Tuesday, March 14, 2023

Mad about March: How To Bet College Basketball (🏀 Using Pitt vs. Mississippi St. Play-In Game As A Sample 🏀)

(Note: If you know zero about men's college basketball, wanting to bet on the NCAA Tournament, while very tempting for all type of bettors this time of year, is like betting Zach Edey that you can dunk over him. 😁 😁 😁.)

Otherwise, all the betting action on the hardwood is about to reach a different level as the start of the NCAA Tournament offers plenty of games to bet on -- starting Tuesday night with two play-in games (SE Missouri State vs. Texas A&M-CC, Pittsburgh vs. Mississippi State). 

Here is a quick rundown (using Pittsburgh vs. Mississippi State as a sample down below) of three simple bets you can make on any college basketball game, including the still-popular point spread bet. (With legal sports betting now available in a number of states, you can create an account with sportsbooks such as DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM, among others. Select the sportsbook you feel most comfortable with, and bet responsibly.) 

College Basketball Point Spread Bet

The point spread bet offers bettors a chance to bet on a college basketball team to 'cover the spread' at around even money on most occasions. If Mississippi State, let's say, is favored by 3 points over Pittsburgh, that would mean the Bulldogs would have to beat the Panthers by at least 4 points for those betting on MSU to cash their bets. The underdog Panthers, meanwhile, would just have to stay within 2 points of Mississippi State for its bettors to cash their bets. 

(The favorite is listed with a ➖ sign before the point spread, while the underdog has a + sign next to it's name. A vig (juice price) is determined by your sportsbook of choice.)

College Basketball Moneyline Bet

A moneyline bet requires a team to win a game straight up. For example, the underdog Panthers are currently priced at/or around (+118) at a variety of sportsbooks. If you bet the Panthers to beat the Bulldogs, you would have to risk $100 to win a total of $218 ($118 profit per every $100). A moneyline bet on Mississippi State (-140) would require you risk $140 to win $100 ($100 profit per every $140 bet on the Bulldogs). 

Slam dunk: A $100 moneyline bet tonight on the Pittsburgh Panthers (+118) would would return any college basketball bettor a total of $218 (with a profit of $118).  

College Basketball Point Total (O/U) Bet 

The point total, simply known as the Over/Under, is a relatively easy bet to make when it comes to college basketball, in this case, as sportsbooks set a line of points projected to be scored in a given game.

For example, if the Over/Under point total for Pittsburgh vs. Mississippi State is 133 those betting the 'Over' would need both teams to score a combined total of 134 points to cash their respective bets. Bettors looking for a defensive struggle would need both teams to combine for 132 points or less to cash their bets at the window. (Note: Like the point spread, the odds for Over/Under bets are routinely set at (-110), whether you bet a game to go Over or Under the total.

(Check your favorite sportsbook for updated college basketball odds, point spreads, moneylines, etc.)



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