conference tournaments. It’s night after night, back to back, and there’s no time to prepare. You better know your teams, because there’s no sleeping for me in March.”
Q: Stefan Mychajliw: How fast does the pace really get?
Tom Barton: “Those first-round days go 12, 13, 14 hours, and then you turn around 10 hours later and do it again. Normally I like to watch film and study matchups, but most of these teams haven’t even seen each other. You don’t have time, so you rely on what you already know.”
Q: Stefan Mychajliw: How do you handle that pressure when making picks?
Tom Barton: “Shrink the thinking. There are 15 or 20 games and you can get overwhelmed. Pick two or three you really know and focus on those. Have fun with the rest, but if you want to make money, stay disciplined.”
Q: Stefan Mychajliw: Is this where bettors make their money?
Tom Barton: “Not really. You can make as much on a random weekday game as a big event. The public overvalues these tournaments, and that’s where mistakes happen.”
Q: Stefan Mychajliw: What’s it like balancing this with family life?
Tom Barton: “It’s a high-and-bye kind of thing. I work from home, so I try to make time when I can. Mornings are key before the games start. During the day, I’m watching everything, but I’ll step away at halftime, help with homework, spend time with the baby. I’ve got a superstar wife who makes it all possible.”
Q: Stefan Mychajliw: What advice do you give bettors?
Tom Barton: “Don’t rely on old trends. NIL has changed everything. This is a new world.”