https://apnews.com/ae34be53a8bb8e5feff1b19f091b5a16

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — About 45 million Americans say they plan to bet on this year's March Madness college basketball championship tournament, and an increasing percentage will do it in a way that doesn't include filling out brackets, according to the gambling industry's national trade group.

In a report released Sunday night, the American Gaming Association predicted that $3.1 billion will be wagered on this year's tournament, a figure that includes legal bets as well as those placed with illegal bookies or offshore web sites.