At the beginning of the week, all of the talk is about the prospects of Gonzaga. For many media members and fans, this is the year of the Bulldogs. But the Zags do not have an easy bracket. Nor do they have the experience of coming out of a tough conference. Thus, Gonzaga is likely overrated with the College Basketball lines. To be exact, this leads to some interesting betting angles. Another storyline is how this is Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final season and NCAA Tournament. But the Blue Devils come out of a relatively weak ACC.
2022 NCAA Tournament March Madness Betting Angles
| Date and Time: | March 15 through April 4, 2022 |
|---|---|
| TV Coverage: | CBS and its Affiliates |
March Madness Championship odds at SBG
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Gonzaga Bulldogs | +350 |
| Arizona Wildcats | +643 |
| Kentucky Wildcats | +762 |
| Duke Blue Devils | +1050 |
| Baylor Bears | +1175 |
| Kansas Jayhawks | +1275 |
| Auburn Tigers | +1375 |
| Purdue Boilermakers | +1425 |
| Texas Tech Red Raiders | +1900 |
| Villanova Wildcats | +2150 |
| UCLA Bruins | +2500 |
| All Other Teams | +3375 or higher |
The Ultimate Angle – Conference Strength
For most of the season, the SEC was getting a lot of offshore bookmaker praise as the best conference in college basketball. But the SEC did not get favorable seedings or extra love on Selection Sunday.
Certainly, Auburn is going to get a lot of public love. Perhaps the biggest star, player or coach, of March Madness, Coach Bruce Pearl. But with that comes another betting angle; Which teams are the casual fans going to unload on. And that leads to major concerns about Auburn being overpriced with square money.
Auburn status is in stark contrast to Kentucky. On the whole, the Wildcats come from the classic beaten favorite class. Much of the public has soured on coach John Calipari and the Wildcats. And that is EXACTLY why this might be the best time to take a flier on Kentucky. Correlate the old investment adage about “buy low and sell high.”
A B1G Threat
The Big Ten is always praised as the best conference in college basketball. But that was not the case for much of the year. Yet on Selection Sunday, the Big Ten wound up with nine teams in the Big Dance. With that comes the respect of any team from the Big Ten. Cause by the fact that such teams are battle tested. There is not going to be much that rattles a Big Ten team. They have already faced the best and toughest teams in the country on a nightly basis.
Wisconsin and Illinois powered to the Big Ten regular season title. By contrast, Iowa won over Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament championship. Depth is the marquee of the Big Ten. Thus, all of its teams merit consideration.
Pac-ing Heat
And then there is what could be the most underrated conference with the College basketball lines. The Pac-12 Conference boasts three power teams in Arizona, UCLA, and USC. First, Arizona emerged as the biggest surprise in the country. To illuminate, the Wildcats were sold as a rebuilding team. Instead, they won the Pac-12 regular season and tournament championships. Of course, UCLA is the ultimate blue blood brand of the Pac-12. And USC is a football school that happens to excel at basketball.
Big 12 Sleeper
Last year Baylor shocked the college basketball world to win the national championship. But this year, the Bears are being ignored. Despite winning a share of the Big 12 regular season title. It is true that Baylor is a #1 seed. Yet gamblers are not treating them as such. Can anyone say sleeper?