March Madness Round 1 Parlay Picks

One of the more enjoyable ways to partake in March Madness wagering is to try and hit it big with a parlay or two.

Whether it be picking March Madness upsets, favorites, or trying your hand at NCAA Tournament props, putting together a parlay is exciting, and that only builds as you hit each leg.

But with 32 first-round games and endless options, where do you start? We’ve got a few ideas for you to run with on Thursday and Friday as we bring you our best March Madness picks to throw into a parlay for Round 1.

Round 1 parlay picks

Click on each pick to jump to the full analysis.

Parlay Pick 1

PARLAY: Furman ML + Missouri ML + Charleston ML + Penn State ML = +3,951 at DraftKings

Furman moneyline (+190)

I decided to swing for the fences on Day 1 of March Madness and go with a “lottery ticket” parlay that has a strong chance of hitting — or at least getting you a solid early cash-out option should your book offer it.

We start with Furman. Thirteen-seeds have had a decent run of success the past few years against four-seeds. Three of last year’s four 13-seeds covered their spread, and the year before saw North Texas defeat Purdue and Ohio defeat…that’s right, Virginia.

Those same Cavaliers have an outstanding defense yet again this season, but they’re going to need every bit of it against Furman’s 12th-best effective field goal percentage and nation-best 59.1% shooting from inside the arc. More importantly, Furman ranks Top-20 in the nation in 3-pointers attempted and made per game.

If the Paladins can get a lead on the Hoos, Virginia’s offense isn’t set up to mount a comeback.

Missouri moneyline (+105)

Despite being the higher seed in this 7-10 matchup, the Missouri Tigers are slight underdogs heading into the game. But I’m not sure they should be. Utah State isn’t a bad team, but it’s just 2-5 against Quad 1 teams. Missouri has been battle-tested, going 6-9 in Quad 1 showdowns.

Furthermore, the Aggies struggle with taking care of the basketball. That’s a problem for a team playing Missouri. The Tigers rank fourth in the nation in turnovers forced per game, and ninth in turnovers forced per play.

Combine that with their ability to keep up with Utah State’s scoring output, and they have all the tools to pull off the upset.

Charleston moneyline (+190)

Charleston is a dangerous 12-seed, and San Diego State has struggled to put games away this season. Why should that concern the Aztecs? Because nobody in college basketball grabs more offensive rebounds per game than the Cougars. 

Their 11.8 offensive…