Finding the best lines is key to a strong college basketball betting strategy. Any college hoops bettor looking to maximize value should use multiple sportsbooks to compare odds.
This practice is known as “line shopping.”
Below, we explain how to line-shop and other aspects of betting on college basketball lines. We also provide the latest odds for NCAA basketball games as posted at the best college basketball betting sites.
NCAA basketball odds
Check the latest college basketball game lines below. If you see odds that catch your eye, click them to visit the corresponding sportsbook.
NCAA basketball championship odds
Below are the most recent lines for teams expected to contend for the NCAA championship. You can click any of the odds to visit that sportsbook, where you can sign up for a new account and collect your welcome bonus. See the best March Madness betting sites.
How to bet on college basketball
Betting on NCAA basketball requires you to have an account any of the top online betting sites. To sign up, follow these simple steps:
- Pick a sportsbook: Choosing a sportsbook doesn’t have to be a complicated process. We have reviews on the major sportsbooks designed to help you assess the pros and cons of each. Once you’ve decided which sportsbook best fits your needs, you can follow the link from our site to begin the sign-up process.
- Complete the form: On the homepage of the sportsbook you’ve chosen, click the ‘sign up’ or ‘register’ button. You’ll then be asked to provide personal information such as your name, address, email address, last four digits of your Social Security number, and more. Then, accept the sportsbook’s terms and conditions.
- Accept your welcome bonus: Now that you’ve created an account, you can accept the sportsbook’s sign-up bonus. If you need to input a specific sports betting bonus or promo code, which you can find right here, you can do that now. Read through the terms for the bonus, so you’re aware of any requirements or restrictions.
- Fund your account: To bet, you’ll need to make a deposit. Legal sportsbooks should offer many methods to do so, and these methods should usually work for withdrawals, too.
- Start betting: Browse your options until you find the bet you want to make. Click to add it to your bet slip. You can then adjust the amount you plan on wagering and finalize your bet slip to submit it.
Remember to create an account with a legal and regulated online sportsbook. Offshore books may look like legitimate sites, but they are free from oversight and regulation. Thus, if something goes wrong, such as fraud or theft, you have no legal recourse to protect yourself.
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Shopping lines for college basketball games
Shopping lines for the best possible return on your wagers is a smart part of any betting strategy. If you plan on betting on college basketball, line shopping to compare odds is easy and beneficial.
There are a couple of different ways you can go about line shopping. It can be as easy as using our odds feed, located above, to compare lines from multiple sportsbooks in one place. Another approach is to have accounts at multiple sportsbooks and compare the odds by visiting each one.
No matter how you go about line shopping, you’ll see benefits in the form of better odds. Sportsbooks adjust lines based on different factors, such as public betting or new information, and those odds adjustments can lead to better profits for you.
Best college basketball bets
Here is a look at some of the most common bets you can make on NCAA basketball games.
- Point spread: Here, you’re picking game winners, but with a preset margin of victory involved. For instance, if you wager on Wisconsin to beat Rutgers at -3.5 (-110), then Wisconsin must win by four or more points for you to see a return. If the Badgers win by three points or fewer, you're out of luck. With -110 odds, if Wisconsin surpasses the spread (win by four or more), you'd earn a profit of $100 in addition to your initial $110 wager.
- Moneyline: Here, you’re picking game winners with no spread involved. Place your bet on the favored Duke to beat North Carolina at -190, and if Duke emerges victorious, you'll need to bet $190 to win $100. Conversely, if you back the underdog North Carolina Tar Heels at +160, and they come out on top, you'll receive $160 on a $100 wager.
- Over/under: This is a bet on whether the combined score of a game will exceed or fall short of a specified number set by the bookmaker. For instance, you could wager on the over or the under for a combined score of Duke and North Carolina reaching 145.5 points. Typically, over/under odds are -110 (or close to that).
- Parlays: These encompass merging multiple bets into a single stake. The odds are more favorable than for standalone wagers, but all selections must be successful to reap a profit. Pool moneyline wagers, for example, and your potential earnings exceed placing bets on each match independently, provided your teams triumph.
- Teasers: In a teaser, you combine several spread wagers into one parlay and tweak the spreads more favorably for yourself. For instance, bring together UCLA (-4.5) against Stanford and Duke (-6.5) against North Carolina. You might modify the UCLA spread to -1.5 and Duke's to -3.5. Those lines are easier for you to cover if you’re backing the favorites. Odds, of course, will be reduced.
- Futures: Examples include wagering on a team to clinch the NCAA men's championship or to secure a conference crown. Consider backing Kentucky to lift the NCAA men's trophy at +1300 odds or lodge a futures wager on the Michigan Wolverines at +1900 odds, standing to claim a substantial payout if they triumph.
- Props: A player prop could mean placing a bet on a standout player, such as Duke's point guard to register more than 10 assists in a specific match at -115 odds. If he accomplishes this feat, you could pocket $100 if you bet $115. There are also team-based prop bets.
NCAA basketball live betting
Live betting, also known as in-game or in-play betting, allows you to place bets in real time during an NCAA men's basketball game. As the game progresses, odds and bet options change, providing ever-evolving chances to wager.
Many bettors prefer using one of the best sportsbook apps for live betting. These apps allow users to monitor changing odds once a game starts. Designed for swift decisions, they let you bet quickly on odds you like.
This type of betting lets you adjust based on game developments, either to safeguard previous bets or to take advantage of promising situations. It adds an exciting twist to traditional sports betting, adapting to each game's momentum.
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