College Basketball – 2013 March Madness
March Madness is the craziest time of the year for college basketball fans and the peak of it of all is the initial round. If you love college basketball, then you love March Madness. 65 teams playing for one championship in a three-week span.
Those first two days are a whirlwind, but if don’t get caught up in the hype, there’s money to be made at the window.
Here are some other things to think about before you place a bet on March Madness NCAA basketball tournament.
- Bracket: You really need to know about all of the different March Madness predictions for the bracket so that you will be able to choose the team that has the best chance of winning the whole tournament. This seems like basic information – and it is – but you need to spend time gathering the data together.
- Odds & Lines: In addition to the brackets that are being predicted, you want to know the various odds and lines for all of the different teams that are in the running in 2013. While this is going to unfold as the 2012-2013 college basketball season unfolds, the more research you do on the teams, the better chance you’re going to have of placing a good bet.
A first stop is to handicap teams’ road and neutral site records both SU (straight-up) and ATS (against the spread). A college can be a monster on the season, but if they racked up most of their success because of their dominance at home, they could be overvalued in the NCAA Tournament.
Of the different pairings in the initial round, focus on the No. 5 seed vs. No. 12 seed matchups. For whatever reason, 33% of No. 12 seeds have won their opening round game against a No. 5 seed, making them good bets ATS (against the spread) at the same time. Usually, at least one No. 12 will win outright, and these colleges often have up to 10 points with which to work against the number.
Lower seeds at No. 10, No. 11, No. 12, and even at No. 13 can be solid wagers ATS (against the spread) as underdogs, especially if they’re champions from mid-major conferences going up against a non-champion from one of the power conferences. These colleges are champs for a reason, and the gap between the conferences is smaller than ever, especially in a one-game, winner-take-all format on a neutral site.
Generally speaking, side with small favorites, especially if they’re the lower seed. As well, make sure to handicap conference strength, and don’t discount the power of momentum. Teams playing well heading into the Big Dance are likely to keep it going, while colleges limping in are primed to fizzle out early.
Winning more March Madness opening round wagers is not an easy task, given so many games in such a short period of time. And it takes college basketball handicapping savvy to know how to manage your bankroll (while you win your bracket game).
