March Madness odds are on the move, with the NCAA tournament's tipoff imminent.
Thursday has seen a ton of action as the March Madness bracket begins to unfold, and we're here with the latest on odds movement for Round 1's key matchups.
Stay up-to-date on where the college basketball odds are moving — and why — for the latest intel on March 21's March Madness picks
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March Madness odds movement
No. 10 Drake Bulldogs vs. No. 7 Washington State Cougars
It would seem the early favorite for this year’s Cinderella is Drake.
The Bulldogs are the No. 10 seed in the East, coming off a Missouri Valley tournament title. Drake drew No. 7 Washington State, with oddsmakers opening the Cougars as 1-point favorites.
However, it’s been one-sided play on Drake ever since, pushing this spread over the fence to as high as Bulldogs -2 before some buyback on WSU slimmed the spread to Drake -1.5 at most books on Thursday.
Covers Consensus shows 64% of picks supporting the mid-major program and books like BetMGM have drawn 72% of bet count and 70% of money on the Bulldogs.
No. 13 Samford Bulldogs vs. No. 4 Kansas Jayhawks
People love Bulldogs, apparently. The Samford variety is getting a ton of support in its first-round meeting with blueblood Kansas.
The Bulldogs opened as big as +8.5, but with injury concerns for the Jayhawks (Hunter Dickinson looks OK, Kevin McCullar is out for the NCAA), the market has come in hot and heavy on Samford and slimmed this line to as short as KU -6.5 before some buyback on Rock Chalk pushed the spread to Kansas -7.5.
Our Covers Consensus data shows 63% of picks on the underdog as of Thursday morning while DraftKings is reporting Samford as their second-most bet team of today. BetMGM books are drawing 77% of tickets and 76% of the handle on Samford ahead of this 9:55 p.m. ET tipoff.
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No. 11 NC State Wolfpack vs. No. 6 Texas Tech Red Raiders
Why wouldn’t bettors love the Wolfpack?
NC State stole our hearts with its improbable run to the ACC tournament title and is now an underdog to Texas Tech in the South side of the bracket. Oddsmakers opened Kevin Keatt’s crew as big as 5.5-point pups and that spread is bouncing between +5 and +4.5 on Thursday morning.
BetMGM is seeing 66% of ticket count on NC State and 59% of the money, while our Covers Consensus shows 63% of picks supporting the Wolfpack. However, it doesn’t stop at the points spread.
DraftKings sportsbooks have taken plenty of money on NC State’s moneyline odds, reporting them as the highest handle on the outright markets for Thursday. BetMGM concurs, with 92% of ML tickets and 95% of handle betting on the Wolfpack to knock off the Red Raiders in the Round of 64.
No. 11 Duquesne Dukes vs. No. 6 BYU Cougars
It seems momentum is a big factor in swaying March Madness picks. The Dukes snuck into the Field of 64 with a surprise win in the A-10 tournament and ride an eight-game winning streak into Thursday’s battle with BYU.
Bookies opened Duquesne as a 7.5-point pup and that spread has climbed to as high as +10, despite books reporting heavy ticket count and handle on the Dukes. As of Thursday morning, most shops are showing BYU -9.5.
DraftKings ranks Duquesne as its fourth-highest ATS handle and fifth-highest in terms of bets written. BetMGM isn’t as high on money but shows 64% of ticket count on the dog. And Covers Consensus shows a 61% lean toward Duquesne and the points for this 12:40 p.m. tipoff.
No. 13 Oakland Golden Grizzlies vs. No. 3 Kentucky Wildcats
It’s not just the underdogs seeing love from the betting public on Thursday. Kentucky is a popular pick among March Madness betting, laying double digits against Oakland in the Round of 64.
The Wildcats opened as short as 12.5-point chalk and have been bet up to -13.5 as of Thursday morning. Covers Consensus shows 62% of picks on UK which jibes with what major operators are reporting.
BetMGM says 66% of bet count and 75% of handle is backing Kentucky, while DraftKings books rank the Wildcats as their second-most wagered-on team for Thursday’s NCAA Tournament action.
No. 15 St. Peter’s Peacocks vs. No. 2 Tennessee Volunteers
I’m a peacock! You gotta let me fly!
That’s the battle cry for NCAA basketball bettors who have rode St. Peter’s ATS success into the Big Dance. The Peacocks are one of the best bets in college hoops you didn’t know existed, stacking up a 20-11 ATS record.
Those profits along with a truckload of points (+21.5) against Tennessee are enough to convince 68% of bets to come in on St. Peter’s, according to BetMGM, which has also taken 58% of the handle on the Peacocks to cover the spread. However, Covers Consensus is showing a slim split in support, with only 46% of picks on St. Peter’s.
No. 12 McNeese State Cowboys vs. No. 5 Gonzaga Bulldogs
Could McNeese State be the next No. 12 to upset a No. 5 seed? Maybe, but bettors seem to think the Cowboys can stay within the 6.5-point spread against Gonzaga.
DraftKings books rank McNeese State as the most bet on ATS option for Thursday’s Round of 64 games and third in total money wager.
BetMGM shows 65% of tickets taking the points with the Cowboys and 63% of the handle leaning to the Southland champs. Covers Consensus also gives the nod, with 59% of picks backing the No. 12 pup.
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