The secret is out though about the #12 seeds so don’t expect to find any bargains when you look at March Madness betting. Here is a look at each of those matchups for the 2010 NCAA Tournament which begins on Thursday.
March Madness betting might actually be more profitable on the 5 seeds in the 2010 NCAA Tournament. The oddsmakers have even admitted that they are shading the line a little bit towards the 12th seeded teams. For example, Butler is ranked 12th in the country and they have won 20 games in a row, yet they are just a 2.5 point favorite against UTEP. Butler is an experienced #5 seed and they probably should be favored by more than just a couple of points. The public is so in love with #12 seeds though that the oddsmakers had to make the number short.
Looking at the other three matchups in March Madness betting in this 5 vs. 12 game we find Michigan State against New Mexico State, Temple vs. Cornell and Texas A&M vs. Utah State. The only team that is getting respect as a #5 seed is Michigan State as they are laying double-digits in March Madness lines to New Mexico State. That might be the one game where the #5 seed is getting too much respect as the Spartans have not played well down the stretch. The other two games though have the 12 seeds getting way too much attention. Temple and Texas A&M are two teams that could go a long way in the NCAA Tournament. Both teams play excellent defense and have good head coaches. Look at the March Madness betting numbers though. Temple is laying just four points to an Ivy League team. Cornell may have had a good season but they don’t matchup with Temple. And A&M is laying only three points to Utah State. There was some question whether Utah State even belongs in the tournament at all and yet A&M is laying only three points.
This could be the year in March Madness betting where the fifth-seeded teams do well against the twelve seeds. Trends are always subject to change and this could be the year this matchup goes to the higher seeded team.