If you’re traveling to Las Vegas for March Madness to watch the NCAA Tournament action beginning March 15, then hold on tight as Las Vegas rocks the rim with hoops hysteria and March Mania. Tens of thousands of hoop fans will pack sports bars and casinos alike as they root for their favorite teams. The opening weekend is one of the biggest sports events of the year in Las Vegas . If you’re planning on watching the action in Las Vegas, here is your guide to the top sportsbooks.

Keep in mind that the crowds are overflowing during the NCAA Tournament opening weekend on the Las Vegas strip. Watching games on this weekend provides an overall different experience than a ‘normal’ weekend in Las Vegas. To find what the best sportsbook is for you, first determine what is most important: large and vocal crowds, big screen televisions, leather chairs, sharp/soft betting lines, food and cocktail service, personal televisions, easy in/out parking, separate theatre viewing, hot cocktail waitresses, or something else. Some of the high profile hotel and casinos offer tremendous dining options, world class shows, endless shopping and retail outlets, along with nightlife and club entertainment. If you want less hustle and bustle, visit downtown where you can easily walk to hotels and compare more than six different betting lines. There are plenty of off-strip properties and ‘neighborhood’ hotel and casinos with a little less noise and crowds. So, take your shot at what works best for you, and be sure to enjoy all the action that’s sure to be available during March Madness. Here are 10 great spots to soak in the hoops action:

1) Bellagio – One of the premier resorts in Las Vegas, the Bellagio is located at the heart of the strip on Las Vegas Boulevard and Flamingo Road.

The Bellagio sportsbook offers plenty of large screen television viewing, comfy leather chairs and personal televisions. A full-service lounge and bar is adjacent to the sportsbook, along with one of the largest and busiest poker rooms in town. The cocktail waitresses are top notch, as is the food and beverage prices and selections. Be sure to use the North Valet off Flamingo Road for easiest access to the sportsbook.

2) Hard Rock – The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino is located just east of the strip off Harman Avenue and Paradise Road.

There is convenient parking for easy in and out. The Hard Rock also has oversized leather chairs and lots of memorabilia next to the small sportsbook. But the attraction during March Madness at the Hard Rock is the separate viewing theater in Festival Hall. Multiple big screen televisions, separate betting stations and kiosks, food and beverage service are all there. Festival Hall is located right outside of the pool area for "special" viewing if the weather is right. Many hotels with separate viewing theaters for NCAA action have a daily fee of approximately $20, so make a phone call or check it out before getting caught in traffic.

3) The Mirage – The hotel that set the tone for "going large" more than 15 years ago is still a top-of-the-line resort. The Mirage had facelift last year and has new energy, restaurants, buffet, lounges, night clubs and shows. The Mirage still attracts a lot of people, and the sportsbook offers big screen televisions with an adjacent bar and lounge with television viewing. The California Pizza Kitchen and the Carnegie Deli are right next door, as is the poker room with plenty of action and limits.

4) Mandalay Bay – The Mandalay Bay is a huge sportsbook. This place has several television viewing areas with multiple big screen televisions and a huge center screen. There is an adjacent oversized lounge area, a deli and a poker room next door. This will be another crowded spot, but the design and open space throughout the resort is excellent. There are also tremendous entertainment, dining and nightlife options. Be sure to check out the House of Blues near the sportsbook. There is a large parking garage on the west side along with valet service at the hotel, which allows convenient access to the sportsbook. Mandalay Bay is recognized as a premier resort in Las Vegas.

5) Wynn Las Vegas – This is the newest mega-resort in Las Vegas. Wynn Las Vegas is located on the north end of the strip next to The Venetian and across from the Fashion Show Mall. Excellent and convenient parking garage right off the strip allows easy access to the small but stylish sportsbook and poker room. Wynn Las Vegas has independent betting lines with some of the highest betting limits available. There is also personal televisions and an adjacent bar and deli. The cocktail waitresses and service at the Wynn Las Vegas rate among the very best in Vegas.
6) Caesars Palace – It is said that watching and betting on games at Caesars Palace transcends sports and thus claims a spot among the great American sports experiences. There is seating up to 250 with multiple big screen televisions and monitors, adjacent bars and ample television viewing. It is only a short walk to the food court and world famous Forum Shops. Adjacent to the sportsbook is a large, new poker room with 30 tables and a separate tournament area. Also next to the sportsbook is the world famous Pure nightclub, where the crowd and sites never end.

7) Las Vegas Hilton – Located off the strip on Paradise Road near Sahara Avenue, the Las Vegas Hilton ‘Superbook’ is the largest race and sportsbook in Nevada. There are more than 300 seats to view 28 giant screens and more than 60 total viewing monitors. Unique betting propositions encompass a large betting menu with big limits. The largest sports ticker in Nevada keeps you in the game. The Las Vegas Hilton offers full beverage service and adjacent food options. There is a separate parking area off the east side of the building. It is also in a convenient spot next to the Las Vegas Convention Center.

8) The Palms – A newer independent resort and casino, the Palms features a small sportsbook area with big limits. Located just west of the strip off Flamingo Road, the Palms aims to please the hip, sophisticated and decadent. The Palms is recognized for its nightlife options and young, progressive crowd. There is excellent parking and convenience to the sportsbook off the west side. The Palms has very easy access to the neighboring off-strip hotels at the Rio and Gold Coast.

9) Paris Hotel – Located across from the Bellagio with its recognized Eiffel Tower, the Paris sportsbook features multiple projection-screen televisions and individual television monitors, leather chairs, adjacent bar and a viewing lounge. But the attraction at the Paris and adjacent Harrah’s properties at Bally’s and the Flamingo Hotel is the large separate theaters with multiple big screen televisions. Your college hoops party pass includes separate betting stations, food and beverage service, t-shirt giveaways and plenty of basketball action. The adjacent Bally’s hotel features a popular sportsbook in the basement with multiple big screen projections and individual TV monitors. This place usually gets crowded, so you must arrive early.

10) The Orleans – A Coast Casino property and a local favorite, The Orleans is located just one mile west of the strip on Tropicana Avenue.

The Orleans is a Mardi Gras-themed hotel that offers movie theaters, bowling and a much-less congested environment. The sportsbook is a very good size with adjacent bar and lounge and many other convenient bar areas with extra televisions. A sensational viewing area is the large Lounge theatre off the Tropicana entrance that features a big screen television surrounded by multiple televisions and sitting booths inside a surrounding bar area. A large separate poker room with smaller limits and fast service from an attractive cocktail staff make the Orleans a fan favorite. An updated environment with inexpensive options makes The Orleans an excellent option for travelers. The attached Orleans Garden is home of the Las Vegas Wranglers, the city's minor league hockey team.