Graceful alley-oop dunks, dramatic buzzer beaters and the endless ranting of announcing favorite Dick Vitale are some of the reasons that the eyes of millions will be glued to televised NCAA basketball tournament games over the next three weeks.

But also behind the fanatical following of March Madness is a pure financial incentive -- the cold, hard cash available in various betting pools.

Local fans and non-fans alike have been forecasting upsets and picking their favorites in an attempt to increase their funds.

Gregg Brown (junior-psychology) entered a pool for $5. He filled out an entire tournament bracket with his predictions. The winner of the pool is decided by a system in which points are awarded for a correct pick in increasing amounts for each progressive round, Brown said, adding that he thinks this format is the most popular.

The widespread participation in pools stems from the average student's claim to sports expertise.

"People can take a risk with something they know about," Brown said, adding that he goes through a lengthy process to pick his winners.

Some teams have a history of performing poorly in the tournament, while others from strong conferences do better, he said, adding that he also picks teams that he likes so that he can root for them for two reasons.

Rob Wise (junior-marketing) said he relies on momentum to make his predictions, picking "teams that finish the season strong."

The tournament provides a lot of excitement with upsets and the chance to make money, Wise said, adding that he will watch the games any chance he gets.

"Some classes will get the boot," he said.

Although most pools deal with small amounts of cash, the fact that gambling is involved makes it a sticky issue.

Ed Looney, deputy director of the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey, said there is a fine line in defining the legality of a pool.

Any pool in which someone other than the outright winner takes a cut of the money for profit is illegal, Looney said.

He added that law enforcement tends to look the other way because so many people have pools and it is difficult to prosecute them.

University Police Investigator Tom Sowerby said he could not comment on the enforcement of gambling laws when it comes to pools because it goes on a case-by-case basis. He said he has never seen a betting-pool case prosecuted.

Looney said the NCAA basketball tournament is one of the three largest periods of sports betting, along with the Super Bowl and World Series. It is particularly widespread on college campuses, he said.

The tournament may also lead to future problems with gambling because students can often get hooked on it, he said.

"There's no curriculum on gambling in high school," Looney said, adding that once students reach college and are away from their families it can get out of control.

But University students still enjoy betting on the tournament.

Mark Miller (junior-chemical engineering) said the tournament pools are popular because "everyone thinks they have a wealth of sports knowledge."

"It's good money, too," he said.