Here’s Who The Public Likes In First-Round NCAA Tournament Games

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Struggling to finalize your NCAA Tournament bets? Maybe gathering some public opinion could offer some assistance.

Considering the abundance of public information, March Madness has established itself as one of the most popular sports events for betting annually.

Let’s take a closer look at who the majority is betting on in the Big Dance.

Gonzaga, Michigan garnering most wagers

The Michigan Wolverines are still considered one of the top contenders for the national championship, both in Michigan and throughout the country.

According to PointsBet Sportsbook, Michigan is still receiving 8.73% of the bet count to win the NCAA Tournament, despite senior Isaiah Livers’ injury. Meanwhile, BetMGM Sportsbook shows that Michigan is getting 17.97% of the bet count.

PointsBet has identified the top five teams with the highest bet count to win the tournament.

• The odds for Gonzaga are +210, indicating a probability of winning at 11.64%.
• Michigan is favored at +825, which translates to an 8.73% chance of winning.
• Illinois has a +725 odds, equivalent to a 7.22% chance.
• Baylor has a +625 odds which represents a 6.67% probability.
• The probability of Iowa winning is 4.48%, with odds at +1800.

In terms of handling, the breakdown is quite similar.

• Gonzaga equals 19.01%.
• The percentage for Michigan is 10.18%.
• The percentage for Baylor is 8.98%.
• The rate in Illinois is 7.02%.
• The interest rate in Iowa is 3.00%.

Texas (+4000) and Oklahoma State (+3000) are attracting significant attention, surpassing the top five teams in terms of wagers. In terms of bet volume, Texas ranks eighth and sixth in handle, while the Cowboys secure the ninth spot in terms of the highest number of bets placed.

Purdue a heavily-supported first-round favorite

Michigan sports bettors have an abundance of wagering options as Friday and Saturday both offer 16 first-round NCAA Tournament games.

Purdue is the team with the highest number of individual early bets in its first game. As a 4 seed, they will be playing against North Texas, the 13th seed, at 7:25 p.m. Eastern on Friday. According to Covers.com’s bet-tracking charts, Purdue is favored by 7.5 points and has received 69% of the bets as of late Thursday morning. In their last 14 games, Purdue finished the regular season with an 11-3 record against the spread.

One top seed that is receiving a significant amount of attention is Baylor. They will kick off their game against No. 16 Hartford at 3:30 p.m. on Friday. Despite being a strong favorite with a 26-point spread, Baylor is still capturing 67% of the bets. This makes them the top-seeded team with the highest percentage of wagers. Additionally, the Bears have a solid track record of 5-1 against the spread when they are favored by 20 points or more.

Oklahoma is also a beloved team among the public. They will face off against Missouri, who is seeded ninth, at 7:25 p.m. on Saturday. Oklahoma is considered a 1-point favorite and is receiving 65% of the betting attention. However, it’s important to note that guard De’Vion Harmon will be absent this weekend due to COVID-19 protocols, despite his average of 12.9 points per game.

Texas Tech, the No. 6 seed, is a favored option for early NCAA Tournament wagers. They will be going up against Utah State, the No. 11 seed, at 1:45 p.m. on Friday. Texas Tech is considered a 4-point favorite against the Aggies and is currently receiving 65% of the bets. However, it is worth noting that Texas Tech hasn’t performed well in terms of betting this season, with a record of 10-17 against the spread.

The Oregon Ducks, seeded seventh, are widely supported by the public as they face off against the No. 10 VCU team on Saturday at 9:57 p.m. The Ducks are favored by 5 points over the Rams and hold 64% of the betting handle.

Public strongly behind some double-digit seeds

Among all the higher-seeded teams, none is attracting more betting attention than the 12th-seeded Oregon State. On Friday at 4:30 p.m., they will be up against the fifth-seeded Tennessee. Despite being considered underdogs by 8 points, the Beavers currently hold a significant 66% share of the total bets placed. It is worth noting that Oregon State has performed impressively against the spread this season with a record of 18-9-1, including a remarkable 10-1 record in their last 11 games.

Georgetown enters the game against Colorado with a boost of confidence after clinching the Big East Conference tournament championship. Despite being the No. 12 seed, the Hoyas are generating interest from bettors due to their recent success. The match is scheduled for Saturday at 12:15 p.m. As underdogs with a 5.5-point disadvantage, Georgetown is receiving 64% of the betting handle for this game.

While it is not a common occurrence for a No. 15 seed to defeat a No. 2 seed, there is a significant amount of public support for the 15th-seeded Iona to at least perform well against the second-seeded Alabama in their upcoming game at 4 p.m. on Saturday. Despite being considered as underdogs with a 17-point disadvantage, the Gaels are receiving 62% of the bets against the Tide.

No. 12 Winthrop has emerged as a favored underdog in the early NCAA Tournament bets. They are set to go head-to-head with No. 5 Villanova at 9:57 p.m. on Friday. Despite being considered the underdogs, Winthrop has captured the attention of bettors, receiving 60% of the handle. While Villanova holds the advantage as a 6.5-point favorite, their recent form has been less impressive, with three losses in their last four games. Additionally, the absence of guard Collin Gillespie due to a knee injury adds to the challenges they face.

No. 10 Rutgers is also a well-liked double-digit seed in the tournament. On Friday, they will be facing off against No. 7 Clemson at 9:20 p.m. Interestingly, Rutgers is considered the favorite by 1.5 points, despite being the lower seed. The majority of bets, 60% to be precise, are in favor of the Scarlet Knights. It is worth noting that Clemson has not performed well in their last six games as an underdog, with a record of 1-5 ATS.

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