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The NCAA Tournament is the most excitement college basketball has to offer, and is one of the most wagered on events in the world. It is also the single most event that has provided fans with some of the biggest upsets in college sports, which makes it the most interesting and lucrative events in the basketball betting world.
With that, here are a few tips for college basketball handicappers to follow when they are doing their March Madness betting.
First, bettors need to understand how public perception influences the lines that sportsbooks put out, especially during NCAA tournament when the volume of wagers from casual bettors is exceptionally high.
The public likes to bet favorites, and oddsmakers will shade their lines, adding ½ to two points against the favorite, allowing smart college basketball handicappers the opportunity to make some green on the underdog.
Second, bettors need to look for teams with solid defenses, as good defense is key to a team's ability to make a deep NCAA Tournament run. For the March Madness 2015 tournament savvy college basketball handicappers like legend Jon Price will search out teams that not only have the players that can play solid defense, but can adjust to the different styles of defense they will have to face all the way to the end.
These teams can be easily identified by looking at their average points per game allowed, turnovers forced and most importantly their three-point defense. A college basketball team that can defend against the outside shot, can usually do it game in and game out, whereas a team that is good at three-point shooting, may suffer from hot and cold spells.
But defense isn't the only thing a smart handicapper looks for in a team, as a team is also only as good as its ability to win the battle on the boards.
Rebounding goes hand-in-hand with a team's defensive effort, as a team that can grab the ball off the boards and minimize their opponents’ second chances will go far in the tournament. Good rebounding also works on the offensive side of court, creating second-chance opportunities and as a result, more points.
Finally, handicappers looking to bet on teams in the NCAA Tournament need to be able to identify teams that are balanced, rather than have one or two star players that carry the team.
Teams that are balanced offensively will have a better chance of advancing than teams that are limited to one scoring option. That's because teams with good defenses can adjust and shut down that team's offense, especially if their superstar is having an off night or gets into early foul trouble.
