With February nearly halfway done, basketball fans are revving up for March Madness. The annual NCAA Division I tournament is one of the biggest draws in American basketball, next to the NBA. Many fans have gone on record saying they prefer the passion of the young athletes, who are hungry to prove themselves and become professionals one day.
Of course, when a sporting event gains massive popularity, the bettors need to catch up. And there certainly are a lot of bettors backing the NCAA Division I competition. Every year, bookmakers put painstaking effort into creating the best possible odds for March Madness and allow their customers to win some cash and have some fun.
And with the rise in popularity of online sports betting and the federal law legalizing the practice throughout the country, the number of bettors has undoubtedly increased in America. So, if you want to take steps to bet on March Madness online, we might provide some tips and tricks to help you in your endeavor.
The Teams to Lookout For
It still needs to be too early to commit to any team fully. However, quite a few bookies have agreed on a list of groups with the best odds. The Houston Cougars are definitely at the top of the list. Most bookies consider them the undisputed favorite to win the tournament this year. Last season, the Cougars lived up to their name, playing ferociously and decimating some mighty teams. They’ve also done quite well for themselves in the lead-up to the tournament, getting the number 2 rank nationwide.
The Purdue Boilermakers are also in the running. This may strike many of you as obvious. After all, Purdue is currently the top-ranked team in the nation. Out of the 24 matches they played in the Big Ten tournament, they’ve only lost 2. Led by Zach Edey, the Boilermakers currently hold the second spot in Adjusted offense and are the 12th-best in scoring.
Apart from these two teams, others worth paying attention to are Gonzaga, North Carolina, and Kentucky, all of whom have done quite well for themselves and are high-ranked regarding bookmaker odds.
Athletes to Bet On
A good money-line bet is always attractive. It is simple, easy to understand, and quite popular, which is why most newbies are attracted to the money line. However, there is a wide variety of bets that you might find just as exciting and entertaining.
For example, a prop bet is a thing you need to shake up your betting. For those who aren’t aware, prop betting involves placing bets on the performance of given players. We already talked about Zach Edey, a player worth keeping an eye out for. However, he is not the only one.
Drew Timme plays power forward for the Gonzaga Bulldogs and is one to pay close attention to. Top of the list for the second year in a row, Time averaged 18 points and close to 7 rebounds last season. And his skills have only improved since then. So, he is one to keep an eye on.
Another player to watch out for is Oscar Tshiebwe, a Congolese ball player running with the Kentucky Wildcats. Last season, Tshiebwe became the fifth Wildcat to win the national player of the year award and has proven himself an unstoppable force on the court.
Other athletes worth a glance are Marcus Sasses from Houston, Trayce Jackson-Davis, who is playing for Indiana, Kendric Davis, definitely Memphis’ best player, and Caleb Love from North Carolina. All the players mentioned are excellent and have a bright future ahead.
Bet Wisely
The final tip may seem rather obvious, but it is worth mentioning. Betting is a hobby that involves staking your cash. You shouldn’t be placing bets willy-nilly or based on things like “favorite teams” or “guts.” Instead, look over the statistics, records, former games, and scores, and make an educated bet on the team with the best odds.
Odds are not the be-all or end-all. However, they are good guidelines. Other things to consider are the court, weather, team morale, each player’s skill, and how it meshes with the line-up. So, for our last tip, we advise any newcomer to iGaming to bet wisely and have all the facts before they place a single bet.
Conclusion
Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the United States. Whether it be professional teams like the Golden State Warriors or college teams like all the ones mentioned in this article, the American population gets deeply passionate about the sport. This article can help any newcomer to the game make better decisions when placing bets.
