Major media outlets and SportsBooks that offer March Madness brackets would like you to believe that all of the 64 NCAA teams slated to tip-off Thursday, March 20th -- have a chance to claim a National Championship. While mathematically, and in theory, the statement has teeth; in reality, it’s nothing more than a comparable plug for PoliGrip. While I don’t recommend large investments in traditional brackets, or spending hard earned moola on this long-shot venture, those who like the annual challenge should…

Focus on the top seeds

Betting games or matches -- between two teams or individuals -- with either a point spread or money line isn't the same prospect as betting on the field of horses that comprise the NCAA field of 64. And spending money on March Madness futures should be reserved for pocket change.

Since 1979 only three No. 1 seeds (favorites) have found the winners circle on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs; in fields four times larger, and during the same period, eight top ranked teams have gone on to win the NCAA men's basketball tournament.

1978: Kentucky

1982: North Carolina

1992: Duke

1995: UCLA

2000: Michigan State

2001: Duke

2007: Florida

Prior to the seeding system, teams like UCLA (1970, 1971, 1972, 1973), N.C. State (1974), and Indiana (1976), all ranked No. 1 at the end of the regular season, won the championship.

Chase teams that roster NBA talent

The NCAA Men's Tournament is all about talent. Of the final 65 teams that will be chosen during the Sunday selection process, at most 10 schools will have a shot of winning the six straight games it takes to be crowned National Champion. With two-to-four of those clubs being on the proverbial bubble as fringe selections.

The six teams that project to send the most players to the next level coincide with the teams Vegas favors in this year’s Big Dance. My favorites-- and the schools odds to win the Championship -- according to the Bodoglife.com:

1. Kansas 11/2

2. North Carolina 9/2

3. Tennessee 9/1

4. Texas 9/1

5. Louisville 9/1

6. Memphis 8/1

UCLA at 5/1 -- and the rest of the Pac Ten is a bust, while the Big 12 and Big East figure to be the most successful conferences through the first two weekends.

Don’t avoid the shade?

Regardless of how the brackets shake out on Sunday, there will be plenty of opportunity to pinpoint winners throughout the tournament. As I mentioned earlier, the first step is finding a winner, and then valuing that team according to the given line.

Call it what you want, but Vegas shaves points without the cooperation of the team, players and/or coaches. Vegas will shade the ancestral set of schools. Kansas, North Carolina, Duke, Syracuse, Kentucky, UCLA and those units that are publicly perceived as better. But there’s a reason for this blatant act; these teams are traditionally winners.

There will be more than one handicapper that suggests you bet against the long-established set because of the large spread. Listening to these should-be mutes is like trying to move forward while looking in the rearview mirror.

Don’t over-think the plan

As sports investors, we want to know beforehand which teams will have reversals in form. Sharp gamblers literally want to be force-fed this information regardless of the price, because the bottom line depends on this one factor alone. It's irrelevant what it costs to bet a winner. Whether the that price tag is -110 or –400. One may not want to invest $400 to win $100, but you certainly aren’t going to play the losing side simply because it offers artificial merit. A winner is a winner, and chasing value is a losing proposition – find a winner and then focus on how much sense (pun intended) the play offers.

Don’t over think money management, especially when it comes to sports investing. Make a plan and stick to it. Think the way Albert Einstein did when selecting his clothes for the day. His closet had seven outfits, and all were exactly the same. His plan was flawless. He didn’t waste time and energy trying to decide what to don before heading to the office every morning. He outlined a strategy and executed it.

Just win baby!

Call me square, but touts who refuse to back the "chalk" simply because it's chic to be on the "dog" limit their opportunities. Handicapping firms that claim to have double-digit dogs that will win outright are marketing to a select demographic, most significantly players who have recently lost on heavy favorites.

With that said, the difference between picking teams that will advance in your March Madness Bracket, and picking ATS winners can typically be measured by profit and loss.

In summary:

1. Pick the winner

2. Assign value to the investment

3. Bet accordingly

The three steps above are simple, but they require a blueprint and doctrine. Knowledge is power, and executing a precise outline to build your bottom line requires such.