College basketball is one of the most popular sports in the United States, and there are plenty of ways to wager on it to add even more excitement to the game.
Whether you’re betting on moneylines, spreads, and totals all season long or just making futures bets on a team to win the NCAA Tournament, there’s a wager for every college basketball enthusiast.
Just like with other sports, excelling in college basketball betting requires thorough research. It is vital to stay on top of the latest injury news, while also gathering a basic knowledge of historical data and trends.
With that insight and a touch of good fortune, bettors can relish in the excitement of college basketball betting while potentially reaping profits along the way.
How to Bet on College Basketball Odds
NCAAB Moneyline Betting
A moneyline wager is the simplest college basketball bet you can place. Essentially, you are just backing one team to win a specific game.
For this type of bet, the team you wager on can win by one point or by 30. As long as the outcome is a victory, your bet is successful.
However, since each game has its own unique circumstances, the odds will vary for each matchup.
Before any given game, the sportsbook will assign odds to each team based on its perceived chances of winning the game. Various factors like home-court advantage, team strength, and historical trends will affect which team is favored to win.
The favored team will have negative odds, while the underdog will have positive odds.
For example, if Duke is playing against North Carolina, and Duke is a -175 favorite, a $175 bet on Duke would net $100 if they win. Conversely, if North Carolina is the underdog at +125, a successful $100 bet on North Carolina would yield $125 if the Tar Heels win.
Moneyline betting is suitable for beginners or those seeking a straightforward betting experience.
However, it’s essential to note that odds reflect the perceived likelihood of winning, meaning favorites have lower odds, requiring a larger investment for a smaller return, while underdogs have plus-money odds, offering the potential for a higher payout with a smaller wager.
NCAAB Spread Betting
In addition to posting the moneyline odds, sportsbooks will also assign a point spread to each college basketball game.
The spread signifies the projected point differential between two teams in a given game.
For instance, if Kentucky is favored by 7.5 points against Louisville, Kentucky is expected to win by about 7.5 points. If you back the Wildcats to cover the spread, they must win by eight points or more to cash your bet. Conversely, a bet on Louisville would win if the Cardinals lose by seven points or less or win the game outright.
College basketball spreads are generally presented with even odds on both teams (usually -110), making it a fair proponent to back either side.
However, this also makes it a tougher decision for the bettor and also helps the book take action on both sides.
NCAAB Totals Betting
College basketball totals betting doesn’t involve a team winning or losing the game. Instead, you’re wagering on the total number of points scored in a given contest.
These bets are also commonly known as Over/Under bets, as you have to pick either Over or Under the total number of combined points scored in the game.
- Want to bet on more basketball? Learn how to bet NBA odds.
For example, if Villanova is playing against Kansas, and the total assigned by the sportsbook is 145.5 points, you can bet on whether the two teams will score more or less than 145.5 combined points.
Several factors could contribute to the total number of points scored in a game. Some of the most popular stats to look at are pace, efficiency, free throw percentage, and many others.
However, there are often off-court factors to consider as well. Travel, rest, injuries, and odd venues (like playing in a football stadium) can also contribute to a game going Over or Under.
By considering a wide range of factors, bettors can make more informed decisions when it comes to betting on college basketball totals.
How else can I bet on College Basketball?
Let’s dig into some of the other ways to build your college basketball betting card.
NCAAB Futures Betting
College basketball futures bets are wagers on season-long outcomes. These include picking the winner of the NCAA Tournament, the player awarded the prestigious Wooden Award, or regular-season win totals for a specific team.
Most college basketball futures bets are placed during the offseason, but they can also be placed throughout the season until the outcomes are determined.
For example, you can bet on Gonzaga to win the NCAA Tournament or on a standout player like Purdue’s Zach Edey to win the Wooden Award.
While futures bets offer the potential for higher payouts, they also carry more risk since the outcomes are not immediate and can be influenced by various factors such as injuries, transfers, or coaching changes.
NCAAB Prop Betting
College basketball prop betting isn’t allowed in every legal U.S. sports betting state. However, those who are lucky enough to be able to bet on CBB props can add even more excitement to games by wagering on specific outcomes within the 40 minutes of play.
College basketball prop bets are generally split between team props and player props.
When it comes to CBB team props, you can wager on things like the Over/Under on the number of points you think that team will score or a team’s winning margin: how many points a team will win or lose by.
For CBB player props, you can wager on a wide variety of statistical categories, including points, rebounds, assists, three-pointers made, and more. As always, sportsbooks will assign odds and lines for each prop bet available.
College basketball prop betting provides a unique way for fans to profit off their favorite teams and players, making it a popular choice for many.
NCAAB Parlay Betting
If you’re interested in chasing a higher payout, college basketball parlay betting may be the best option for you.
As is the case with other sports, parlays allow bettors to combine multiple wagers into a single bet.
For example, you could bet on the outcomes of several games happening on the same day, combining moneyline, spread, or totals bets into one larger wager.
Some sportsbooks also offer same-game parlays, which allow you to combine multiple prop bets into a single parlay for a single game.
If you correctly predict each of all the individual bets within a parlay, you cash your bet. The payout for parlays is often larger because it is determined by the combined odds of each individual wager.
However, parlays also include increased risk since you have to hit every bet within a parlay for it to hit. If just one result goes the wrong way, the parlay fails, so be sure to manage your risk accordingly.
NCAAB Teaser Betting
College basketball teaser betting isn’t particularly common. However, it can be useful in various circumstances.
As is the case in other sports, teaser bets allow bettors to adjust the point spread or total in their favor by a standard number of points. This gives the wager a better chance of succeeding, but the tradeoff is worse odds.
Unlike football teasers, which typically adjust the spread by six or seven points, college basketball teasers allow for four to six points of movement in either direction.
This can be useful if you’re interested in pairing two large favorites, as you can bring down the spread from say 10 points to just six.
However, given the variance in basketball when it comes to scoring and blowouts, it’s generally best to avoid college basketball teasers.
NCAAB Round Robin Betting
A college basketball round robin is a variation of a parlay, but it offers more flexibility when it comes to losing one leg.
Round robins enable bettors to create multiple parlay bets at once, each consisting of a selection of individual plays.
For example, let’s say you want to bet on four underdog teams to win outright. Instead of parlaying all four teams together, you can bet a round robin by three, creating an assortment of parlays that encapsulate all the possible three-team parlay combinations.
So instead of a four-leg parlay that consists of Team A, B, C, & D, a round robin parlay gives you a bet on Team A, B, & C, another on Team A, B, & D, and a third on Team B, C, & D.
While round robin bets offer the opportunity to profit from multiple outcomes, bettors must manage the cost of their tickets and consider the different combinations of selected teams.