Hoop scoop.

• Author: Pomeranz, Jim
• Position: NC TREND: March Madness

March 17 kicks off three weekends of nonstop hype, carousing and advertising, mixed in with a little basketball. Here are some things to know about March Madness, the NCAA men's basketball tournament.

$100 MILLION IN LOST PRODUCTIVITY IN THE FIRST WEEK

About a third of North Carolina workers will pay close attention to the tournament in the event's first week, costing lost productivity of at least $100 million, according to Andrew Challenger, vice president of Chicago-based HR consultants Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Based on TV viewership and average wage data, he calls it a nonscientific calculation that "would not pass muster anywhere within Research Triangle Park."

WHAT ARE THE ODDS

Will North Carolina or Duke win it all? Early February odds of a Blue Devil victory were 9 to 1, while the Tar Heels were at 10 to 1, says Vegasinsider.com and sportsbook.ag. The favorite is Kentucky at 15 to 2, while Kansas and UCLA were at 8 to 1.

VIVA LAS VEGAS

More than $240 million is expected to be bet on March Madness in Las Vegas, trouncing the $140 million wagered on the recent Super Bowl. As of mid-February, last-minute fares between North Carolina's two big airports and Nevada cost as much as $1,700.

CLICKS PICK UP

WRAL.com sees a 50% increase in page views and unique visitors during the first week of the tournament, says Aaron Schoonmaker, senior sports web editor. The Raleigh-based division of Capitol Broadcasting Co. averages 90 million page views per...