2023 NCAA March Madness is here! Selection Sunday is March 12, 2023, with the First Four tip-off set for Tuesday, March 14!
You can use Paramount+ and Sling TV to live stream the entire 2023 NCAA tournament.
The Final Four and NCAA National Championship will stream exclusively on Paramount+ this year. Live streams for the rest of the tournament are split across CBS (Paramount+) and TBS, TNT and truTV (Sling TV).
If you’re outside the USA, follow the guide below to stream NCAA college basketball from anywhere:
- Get a VPN for streaming live sports. We recommend streaming NCAA March Madness 2023 with NordVPN.
- Sign up and create an account via the website.
- Download and install the VPN onto your streaming device.
- Open the app and log in with the credentials you created at sign-up.
- Connect to a server in the United States. Once connected, wait for a second or two.
- Navigate to Paramount+ to stream the Final Four, National Championship and other tournament games on CBS. You can use SlingTV for other Turner Sports coverage.
College basketball fans might also opt for free sports streaming sites to avoid signing up for multiple platforms.
To get step-by-step details on how to watch NCAA March Madness 2023, just read through our full guide below!
The 2023 NCAA Final Four is set, and almost everyone’s bracket has been busted.
Though No. 4 seeded Connecticut is no stranger to the tournament, they haven’t had a serious run since 2014. Everyone else? For the three remaining teams — No. 5 seed Miami, No. 5 seed San Diego State, and No. 9 seed Florida Atlantic — it’s their first appearance in the Final Four. There haven’t been three first-timers in more than fifty years.
Fans better strap in for some more buzzer-beating action as the 2023 NCAA March Madness college basketball tournament reaches the high-water mark.
We’ll show you how to live stream the entire tournament below.
2023 NCAA Tournament Schedule
The Final Four is Saturday, April 1, 2023, on CBS:
- (9) Florida Atlantic University vs. (5) San Diego State at 6:09 PM (ET).
- (4) Connecticut vs. (5) Miami at 8:49 PM (ET).
The NCAA National Championship game is Monday, April 3, 2023, on CBS.
- TBD vs. TBD at 9:20 PM (ET).
Here’s a rundown of the complete tournament dates and broadcasters.
| Round | Date | Broadcaster |
|---|---|---|
| Selection Sunday | March 12, 2023 | CBS |
| First Four | March 14-15, 2023 | truTV |
| First Round | March 16-17, 2023 | CBS, TBS, TNT, truTV |
| Second Round | March 18-19, 2023 | CBS, TBS, TNT, truTV |
| Sweet 16 | March 23-24, 2023 | CBS, TBS |
| Elite Eight | March 25-26, 2023 | CBS, TBS |
| Final Four | April 1, 2023 | CBS |
| National Championship | April 3, 2023 | CBS |
Stream NCAA Basketball Online (March Madness 2023)
To watch March Madness through the NCAA’s live streaming player, you’ll need to log in with a cable TV provider. While this gives college basketball fans unlimited access, cable TV cord-cutters will need alternative options.
You’ll need access to national channels and/or local channels to stream the entire tourney on live TV online. The cheapest route is to use these two platforms:
- Paramount+ (CBS)
- Sling TV (TBS, TNT, truTV)
Alternatively, you could use Hulu + Live TV or YouTube TV, which carries all channels for a higher price. Here’s a breakdown of how you can access all 67 games of the NCAA tournament:
| Service | March Madness Broadcast | Price per month | Free trial? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paramount+ | CBS | $5-$10 | Seven-day free trial |
| Sling TV | TBS, TNT, truTV | $40-$55 | No |
| YouTube TV | CBS, TBS, TNT, truTV | $65 | 14-day free trial |
| DIRECTV STREAM | CBS, TBS, TNT, truTV | $75-$155 | Five-day free trial |
| Hulu + Live TV | CBS, TBS, TNT, truTV | $70-$83 | No |
How to Stream 2023 NCAA March Madness Outside the US
If you’re not in the United States, you might find these platforms are blocked due to regional restrictions. But you can still catch the entire tournament by using a virtual private network (VPN).
Let’s say you’re working remotely from Costa Rica. If you try to log into SlingTV or any other US-based streaming platform from a Costa Rican IP address, you won’t be granted access. You’ll get a message along the lines of: “This service is not available in your country.”
Luckily, there’s an easy fix you can implement in a matter of minutes.
You’ll only need a VPN to get a U.S. IP address. Once you’ve switched your IP to an American one, you’ll be able to access sites like Sling TV and Paramount+ no matter where you are in the world.
Step-by-step guide: Watch NCAA basketball live with a VPN
Want to stream NCAA college basketball from anywhere? Just check out the guide below:
- Go with a VPN that’s good for sports streaming. Our pick for streaming the 2023 NCAA Final Four is NordVPN. It’s one of the fastest VPNs available, especially when it comes to its American servers. It has 1,970+ servers in the U.S. total.
- Sign up and create an account on NordVPN’s website.
- Download and install the VPN software. You can use their Windows desktop app or download their Android, iOS, Linux or macOS apps. NordVPN even works on routers, Smart TVs and Amazon Fire TV Stick.
- Open the app and log in with the credentials you created when you signed up.
- Connect to a server in the United States. Once connected, wait a few seconds.
- Head over to Paramount+, log into your account or sign up. Find CBS to watch the Final Four or NCAA Championship Game! You’ll need Sling TV to get the rest of the 2023 March Madness games!
- Fast and large worldwide network of VPN servers
- Perfect for privacy and streaming
- Trusted by many, with over 14 million users
How to Stream NCAA Basketball Free (Unofficial Sites)
While streaming subscription platforms like SlingTV, Paramount+, and YouTube TV offer officially licensed HD streams, there are plenty of free sports streaming sites out there.
You’ll want to be careful, though. Some sites may be unsecured and could even contain malware links, like computer viruses or spyware. Since you can’t verify where the streams are coming from, you also won’t know if they’re legal or not.
Even when free sports sites are secured, they are usually lower-definition streams and can be riddled with pop-up ads.
College basketball fans interested in taking this route might be interested in checking out our list of the best free sports streaming sites.
How to Live Stream NCAA March Madness in the U.K.
ESPN holds the rights to the NCAA March Madness tournament for international broadcasts. So college basketball fans in the United Kingdom can use the ESPN+ player to stream the tournament from start to finish.
ESPN+ costs $9.99 per month (about £8.25) in the U.K. Streamers who have ESPN+ in the U.S. can try switching their VPN to a U.K. server to unblock March Madness simulcasts.
Fans in the U.K. can also access ESPN via their BT Sport subscription. BT Sport’s Monthly Pass currently runs £29.99 a month for those that don’t want to get bogged down with contracts.
How to Live Stream NCAA March Madness in Canada
Anyone streaming NCAA March Madness college basketball from Canada can catch ESPN’s international simulcast feed through TSN.
Sports fans without a TV provider can use TSN’s flexible streaming plans at $19.99 per month (or discounted $199.99 for one year). For anyone traveling abroad during the tournament, getting a Canadian IP address with a VPN can get you connected to TSN back home.
How to Live Stream NCAA March Madness in Australia
When it comes to streaming live sports in Australia, Kayo Sports has become the go-to platform. Unfortunately, they actively block VPN servers when trying to access the site.
You’ll definitely need a premium VPN like NordVPN or Surfshark that stays on top of VPN blockades and actively switches out IP addresses when servers get flagged. Otherwise, you might try your luck with the other U.S.-based services we mentioned above.
Top 3 VPNs to Watch the NCAA Men’s College Basketball Tournament
Whether you’re looking to catch the tournament’s opening tip-off or the national title game, you’ll need a good VPN for unblocking geo-restricted live TV, or while navigating unsecured websites.
If you still haven’t settled on a VPN, here are our top picks to stream everything from the First Four matchups to the final buzzer.
1. NordVPN: Where speed meets security
We can’t get enough of NordVPN’s fast and stable connectivity, and their large offering of servers worldwide (5,300+). NordVPN’s become our favorite for live streaming regular-season college basketball, as well as NCAA conference tournaments. With 1,970+ U.S.-based servers to choose from, there’s no shortage when it comes to American sports streaming in HD.
When navigating unsecured domains in search of college basketball, NordVPN also offers military-grade AES 256-bit encryption to protect your online traffic. NordVPN recently passed independent audits verifying its security practices and no-logging privacy protection claims.
With this service, you’ll be able to browse the internet safely in total anonymity, and their price point is right in the sweet spot. You can test even their services free with their 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read more about this provider in our full NordVPN review or visit their website via the box below.
- Fast and large worldwide network of VPN servers
- Perfect for privacy and streaming
- Trusted by many, with over 14 million users
2. Surfshark: Where speed meets affordability
Surfshark is another VPN provider that has fast connections on a server network that are ideal for sports streaming. Surfshark also offers enough servers in the U.S.A. — 600 servers and counting — to be assured of a good connection to watch college basketball and all of 2023 March Madness.
This nothing-but-net VPN provider has advanced AES 256-bit encryption and allows you to browse the internet anonymously and securely. They’ve also recently completed another independent audit verifying that their no-logs policy is rock-solid.
They have a 30-day money-back guarantee, with no hidden fees, so you can see if their services are what you’re looking for. For more information on this provider that can take you up and down the court, read our Surfshark review.
- Very user-friendly and works with Netflix and torrents
- 30-day money-back guarantee. No questions asked!
- Cheap with many extra options
3. CyberGhost: Where speed meets user-friendliness
CyberGhost is one of the best-known VPN providers. Their VPN is fast, easy-to-use and tailored for all kinds of streaming — including live sports in HD. With their services, you can connect to a good U.S. server (1,400+) to watch all the NCAA March Madness college basketball games you can handle.
Their AES 256-bit encryption matches the others on this list to protect your privacy and security while navigating unsecured sites, and their applications are as user-friendly as you can get.
CyberGhost has a 45-day money-back guarantee, no strings attached. It’s perfect if you still want to find out if a VPN is for you. Check out our CyberGhost review to learn more about this provider.
- Very user-friendly
- High quality for a low price
- Torrents and Netflix possible
Install a VPN on any device to watch 2023 NCAA March Madness college basketball
The process of downloading VPNs as computer desktop or Android or iOS (iPhone) apps is quite intuitive. If you’re for help using a VPN on more complex operating systems — from Amazon Fire TV Stick to Apple TV — we’ve compiled a list of useful guides below.
- Installing a VPN on your Amazon Fire TV Stick
- How to install a VPN on your Android TV
- Installing a VPN on your Google Chromecast
- Installing a VPN on your router
- How to install a VPN on your Smart TV
- How to Install a VPN on your Apple TV
2023 NCAA March Madness Favorites
Sportsbooks are already chomping at the bit for this year’s favorites, but only one team will be left standing at the end of March Madness. While the usual suspects are slated for NCAA Tournament appearances — like Gonzaga, UCLA, and UConn — some teams will be looking to make their surprise NCAA Tournament bid.
Here’s a breakdown of the Final Four odds, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. Though it’s anybody’s tournament, these are the fifteen teams that oddsmakers are looking at at the time of writing.
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Houston Cougars | +450 |
| Alabama Crimson Tide | +650 |
| UCLA Bruins | +1000 |
| Purdue Boilermakers | +1000 |
| Kansas Jayhawks | +1,200 |
| Texas Longhorns | +1400 |
| Arizona Wildcats | +1400 |
| Gonzaga Bulldogs | +1400 |
| UConn Huskies | +1800 |
| Marquette Golden Eagles | +2000 |
| Tennessee Volunteers | +2500 |
| Baylor Bears | +2500 |
| Duke Blue Devils | +3500 |
| Kentucky Wildcats | +4000 |
| Creighton Bluejays | +4000 |
| Saint Mary’s Gaels | +5000 |
| Indiana Hoosiers | +5000 |
| Xavier Musketeers | +6000 |
Got some questions on how to stream 2023 NCAA March Madness? Click on any of the questions below for an answer.
You’ll need CBS to watch the Final Four and National Championship for the 2023 NCAA March Madness tournament. The rest of the tournament is split across CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV. The cheapest route is to use Paramount+ for CBS games, and SlingTV for the rest. We’ve broken it all down for you in our guide on NCAA basketball live streams.
You can take advantage of free trials offered by live TV streamers that have 2023 NCAA college basketball coverage, like Paramount+, DirecTV Stream or YouTube TV to watch the entire 2023 NCAA March Madness tournament free. You could also try checking out free sports streaming sites.
You can watch the 2023 Final Four and National Championship exclusively on CBS, while the rest of the tournament is split across CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV. The cheapest route for online streaming is Paramount+ for CBS games, and Sling TV to stream TBS, TNT and truTV games. YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV or DirecTV Stream have both CBS and Turner Sports channels, albeit a little more expensive.
