College Basketball Betting Lines: A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding and Using Them

College basketball is one of the most popular sports to bet on in the United States, and betting on the point spread is one of the most common ways to do so. The point spread is a number that is set by oddsmakers to handicap the game and make it more even. The favorite team is given a negative point spread, while the underdog is given a positive point spread.

For example, if the Duke Blue Devils are playing the North Carolina Tar Heels and Duke is a 7-point favorite, then Duke would need to win by 8 or more points in order for you to win your bet if you bet on them. If you bet on North Carolina, they would need to either win the game outright or lose by 6 points or less for you to win your bet.

How to Read a College Basketball Betting Line

In addition to the point spread, there are a few other things that you need to know how to read on a college basketball betting line:

• The moneyline: This is the odds of either team winning the game outright. The favorite will have a negative moneyline, while the underdog will have a positive moneyline.
• The over/under: This is the total number of points that oddsmakers predict will be scored in the game. You can bet on whether the total number of points scored will be over or under this number.

Using College Basketball Betting Lines to Your Advantage

Once you understand how to read a college basketball betting line, you can start using it to your advantage. Here are a few tips:

• Do your research: The more you know about the teams and players involved in a game, the better equipped you'll be to make informed betting decisions.
• Shop around for the best lines: Different sportsbooks will offer different lines on the same game, so it's important to shop around for the best ones.
• Manage your bankroll: It's important to set a budget for yourself and stick to it. Don't bet more than you can afford to lose.

Stories

Here are a few stories that illustrate how college basketball betting lines can be used to your advantage:

• In 2019, a bettor in Las Vegas placed a $50 bet on the University of Virginia to win the NCAA Tournament at odds of 40-1. Virginia ended up winning the tournament, and the bettor collected a payout of $2,000.
• In 2018, a group of friends in Ohio pooled their money to bet on the University of Kentucky to win the national championship at odds of 3-1. Kentucky ended up winning the title, and the friends split a payout of $12,000.
• In 2017, a single mother in New Jersey bet her last $100 on the University of North Carolina to win the NCAA Tournament at odds of 100-1. North Carolina ended up winning the tournament, and the woman collected a payout of $10,000.

These stories show that it is possible to make money betting on college basketball, but it is important to do your research and manage your bankroll wisely.

Effective Strategies

There are a number of effective strategies that you can use to improve your chances of winning when betting on college basketball. Here are a few of the most popular:

• Fading the public: The public often bets on the favorite team, so fading the public can be a profitable strategy.
• Betting on underdogs: Underdogs are often undervalued by oddsmakers, so betting on them can be a good way to find value.
• Using live betting: Live betting allows you to bet on a game while it is in progress. This can be a good way to take advantage of line movement and get better odds.

Pros and Cons

There are both pros and cons to betting on college basketball. Here are a few of the most important ones:

Pros:

• It can be a lot of fun: Betting on college basketball can be a great way to add excitement to the games.
• It can be profitable: If you do your research and manage your bankroll wisely, you can make money betting on college basketball.
• It's easy to get started: There are a number of websites and sportsbooks that make it easy to get started betting on college basketball.

Cons:

• It can be addictive: Betting on college basketball can be addictive, so it's important to set a budget for yourself and stick to it.
• It can be risky: There is always the risk of losing money when you bet on college basketball.
• It can be time-consuming: If you want to be successful betting on college basketball, you need to do your research and follow the games closely.

FAQs

Here are a few of the most frequently asked questions about college basketball betting lines:

• What is the point spread? The point spread is a number that is set by oddsmakers to handicap the game and make it more even. The favorite team is given a negative point spread, while the underdog is given a positive point spread.
• What is the moneyline? The moneyline is the odds of either team winning the game outright. The favorite will have a negative moneyline, while the underdog will have a positive moneyline.
• What is the over/under? The over/under is the total number of points that oddsmakers predict will be scored in the game. You can bet on whether the total number of points scored will be over or under this number.
• How do I bet on college basketball? You can bet on college basketball at a sportsbook or online.
• Is it legal to bet on college basketball? It is legal to bet on college basketball in most states, but there are some restrictions.

I hope this article has helped you to better understand college basketball betting lines. If you have any other questions, please feel free to leave a comment below.

Tables

Table 1: College Basketball Betting Lines for the 2023 NCAA Tournament

Table 2: College Basketball Betting Trends

Table 3: College Basketball Betting Resources