The second weekend of March Madness tips off on Saturday afternoon with the first slate of Sweet 16 games. Read below for a full breakdown of how BetRivers.com and PlaySugarHouse.com bettors are wagering on the upcoming NCAA Tournament games.
No. 1 seed Baylor has been a popular pick for bettors thus far, as the Bears ML was one of the top two strongest winning bets in each of the first two rounds (89% vs. Hartford, 81% vs. Wisconsin). Baylor faces No. 5 seed Villanova on Saturday, and bettors have made it the most wagered-on game of the Sweet 16 thus far. The public is backing Baylor with 75% of the ML handle and 83% of the spread handle. Baylor -6.5 is currently the most wagered-on game bet of the upcoming college basketball weekend.
Saturday’s second most popular game has upstart Oral Roberts trying to make history against No. 3 seed Arkansas by becoming the first ever No. 15 seed to advance to the Elite Eight. Arkansas ML is the second most wagered-on bet of the Sweet 16, but the public isn’t ignoring Oral Roberts either, as the Razorbacks are backed by 65% of the ML handle but just 42% of the ML bets. Oral Roberts +11.5 is the most wagered-on underdog spread bet of the Sweet 16 by total money, and the public has placed 60% of the spread handle and 78% of spread bets behind the Golden Eagles.
Saturday Sweet 16 Schedule (All times ET):
2:40 p.m: #8 Loyola-Chicago (-6.5, -295 ML) vs. #12 Oregon State (+235 ML). O/U 125.5
5:15 p.m.: #1 Baylor (-7.5, -315 ML) vs. #5 Villanova (+250 ML). O/U 141
7:25 p.m.: #3 Arkansas (-11.5, -625 ML) vs #15 Oral Roberts (+410 ML). O/U 159
9:55 p.m.: #2 Houston (-6, -250 ML) vs. #11 Syracuse (+200 ML). O/U 140.
No. 1 seed Gonzaga and No. 2 seed Alabama enter the weekend as the two heavy betting favorites to advance to the Elite Eight. More money is backing the Bulldogs to cover -13.5 against No. 5 seed Creighton than any other Sunday bet. The public is backing Gonzaga to cover with 81% of the spread handle and 76% of spread bets. Gonzaga has covered in both of its NCAA Tournament games and is 7-2-2 ATS this season when the spread is less than 20.
Alabama looked impressive over the course of the first weekend, and beating Maryland by 17 points in the second round led to Alabama -6 being the strongest winning bet of the second round, backed by 82% of the spread handle. The No. 2 seed Crimson Tide enter their Sweet 16 matchup against No. 11 seed UCLA backed by 84% of the spread handle, by just 46% of spread bets. The Crimson Tide are backed by 70% of the ML handle and 65% of ML bets.
Michigan, the final No. 1 seed to tip off in the Sweet 16, is backed by 65% of the ML handle but 50% of the ML bets to beat No. 4 seed Florida State. Even more of a toss up is the game line, in which Michigan -2.5 is currently backed by 52% of the spread handle and 54% of spread bets. Michigan vs. Florida State is also the on Sunday game in which the public is on the under, with 81% of the O/U handle and 71% of the O/U bets backing Under 144.
Sunday Sweet 16 Schedule (All times ET):
2:10 p.m.: #1 Gonzaga (-13.5, -1115 ML) vs. #5 Creighton (+700 ML). O/U 158.5
5 p.m.: #1 Michigan (-2.5, -143 ML) vs. #4 Florida State (+120 ML). O/U 144
7:15 p.m.: #2 Alabama (-6.5, -286 ML) vs. #11 UCLA (+230 ML). O/U 146
9:45 p.m.: #6 USC (-1.5, -124 ML) vs. #7 Oregon (+104 ML). O/U 139
Gonzaga remains the heavy favorite to win the NCAA Tournament championship, and is currently backed by 54% of the total remaining futures handle. Baylor (14%) and Michigan (10%) are the next most popular remaining picks to win it all.
NCAA Tournament Championship Futures (Handle %/Bet%)
1. Gonzaga +155 (54%/37%)
2. Baylor +350 (14%/14%)
3. Michigan +750 (10%/13%)
4. Houston +900 (8%/9%)
5. Alabama +1100 (8%/10%)
6. Florida State +1500 (3%/5%)
Prior to the start of its first round matchup, Oral Roberts was backed by less than five total bets to make the Final Four. With a dream run to the Final Four just two wins away, the Golden Eagles are backed by 10% of all remaining Final Four futures bets, trailing only Alabama (15%) and Michigan (11%). ORU is backed by 7% of the total remaining Final Four handle, trailing only Gonzaga (22%), Alabama (12%), Michigan (10%), Houston (9%) and Florida State (8%).
NCAA Tournament Final Four Futures (Handle%/Bet%)
1. Gonzaga -295 (21.8%/7%)
2. Alabama +175 (12%/15%)
3. Michigan +175 (10%/11%)
4. Houston +100 (9%/5%)
5. Florida State +250 (8%/9%)
6. Oral Roberts +3000 (7%/10%)
