March Madness Betting
2021 March Madness Betting
March Madness Odds
March Madness Odds
It’s the same every year, the Super Bowl betting dies down for a little while but before we even have time to catch our breath, we’re straight into another major event with our March Madness odds.
As always, Bodog is at the heart of the action on the court and boast a plethora of NCAA basketball odds for our Canadian audience to sink their teeth into.
So, if you want to know the March Madness odds to win, the odds of a perfect March Madness bracket, or just want bet online in Canada on the March Madness favourites, come to our sports betting site available for Canadian players and have a look.
Let’s get to it.
Who tops our college basketball odds heading into March Madness 2024? These NCAAB picks should give you an idea of where to place your money.
Adama Sanogo and Jordan Hawkins may have been picked up by the NBA, but the Huskies can call upon freshmen Donovan Clingan to freshen up their roster. Andre Jackson Jr’s return as a senior provides a boost for the no.2 ranked Connecticut, who are looking to become the first team to retain the NCAA title Florida in 2007.
Houston
Houston may have been dumped out at the Sweet Sixteen stage last year, but that hasn’t prevented Kelvin Sampson’s troops from being seeded no.1 The best defensive rating in the land will be tested this year but will take some beating.
Led by the big Canadian hope in Zach Edey, Purdue will want to make up for last year when they crashed out in the first round of the tournament. At 7-foot-4, Edey has the tools at his disposal to lead the Boilermakers to glory. Can they go all the way?
Reaching the Elite Eight back in 2010 remains Tennessee’s best performance in March Madness to date, but Rick Barnes will be confident of leading this team much deeper. The performances of Dalton Knecht at point guard will be key, with the Vols boasting one of the meanest defences in the country.
A 78-65 defeat at the hands of the Trojans is hardly the ideal prep heading into March Madness, but head coach Tommy Lloyd insists that result was a blip – nothing more. Arizona’s problem this season has been their away form, but with the tournament taking place on their home patch, this problem is eliminated.
In RJ David, Armando Bacot and Harrison Ingram, North Carolina boast some of the most talented players in the entire March Madness tournament. Can three men lead a team to glory? Absolutely. In all likelihood, they’ll need someone else to step up, and Hubert Davis will be confident in his ability to bring the best out of this team.
In 1985, the March Madness tournament expanded to 64 teams, making the odds of a perfect March Madness bracket even more difficult.
In terms of March Madness upsets, UMBC’s 74-54 victory over no.1 seed Virginia in 2018 has to take top spot. Before then, no 16-seed had beaten the top dogs in 135 attempts, but UMBC made a mockery of their 20.5 underdog odds, winning by a staggering 20 point margin.
The first NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament was in 1939, with the Oregon Ducks beating Ohio State 46-33 after an impressive 29-5 season.
Only eight teams have won the March Madness title on three or more occasions, but there is one particular team that reigns supreme.
Despite not winning the tournament since 1995, UCLA are the only team to have won double-digit NCAA titles, with 11 to their name. Their dominance was unrivalled in the 1960s and 70s, winning ten of a possible 12 titles from 1964 to 1975.
Kentucky are next on the list with eight March Madness triumphs to date. Their success has been much more spread out, with victories in the 1940s, 50s, 70s, 90 and 2010s.
North Carolina (six) and Duke (five) are the only two teams to have won three March Madness titles since the turn of the Millennium, with Indiana also boasting five titles despite not tasting success since 1987.
70 years span between Kansas’ first triumph in 1952 and their latest in 2022, while Connecticut is arguably the most successful side of recent times with four victories between 1999 and 2014 being followed up with another success in 2023.
Anyone who gets the “dunk” banned because they were too good at it has to top this list, and Lew Alcindor can boast of that as well as being the only player to be named NCAA’s Most Outstanding Player three years in a row. Oh, and he also won the championship three times on the spin while at UCLA. Not far behind is Christian Laettner who holds the record for the most March Madness points in history (407), so he simply has to feature. He also score the winning hoop in the best game in NCAA history, but more of that shortly.
Bill Walton was a huge factor in UCLA going 88 games unbeaten in that great side of the 1970s. He was named outstanding player in 1972 and 73 and even went 21 for 22 in the 73 final over Memphis State.
As mentioned above, Laettner also gave us the greatest moment in the greatest college game ever played. His last-second shot to seal a 104-103 win for Duke against rivals Kentucky will live long in the memory of anyone in attendance.
In 1995, UCLA were on the brink of elimination before Tyus Edney ran the length of the court with less than five seconds on the buzzer to take them through to eventually win their unprecedented 11th title. Of course, Michael Jordan’s famous jump shot in 1982 won the championship for North Carolina with only 15 seconds remaining. It’s a shame he didn’t amount to much in the professional ranks…
GET YOUR $400 SPORTS WELCOME BONUS
College basketball betting
The College Basketball Playoffs, commonly referred to as March Madness, are some of the most exciting playoffs in all of sports due to the unpredictable nature of the tournament. The top 68 teams in the nation earn a coveted spot in the prestigious competition either by winning their conference championship or getting chosen by the selection committee as at-large bids. The eventual winner is decided through a single-elimination bracket format tournament. There are 32 conference champions that receive automatic bids and 36 at-large selections whose participation is determined by the committee. We’ll get you ready for betting on the March Madness odds board by discussing the different bet types available to you to enhance your college basketball betting experience this spring.
College Basketball Spreads
When it comes to the college basketball betting lines, spread betting is the most popular way to get in the action. With spread betting, the team that is favoured to win the game is given a certain number of points that they have to win by to be considered a winning bet. This is called the spread, and the odds of betting on either team using the spread are fairly even.
For example, if Virginia is playing Auburn after both teams have gotten through their first two round matchups, the Sweet 16 spread might be something like this:
Virginia Cavaliers -7.5
Auburn Tigers +7.5
The negative sign means that Virginia is a 7.5-point favourite over Auburn. In order for a Virginia point spread bet to pay out, they would have to cover the spread by winning by 8 or more points. Auburn, on the other hand, would have to win the game or lose by no more than 7 points for a Tigers bet to win. If the NCAA tournament lines have deemed Virginia as a flat 8-point favourite and they win by exactly 8 points, the bet is considered a push and you would get your initial bet returned to you, regardless of which team you wagered on.
You also have the option to “buy points” with March Madness betting. In the above example, if you believe the spread is right where it should be, you can pay a small premium to buy a half-point and have the odds shift from -7.5 to -7 if betting on Virginia, or from +7.5 to +8 if betting on Auburn. The odds might shift from -110 to -120, however, so you would have to pay $120 (instead of $110 if you don’t buy points) to win $100. Buying points increases your chances of getting your money back.
Sometimes, the two teams are so even that the March Madness lines will have no favourite and thus no point spread. This is called a Pick ‘Em game, which essentially results in a moneyline bet due to the lack of a spread.
College Basketball Betting the Moneyline
Some bettors enjoy betting the moneyline due to its simplicity. With a moneyline bet, you are betting on one thing only – which team will win the game. Because of a lack of point spread, the odds themselves change to reflect the likelihood of each team winning the tilt. A bet on the underdog pays out more, while a safer bet on the favourite would require a premium. Using the above example and assuming Virginia got through Auburn in the Elite 16 round and are now facing Ohio State, the Elite 8 odds for the moneyline may look like this:
Virginia Cavaliers -265
Ohio State Buckeyes +225
If you’re betting on Virginia, you have to wager $265 to win $100, as they’re the favourites. Ohio State, on the other hand, will pay out more if the bet is a winner, returning $225 on an initial risk of $100. Moneyline betting is an easy way to get into the action if you’re a beginner, or simply prefer wagering on the game outcome straight up.
College Basketball Over Under Betting
The Over/Under betting (also known as total betting) is another simple form of betting that makes the March Madness experience more enjoyable. You can bet on the total number of points scored in the game or half. For example, if Ohio State pulled off the upset over Virginia and is now facing their Big 10 rival Michigan State, the Final Four odds may have the total set at 159 total points. You can bet the Under and root for a sloppy, turnover-prone game with excellent defence, or the Over and hope for a plethora of made three-pointers with defenders missing most of their assignments. If you enjoy predicting the total number of points scored, this wager is right up your alley.
College Basketball Futures Betting
As opposed to betting on the outcome of a single game, futures betting allows you to bet on a macro level by predicting how a certain team might do during the season, or how far they will go in the playoffs. This includes wagering on NCAA Championship odds. You can bet during the regular season or once the tournament has begun, with the odds constantly updating throughout the season and the playoffs.
For example, if you believe Virginia’s odds to win NCAA Championship provide great value at +2200, you can make that bet and hope for the Cavaliers to bring home the bacon. If you’re a big picture sports fan, you should consider NCAA futures betting.
March Madness Prop Bets – What is a Prop Bet?
Prop betting is another exciting way to stay engaged during March Madness that allows you to wager on events that are related to the game(s) but may not necessarily impact the final result. These betting options could be anything from tournament MVP or how many points a certain player will score to more fun and even silly events like whether the total points scored in a game will be an odd or even number.
Continuing with our Ohio State vs. Michigan State example, a prop bet could be the total number of points the Spartans get from their top scorer, Miles Bridges, in their Final Four matchup. The total might be set at 19.5 points, for example, so if you believe he’ll explode in the biggest game of his career, you would take the Over. If you’re a detail-oriented bettor, prop betting might be for you.
NCAAB Picks and Parlays – What is a Parlay Bet?
NCAAB parlay betting is the ability to combine multiple bets into one. This bet results in higher winnings than if the bets were made individually because bet profits are reinvested into the next
Using the Virginia/Ohio State matchup from above, let’s suppose the odds are as follows:
Moneyline Odds:
Virginia Cavaliers -265;
Ohio State Buckeyes +225
Total Points Scored:
Over 132 (-110)
Under 132 (-110)
Let’s say you believe Virginia will win the game, but for them to do this, it has to be a low scoring game. Their offense simply isn’t potent enough to win otherwise. If you wager $50 on each outcome individually ($100 total), you will end up with $164.32: your initial $100 investment and a profit of $64.32. However, if you parlay the two bets together, you’ll have amassed $262.95, which includes a profit of $162.95. Just like the principle of compounding interest/returns, your profits look much better in a parlay bet.
Unsurprisingly, these bets are also riskier, as all of your bets need to win in order for the parlay to be successful. If betting on multiple events is your cup of tea, you should check out parlay betting for higher rewards.
March Madness Teaser Bets – What is a Teaser Bet?
Teaser bets are like buying points and parlay betting rolled into one. You can adjust the odds with a teaser bet in your favour by 4, 4.5, 5, or 6 points when betting on multiple outcomes in the same bet. The higher the teaser amount, the more of a premium you have to pay for the higher probability of winning the wager.
Let’s suppose you’re interested in two Sweet 16 games and the NCAA tournament lines have the following:
Virginia Cavaliers -7.5 (-110)
Auburn Tigers +7.5 (-110)
Villanova Wildcats -5 (-110)
Oklahoma Sooners +5 (-110)
You believe that Virginia’s defence is too much for Auburn and that Villanova’s defence will effectively zero-in on the Sooner scoring machine Trae Young, making him a non-factor in the contest. However, you want to feel a bit more comfortable about making the wager. You can place a 4-point teaser bet on Virginia and Villanova, shifting their odds to -3.5 and -1 respectively. The payout will be even odds, which is less of a return than if you didn’t buy the extra points.
If you enjoy having a bit of a cushion and don’t mind foregoing the higher earnings you could have with a regular parlay bet, you may decide to opt for some teaser action.
March Maddness Live Betting
Many of the betting types described above aren’t only available before the game has started – you can place the wagers as the game is going on as well. With live betting, odds shift based on what’s happened in the game so far and if you catch them at the right time, it could yield a hefty payout. For example, if Virginia is down by 12 points to Auburn at halftime but you believe they’re a great second-half team and will make a comeback after the break, you can buy them while their odds are down. Their pre-game odds may have been -330 but are now +145. Live betting is typically available for bets such as spread, moneyline, and points total betting to name a few.
March Madness Betting Tips
When deciding which teams or outcomes to bet on, it might seem tempting to bet on underdogs and long shots, as the payoff for these wagers is higher. While that’s certainly the case, remember that it’s higher for a reason – these events are less likely to happen than the bets that have a minus sign in front of them. Professional bettors win more frequently betting on the favourites. The profit won’t blow you away, but you might come out with more cash in the end.
Another good guideline to follow is to combine events that are likely to happen, like betting on Virginia coupled with a low points total in the example described earlier. If you can bet on events that have a higher probability of occurring if another event takes place (ex. a star has to score many points for his team to win), it might be a good idea to place a parlay bet on the outcomes.
Bodog offers a wide variety of betting options for this year’s tournament, so make sure you check out all the College Basketball lines before deciding on your ultimate betting strategy. There are many fun bets you can make to supplement your college basketball watching experience, so make sure to take advantage of everything our sportsbook has to offer. Happy betting.
March Madness Odds FAQs
Has There Ever Been Odds for a Perfect March Madness Bracket?
In 2019, a man from Ohio correctly predicted the entire tournament into the Sweet 16.
Yes. As it stands, UMBC is the only team to ever beat a no.1 seed when they triumphed over Virginia in 2018.
He did not. Michael Jordan and Steph Curry are two names who performed exceptionally in college before turning to the pro ranks, but Lebron James was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers straight out of high school.
Just once. In 2008, Kansas, North Carolina, UCLA and Memphis were all ranked as no.1 seeds and made it to the final four.
It’s a difficult feat, but it has been done. San Francisco, North Carolina, UCLA and Indiana are the only four teams to take a perfect record into March Madness and lift the trophy.
John Wooden won ten championships between 1964 and 1975 during that incredible UCLA period of dominance.
