Watching March Madness live at work? Some companies embrace it

ELGIN, Ill. (WLS) -- They are hard at work at the Gemini Builds It factory in Elgin. But this being March Madness, basketball is on their brains. One monitor is devoted to work, the other keeping up with the game. And that's just fine with the boss.

"If you have fun at work, you're able to incorporate something you love like basketball," Gemini Builds It CEO Courtney Wright said. "They're gonna be more productive the rest of the time they're not watching."

The lunchroom was a busy place, too, with employees checking in on games. Anthony Abbott played college basketball at Louisville.

"I sneak a peek every once in a while," Abbott said. "They don't mind. I love March Madness."

"It's something everyone's talking about around the office," said Alison Bastian, Gemini Builds It.

According to research, March Madness costs companies in the U.S. a total of $17.3 billion in companies around the country. But it may be money well spent for employers.

"Smart companies are fighting to find ways to bring people together, to get people talking about something other than business and March Madness is perfect," said Andy Challenger, with Challenger Gray and Christmas.

Weekday afternoons are normally a slow time at sports bars, but not the first day of the NCAA tournament. Moretti's in Elgin is busy. For these guys it's a tradition going back several decades.

"You gotta love college hoops," fan Barry Griner said. "You really do."

March Madness is also the biggest time of the year for legal sports gambling, even more than the Super Bowl. Operators say live betting on games is especially popular right now.

"March Madness gets bigger every year and certainly the betting opportunities are immense," said Teddy Greenstein, at Points Bet.

This is the first time both Northwestern and the University of Illinois have made it to the tournament in the same year. That is only adding to the interest and the hopes for long tournament runs for both.