There are some terrific options when it comes to March Madness point spreads.
Point spread betting involves not only picking the winner or loser of a particular matchup, but also determining what the final point spread will be.
There are several tips to remember when betting against the spread on NCAA Tournament games, and there are some great advantages to spread betting as well.
Since there are only two games in this phase of the championship, our advice is to consider spread bets on North Carolina State and UConn.
North Carolina is a true Cinderella story of this year’s Championship, so there’s a chance they won’t give up so easily and make their game against Purdue a close one. The Boilermakers are big favorites, so the spread is -9.5 according to FanDuel. On the other hand, UConn is an even bigger favorite against Alabama, so they should cover their spread (-11.5)
Jump toTips For March Madness Spread Betting
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when trying to find great value in March Madness point spreads. Consider this market when betting on the March Madness Championship too.
Look For Big Underdogs:
The NCAA Tournament is full of historic upsets and dramatic finishes, and underdogs become fan favorites in March. When trying to determine which games to bet on, try to find teams that are big underdogs in terms of the point spread.
Lower-seeded teams tend to rise to the occasion in March, and they routinely keep the game much closer than experts expect. Even if a Cinderella team is not able to deliver an upset, they will be able to keep the spread close, which can make you a winner.
Watch For Line Movement:
Point spread lines move for a number of reasons, and it’s not uncommon for them to move several times before the games begin. Keep an eye on these lines, and make your March Madness betting when you think the spread is in your favor.
There is always a reason that betting lines move, and it’s your job to try and diagnose why it is happening. Sometimes, making a bet when the lines officially open can be the best time to take advantage of a point spread, while other times, it is better to wait until right before the game begins.
Look at Previous Games:
If you are going to be a successful bettor against the spread, then you are going to need to do some research. The best place to start is by looking at previous games for each team, and try to identify some trends.
For example, consider what happened during Sweet 16 betting rounds for the matchups on Elite 8 betting.
It doesn’t mean that these trends are going to continue into this game, but you need to find some information to use as ammo before making any bets.
Live Betting Options:
Sportsbooks such as PointsBet, FanDuel, BetMGM, and BetRivers have live or in-play betting, and they will offer plenty of betting opportunities against the spread. You will be able to follow along with the game and make a bet against the spread when you feel that you can predict how a game is going to end up.
You will also be able to hedge some earlier bets if you take advantage of live against-the-spread betting opportunities.
Advantages of Point Spread Betting
There are plenty of advantages to point spread betting, and we have highlighted a few of them below. This is not a complete list, but these are a few of the best reasons to bet against the spread on NCAA Tournament games.
Can Root For Underdogs:
If you fill out a March Madness bracket, then you know that an underdog or Cinderella team can ruin everything for you. The beauty of point spread betting is that you can not only root for the underdog teams, but you can win some money off of them as well.
The point spread evens things out, and you don’t even need the underdog team to win the game to make some money off of them. The NCAA Tournament is full of this kind of story every year, and you can take the points and root for them to knock off the top seeds.
Alive to Final Horn:
Another advantage of point spread betting is that you are never really out of a bet until the final buzzer sounds. Making a moneyline bet might be more profitable if you nail a few underdog teams, but those bets can also be “over” before the full 40 minutes.
Betting against the spread keeps you in the bet for a much longer period of time, and you will be rooting for the spread as opposed to rooting for the winner or loser.
Same Odds For Each Outcome:
Sportsbooks will usually offer March Madness odds at -110 for each side of a point spread bet, which can take some of the decision-making out of the process for you. You aren’t forced to try and search for the biggest return for your bet, and you can just determine how large or small the point spread is going to be.
It would be even better if you can find a sportsbook that offers lines at -105 for each side, which can give you more return if you win.
March Madness Point Spreads FAQs
If Duke and Syracuse are playing and Duke is favored to win the game, then the point spread will be -10 to bet on Duke. On the other side, the point spread for Syracuse will be +10. So if Duke wins the game with a final score of 71 – 60 (difference of 11 points) then Duke covers the point spread of -10 because 71 – 10 = 61, which is still greater than 60.
A push in point spreads means that the two teams hit the spread exactly. So in the Duke vs Syracuse example, if the final score of that game was Duke winning 70 – 60 the exact difference there is 10 points and that was the point spread. In this case, you get back the money you bet, with no profit, but also no loss.
This is why you will see odds like -10.5 because that extra .5 points removes the possibility of a push.
Sportsbooks usually have similar point spreads in order to remain competitive with one another. So instead look out for special offers.
