Legal sports betting is available in 33 states. But when it comes to March Madness, Las Vegas is still the No. 1 destination for college basketball fans.

It’s tough to buck tradition.

The NCAA men’s basketball tournament [tipped] off this week and Southern California independent advisory firm Eilers & Krejcik Gaming projects almost $2.6 billion will be wagered on the 67 games scheduled to be played over the tournament’s 18 days.

The analysts predicted that Nevada sportsbooks — predominantly in Las Vegas — would take in more than $361.8 million in wagers on March Madness, the highest amount of any state and nearly 14 percent of the expected national wagering total.