With the 2016-17 college basketball season heating up in a big way as we move further into the new year, collegiate roundball betting enthusiasts everywhere need to know all about the five golden rules of college basketball betting.
These timeless tips will undoubtedly help your in your efforts to strike pay dirt, not only over remainder of the current basketball season, but for any season moving forward. Okay, with that said, let’s rock and roll people!
Five Golden Rules of College Basketball Betting
1. Be Wary of Road Favorites
There’s an age-old saying that says you should never, ever bet on road favorites in college hoops, but I disagree. For instance, let’s say mighty No. 1 Villanova is a slight 3-point road favorite to beat No. 13 Creighton.
Well, if you go with the age-old adage that says never bet on road favorites and Villanova wins by a half-dozen points. You’re going to be absolutely furious with yourself for not backing the Wildcats when you knew they were the superior team and would likely cover the slight spread. I say attractive road favorites can be profitable if you believe that covering spread is more of a likelihood than a probability.
2. Home Dogs Have Bite
Home underdogs generally have something to play for against their favored visitors, not to mention the fact that they’ll be fueled by their crazed home fans. If a home underdog isn’t completely overmatched by a far superior opponent, then I see nothing wrong with backing the home team. However, if the home dog you’re planning on betting on isn’t getting a bunch of points and doesn’t have a boisterous crowd working on their behalf, the rod team could get the win and ATS cover.
3. Home Faves of Three Points or Less
Home favorites of three points or less are always an attractive wager, even though the low point spread suggests they’ll be playing a quality opponent. The good news is that home faves generally raise the level of their play to defend their home court, particularly against a quality visiting team. Don’t make the mistake of believing every matchup between two evenly matched teams is going to come down to a buzzer beater. Home faves of three points or less are always a good option.
4. Twice in One Season
Never count a team out to beat an opponent twice in one season. Some college hoops bettors believe that it’s extremely difficult to beat a team twice in one season, but I disagree, particularly if one team is clearly better than the other. For instance, let’s say North Carolina is facing a clearly weak Wake Forest team in the latter stages of the regular season after facing their ACC rivals in one of the numerous season-opening tournaments that are so popular in today’s game.
If the Tar Heels routed the Demon Deacons by 15 points in December, then unless there’s some significant change to either ballclub, you’ve got to know that the Heels are likely looking at another easy victory in their second matchup. Don’t be afraid to bet on one team to beat another twice in one season.
5. Big Win The Last Time Out?
Just like every other sport, a team coming off a huge, emotion-filled win in their previous contest, is almost surely due for a let-down the next time out. For example…let’s say the Indiana Hoosiers get all fired up for a home date against perennially-powerful Kansas and the Hoosiers manage to get a huge home win over the Jayhawks.
Now, in their next game, Indiana is a 6-point home favorite to beat a solid Purdue team. Well, you’d better know that Purdue is going to go all-out in order to get the statement-making upset win while the Hoosiers will likely be looking to get their energy levels back up to normal and their emotions in control after their thriller against Kansas in their previous game. Always be wary of backing a team coming off a huge victory in their previous contest.
