The wait is over for many fans in the U.S. who have longed to bet on games and tournaments. Seven states now authorize sports betting, and a host of others have geared up to open betting markets.
Sports betting is also shaping the fan experience in exciting, interactive ways, especially in the online and mobile worlds.
The Michigan State Spartans are FanWide’s #4 College Basketball Team! From the legendary Magic Johnson to their current star guard Cassius Winston, Michigan State basketball has always been led by its elite players. The devout Michigan State fan base, however, has been what has truly helped the Spartans thrive. Top 10 finishes in 6 of 8 categories helped the Spartans snag a prestigious spot in the top 5 among FanWide’s Top 10 College Basketball teams.
Visit FanWide.com to find a Michigan State Spartans game watch party or fan club near you.
Coming in at number 5 in FanWide’s Top 10 College Basketball Rankings is the Duke Blue Devils. The hiring of head coach Mike Krzyzewski catapulted the extraordinary success experienced by the Blue Devils over the past 39 years. The Hall of Fame head coach took over for the Blue Devils In 1980. During Coach Krzyzewski’s legendary career, he has become the winningest coach in Division 1 college basketball history and has won 4 national championships. “Coach K” has also done a tremendous job of recruiting the top high school players in the country. In the past 5 years, Coach K has recruited NBA lottery picks such as Jahlil Okafor, Brandon Ingram, Jayson Tatum, Marvin Bagley III, Zion Williamson, and RJ Barrett to play for the Blue Devils. Krzyzewski’s top notch recruiting shows his ability to adapt to the modern one-and-done era. The Blue Devil’s recent success has caused their fanbase to grow tremendously across the nation. Because of Duke’s recent success and their massive following, the Blue Devils place 5th on FanWide’s Top 10 College Basketball Team Rankings.
Visit FanWide.com to find a Duke Blue Devils game watch party or fan club near you.
Over the years, Syracuse has built one of the most consistently successful college basketball programs in the nation. The Jim Boeheim era has been particularly fruitful. Ten years after the former Orange guard graduated from Syracuse, he was named the head coach of their basketball program. That day in 1976 was a turning point for the program. 946 wins later, Syracuse is an established college basketball powerhouse. Their success on the court has translated to popularity off of it. Because of their prestige, they are often able to land top high school recruits and consistently produce NBA talent. From their consistent victories on the court to their record-breaking arena, Syracuse basketball is a blue-blood program. The team’s impressive resumé has earned them the #6 spot in FanWide’s Top 10 College Basketball Team Rankings!
Visit FanWide.com to find a Syracuse Orange game watch party or fan club near you.
FanWide’s #7 NCAA Basketball team is the Villanova Wildcats. Villanova has won two of the last four National Championships. Coach Jay Wright has elevated Nova Basketball to a new level. Their consistent regular season success has made them increasingly interesting to watch for current fans, and their postseason glory has brought in a wave of new ones. Villanova’s tournament play has become must-see TV. Legendary moments like Kris Jenkins’ National Championship winning buzzer beater in 2016 and Donte DiVincenzo’s 2018 National Championship 31 point eruption have contributed to a new generation of Villanova fans. Their exciting play and consistent success has made them one of the most prominent programs in the nation and landed them a spot in FanWide’s Top 10.
Visit FanWide.com to find a Villanova Wildcats game watch party or fan club near you.
The Green Bay Packers are the top team in FanWide’s NFL rankings. While the Green Bay Packers have dominated the rest of the NFL on the field with their 4 Super Bowl victories and 34 playoff wins, it is their unique connection to their fan base off the field that truly separates them from every other team. Located in the small city of Green Bay, Wisconsin, Lambeau Field sticks out from the houses and local restaurants that surround it. Green Bay may not have the glitz and glamour of a New York or Los Angeles but they have Packers football and they love it. Every Sunday, from September to December, Packers fans come together whether it be at a home game or at a local bar (at a FanWide Packers watch party) to support and root for the Packers. This tight-knit and close community is what makes the Packers fan base special and different from every other NFL team.
Visit FanWide.com to find a Green Bay Packers game watch party or fan club near you.
Coming in at #8 on FanWide’s Top 10 College Basketball Teams: the Michigan Wolverines. From the legendary “Fab Five” in the early ‘90s to the modern Michigan team, Wolverines basketball has always been about team cohesion and success. The strength of the team, however, cannot exist without the strength of the fans, who are unwavering in their support of the Wolverines. To repay their support, Michigan has grown into a yearly juggernaut, made evident by numerous Big Ten and NCAA Tournament wins. Strong finishes across all categories earned the Wolverines the #8 spot among FanWide’s Top 10 College Basketball Teams.
Visit FanWide.com to find a Michigan Wolverines game watch party or fan club near you.
Teams were evaluated in 8 different categories (visit this blog post to see the methodology):
Coming in at number 2 in FanWide’s Top 10 NFL Team rankings is America’s Team, the Dallas Cowboys. Currently, the Cowboys have one of the youngest and most explosive offenses in the entire National Football League. Their young nucleus consists of quarterback Dak Prescott, running back Ezekiel Elliott, and wide receiver Amari Cooper. On the defensive side of the field, The ‘Boyz are loaded with playmakers such as defensive lineman Demarcus Lawrence, linebacker Jaylon Smith, and safety Byron Jones. With this talented core, the Cowboys were able to win the NFC East and advance to the NFC divisional round in 2018. While the Cowboys have been successful as of late, their historical success truly separates them from every other NFL team. The Cowboys have won a whopping 35 playoff games and 5 Super Bowls. America’s team is home to countless NFL greats such as Emmitt Smith, Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman, and Tony Dorsett. Playing for America’s team comes with a lot of pressure and responsibility. This young and talented Cowboy roster is more than capable to handle these enormous expectations.
Visit FanWide.com to find a Dallas Cowboys game watch party or fan club near you.
Coming in at number 9 in FanWide’s Top 10 College Basketball Rankings is the Arizona Wildcats. While the Wildcats have not won a national championship since 1997, they have had a lot recent success. Ever since Arizona hired Sean Miller as the head coach in 2009, the Wildcats have seen an uptick in tournament appearances and regular season wins. Not only has Miller been able to drastically improve Arizona’s winning percentage, he has also had a lot of success recruiting the top high school basketball players. Former top recruits and current NBA stars such as Deandre Ayton, Stanley Johnson, Lauri Markkanen, and Aaron Gordon have helped stabilize and improve an Arizona Basketball program on the rise. With a top-3 overall recruiting class (which includes top point guard Nico Mannion) for 2019, the Arizona Wildcats future looks very bright. Because of Arizona’s recent success and their massive fanbase, the Wildcats place 9th in FanWide’s Top 10 College Basketball Team Rankings.
Visit FanWide.com to find a Arizona Wildcats game watch party or fan club near you.
FanWide’s #10 College Basketball team is the Wisconsin Badgers! Few programs can combine historical greatness and present success the same way Wisconsin can. Though the team has not won a National Championship since 1941, the Badgers are a consistent threat in the always-competitive Big Ten conference, year in and year out. Even more impressive, however, is the unwavering commitment of Badgers fans, who are always there to support their team. Top 10 finishes in the categories of fan clubs, recent tournament wins, attendance, and aggregate social media followers earned the Wisconsin Badgers the #10 spot among FanWide’s Top 10 College Basketball Teams.
Visit FanWide.com to find a Wisconsin Badgers game watch party or fan club near you.
Teams were evaluated in 8 different categories (visit this blog post to see the methodology):