If you find yourself in Raleigh during March Madness, be prepared to be swept up in the electrifying atmosphere, where every jump shot feels like a collective heartbeat. The Research Triangle of North Carolina, which is made up or Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, is not only a bastion of innovation, but also a breeding ground for college basketball super fans. Brackets are displayed with religious fervor in offices and bars. Read on for the best sports bars in Raleigh from which to truly immerse yourself in the chaos of March Madness.

1. March Madness, Explained
2. A Primer on Raleigh College Basketball Culture
3. Best Sports Bars in Raleigh to Watch March Madness

March Madness, Explained

The NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament is glorious spectacle known as March Madness. Sixty-eight teams descend on the court in a single-elimination tournament, each vying for the ultimate victory: the national championship.

On Selection Sunday, before any tournament game is played, the Selection Committee sits down and ranks the sixty-eight chosen teams, 1 through 68. Four of those teams are eliminated in the opening round of the tournament (known as the First Four). Once the dust settles, we’re left with a field of 64 for the first round.

Those 64 teams are split into four regions of 16 teams each, with each team being ranked 1 through 16. That ranking is the team’s seed. 

To give stronger teams an advantage, the first round matchups sadistically pair the best team (ranked 1) with the weakest team (ranked 16) in each region. This continues down the rankings, with the second-best team playing the 15th-ranked team, and so on. This system aims to give top seeds an easier first game.

Still, the path to victory, as with most journeys in life, is fraught with peril. What begins as a field of sixty-eight hopefuls dwindles to two, partnered in a final dance for the coveted championship trophy. March Madness is a spectacle to behold where the only guarantee is that nothing is guaranteed.

Here is the full schedule for the 2024 NCAA men’s basketball tournament:

• Selection Sunday: Sunday, March 17
• First Four: March 19-20
• First round: March 21-22
• Second round: March 23-24 
• Sweet 16: March 28-29 
• Elite Eight: March 30-31 
• Final Four: Saturday, April 6
• NCAA championship game: Monday, April 8

Interactive brackets go live as soon as the teams are announced on Selection Sunday. Make your picks before the first tip-off, because the brackets lock in before the games begin. Here is a printable PDF of the NCAA bracket, which you can still fill out after the interactive brackets lock. You can also go here for an interactive bracket.

The allure of a perfect bracket is as seductive and ultimately deceptive as a sugarplum laced with arsenic. No one, not even the most studious of sportsball obsessives, has ever emerged at the end of the tournament with an unbroken bracket. Yet, like a moth drawn to a flame, we persist, year after year, in the pursuit perfection.

You can watch every March Madness game from home (or work) on either TBS, TNT, TruTV or CBS. You can also stream every game on March Madness Live. 

Or head to a Raleigh sports bar to join the emotional rollercoaster with other fans.

A Primer on Raleigh College Basketball Culture

The rivalry between the University of North Carolina Tar Heels and the Duke Blue Devils is at the core of Triangle basketball culture. It’s a friendly fire that ignites passionate debates, playful jabs, and the occasional prank war.

But NC State Wolfpack fans are fiercely loyal and will erupt with a fervour that would shame a volcano when the Wolfpack upsets an opponent, especially if it’s UNC or Duke. Victory for the Wolfpack is a rare and wondrous sight, akin to a flock of euphoric squirrels discovering a nut the size of a small dog.

Best Sports Bars in Raleigh to Watch March Madness

Raleigh has a number of pretty exceptional sports bars. Gather with fellow sports fans to share in shattered dreams and unexpected triumphs. Here, you’ll find camaraderie, delicious refreshments, and flickering screens filled with a whirlwind of buzzer-beaters. So, grab your jersey, your lucky charm, and prepare to embark on a thrilling journey through March Madness in Raleigh!

High Park Bar & Grill 

625 E Whitaker Mill Rd, Raleigh, NC 27608

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High Park Bar & Grill is an easygoing option that features pool tables and dart boards for a game, comfortable outdoor seating and plenty of TVs, and a menu of classic pub fare, along with tasty cocktails and draft beers at a reasonable price. Full disclosure, I haven’t been here but I have been told that it’s a great place to watch sports of all sorts.

Honorable Mentions:

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Person Street Bar has a neighborhood bar vibe with craft beer, wine, and cocktails. They have bar games, a big screen occasionally used for major sports events, and a huge covered patio. Because this isn’t a full time sports bar, call ahead to find out if they’ll be showing the game. Note that they do not serve food.

The Station at Person Street is a neighborhood restaurant and bar that has a ton of indoor seating and a huge, covered and heated patio (though not enclosed). There are TVs on the patio that can make for very enjoyable sports watching when the weather is right.

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What’s your favourite sports bar in Raleigh to watch March Madness?