College basketball is the sport of hoops stripped back to its most immaculate form. While the NBA is a dazzle of flamboyant superstars and fan-fared rosters, the collegiate form is the game in its purest form where the most talented players and coaches demonstrate their raw ability.
The NCAAB comprises hundreds of colleges in separate conferences across Divisions I, II and III. Fans are tribal and remain loyal to their school from freshman year through life. There’s a huge amount of NCAAB markets to bet on each year with games leading up to the climax that is March Madness and the Championship Game.
For New Yorkers, positioned in the nation’s college basketball epicenter, picking up some NCAAB betting tips and developing a wagering strategy to increase the chances of a neat profit means knowing much more than how the game plays out. There are state restrictions on college sports gambling and a handful of fundamentals to understand before placing any NCAAB bet.
The first step when thinking about NCAAB betting is to select the best NY sportsbook for just how you intend to place wagers. Most legal sports betting sites cover the basics of college basketball betting, but from there you might be surprised to learn how different the NCAAB offering is from each.
Juice, vigorish or edge - whatever you come to know it as - is a metric that matters when it comes to sports betting. Think of the juice as the commission a sportsbook takes. It’s a percentage figure that’s built into the odds on offer. As well as being one of the nation’s leading DFS operators, DraftKings also rocks in the sportsbook world. When you’re browsing odds for college basketball, be sure to check out the book with the crown logo as DraftKings typically outperforms most others on applying edge to its odds. That means better value. And value matters in NCAAB betting where pricing can be stomped down, particularly on favorites.
Moneylines rarely represent a good deal in NCAAB betting. Favorites are often too darn hot for their opponents to handle and public perception, loyalty and betting with the heart play a big part in college basketball odds. Sportsbooks know this only too well yet betting the ‘straight up’ - that is who will win - will always be most folk’s preferred NCAAB bet type. FanDuel is therefore a top choice for college basketball moneyline odds. As a market leader and a book that’s often first to post NCAAB odds, FanDuel’s pricing on the straight-up is about as good as you’ll find among the New York sportsbooks.
Caesars has become a dominant force on the New York sports betting scene. If you’re a fan of college basketball then the Roman leader’s legions of NCAAB markets and overall coverage make for a top choice. The large number of games and submarkets available at Caesars means you can be creative in compiling basketball parlays including those of the same game type. Regular NCAAB betting odds at Caesars tend to be more point guard than power forward but the Emperor regularly features more price boosts than most.
Delivered by the all-conquering MGM entertainment organization, BetMGM is a fully formed betting powerhouse. Futures betting - that is typically wagering on divisional, conference and championship winners in NCAAB terms - is a big deal for followers of collegiate sports. BetMGM is one of the first to open futures markets with odds that refresh more regularly than plenty of the other NY sportsbooks. Such betting opportunities are easy to find on BetMGM’s top betting apps and the pricing is at the top end.
College basketball is built for live betting and can suit bettors of all experience and knowledge levels. That’s because NCAAB games aren’t quite as manic as those in the NBA resulting in a little breathing space as you follow the game. The live college betting offering from Fanatics is really strong. Because Fanatics launched in New York just ahead of March Madness 2024, it had to be to quickly to compete. Live NCAAB same-game parlays and lightning prop bet markets are worth checking out at Fanatics. The nimble Fanatics app can handle rapidly changing college basketball games too. It means there isn’t so much of a lag in odds changing as a result of a score, a team going on a run of baskets, or other in-game events that affect pricing. For micro betting that’s ideal.
For college basketball betting in New York, ESPN BET excels in providing bettors with real-time insights and analysis during the NCAAB season. Thanks to its integration with ESPN’s comprehensive college basketball coverage, users benefit from expert commentary, game breakdowns, and exclusive promotions tied to marquee matchups and tournaments like March Madness. This makes ESPN BET a top choice for those seeking enhanced betting tools and up-to-date information to refine their NCAAB betting strategies.
Bally Bet covers the full slate of college basketball games and competitions but it’s the prop betting action that sets the book apart from many of its rivals. These wagers on sub-events within a game can make following college basketball that bit more exciting with so many individual occurrences, passages of play and player performance metrics to follow. Prop bets are not always available for all NCAAB games at all sportsbooks but BallyBet has a plentiful supply with dozens at a time to choose from.
Resorts World Bet is one of the fastest and most responsive betting apps in New York. With zero clutter and navigation that drops you exactly where you need to be, Resorts World Bet is a great option for sports wagering newbies. If you only place the occasional bet on college basketball and have no need for in-depth stats or a confusing array of markets that you have zero interest in then take a look at Resorts World Bet. The simple-to-use book also runs some interesting promotions around the NCAAB such as viewing events and social competitions.
Seasoned sports bettors will already have more than a sneaky hunch as to where they can find the best odds for particular bet types but if you’re a fan of college basketball points spread betting then BetRivers can be excellent for finding upped pricing. As one of the smaller betting providers operating in New York currently, BetRivers points spread lines aren’t as heavily influenced by public money as the bigger books. That means it’s worth taking a peek at BetRivers to find standard and alternate points spreads that may be more appealing than elsewhere and be stood at slightly more generous odds.
Whether you choose a sportsbook that has a deposit match bonus for new customers or a betting site that awards first bet offers on sign-up, bettors can bolster their bankrolls by making the most of all that are on offer.
Most of the best top sportsbooks also have promos for existing customers to use for betting on the NCAAB. It’s the biggest college basketball events of the year when the bookmakers go big on betting offers though. Championship finale time, Thanksgiving fixtures and particularly approaching March Madness are when you’ll find the biggest betting promos. So be sure to keep checking back when season highlight periods are near.
Many sportsbooks either offer newbies the chance of a deposit match or first bet offer when they join. Which you choose will come down to personal preference but both essentially do the same thing - they hand you bonus funds to use for placing wagers that can be used for NCAAB betting.
NY Sportsbook | Welcome NCAAB Promo |
Caesars | First bet offer up to $1,000 for new customers |
FanDuel | Bet $5, get $200 in Bonus Bets |
BetMGM | a first bet offer up to $1,000 that can be used on the any sport. |
DraftKings | - bonus funds of 20% of your first deposit up to $1,000. |
Bet Rivers | Up to $250 in bonus bets equal to the value of a first deposit |
NY Sportsbook | Existing Customer NCAAB Bonus |
DraftKings | MLB ‘Stepped Up Same Game Parlays’ - get an uplift on basketball same game parlays. Add more legs for incrementally bigger profit boosts. |
FanDuel | Regular college basketball promos that change by the week and ahead of big games, including parlay insurance, bonus bets and site credit. |
BetMGM | Place a college basketball one game parlay of $25 and receive $10 in bonus funds. |
March Madness is one of the most exciting events in the sports betting calendar. The crazy, unpredictable road to the Final Four always underlines the origins of the moniker. However, there are so many other betting opportunities during the regular NCAAB season that it can become mind-bending just knowing what to bet on. College basketball is a unique spectacle and so too wagering on it. Begin by knowing your bet types and how to make the most of each when betting on the NCAAB.
Aside from quirky bets, long shots and value props, the best prices for betting on college basketball often lie in the points spread markets. The advertised spread - as featured prominently at all the top sportsbooks - tells you a lot about an upcoming game.
The points spread is a figure used by oddsmakers to level the difference in skill between two teams. The number is a points handicap applied to one team with the other given a theoretical head start. For example, if you see Syracuse listed at -10.5 against Michigan a bet on them will hit if they achieve a winning margin of 11 points or more.
As a general NCAAB points spread betting tip, if a points spread is more than five points, then the favorite is considered to be the hot ticket in the game. They’re likely to be worth putting your money on. If the margin is less than five points then take a look at the underdog’s credentials - stats and recent form - and consider placing a moderate stake on them.
Moneyline betting is an interesting proposition when it comes to college basketball. It’s simply a bet on which team will win. A negative odds figure denotes the favorite while a positive indicates the underdog. The minus sign tells you that the profit on a wager will be lower than your stake and vice versa. For example, if you bet on the Bonnies at odds of -125, you need to invest £125 to be up $100.
Approach the college basketball moneylines with caution as this type of bet can quickly suck your bankroll dry if you don’t give straight-up betting some thought. There are plenty of big games and rivalry matchups to bet on in college basketball but moneylines on such ties often don’t pay out much. That’s because the sportsbooks know all too well which teams the majority of the public will favor. As a result, fans, alums and students themselves are forced to take bad numbers. Consider the ‘lesser’ games, such as those between smaller universities as if you’re a moneyline bettor as you’ll often find superior odds, even for stronger games.
A bet on the combined points scored is exactly as it sounds - a wager on the tally achieved in total by both teams. Sportsbooks offering over under betting set a benchmark number and accept bets on whether the final score will be over or under it. For example, when the Bulls played the Bonnies in December 2021, the ‘total’ line was set at 145 points. Bettors who went for the under were successful as the final score was 65-68 in the Bonnies’ favor.
Betting on a college basketball game doesn’t end with the tip-off. Live betting continues the action as a tie is in play. A plethora of live betting markets will be available at the best sportsbooks with odds changing by the minute and completely refreshed after significant game events. Bet the moneyline, the spread and totals or browse the props markets as you’re watching live. Beware live betting based on emotion or an adrenaline rush but also know that sportsbooks can’t employ sufficient humans to set the odds in a game as fast-paced as basketball. That means you can spot mispriced markets set by a computer algorithm where your own knowledge of the sport and gut feel for a game may hand you an edge.
A parlay bet is a single wager that links together two or more individual bets for higher odds. Without parlay insurance (sometimes offered as a sportsbook promo) the wager will lose if one leg loses.
For example, standard spread picks are often offered at odds of -110. Bet on Syracuse, the Bonnies and the Bulls against the spread parlay and at those prices, you’d get around +600. Because of the NCAAB scheduling and lower parity between college basketball teams, it’s a good parlay tip to stick to three or four legs only and limit your bankroll. You only need to win one in 12 four-team parlays at odds of +1200 to break even. That means you can have some fun with your NCAAF parlays with the hope that better than that win rate will return a nice profit.
March Madness is a yearly NCAA Division I basketball tournament that takes place from the middle of March through the beginning of April. It pits the country’s best 68 college basketball teams against each other in a single-elimination tournament over six rounds plus a play-in leg. Who will be crowned champions at the end of March Madness is always the most popular wager during the championships. Bracket contests are also a national obsession during the springtime hoops extravaganza where groups pay into a pool in a bid to pick the most winners. The best NY sportsbooks will go all out with promos around March Madness time.
In college basketball, the national title is determined by the Division I Championship Game. You can bet on who will be the national champions pretty much as soon as the season schedule is released. At this point, the sportsbooks open their markets and they stay that way right up to the game itself and of course in-play as the action happens.
The longest preseason odds to win the national title stands at +4,000 when the Connecticut Huskies eventually triumphed. The odds are a pretty good indicator of the likely winners of the national title too. Average prices for winners in the futures markets stands at a little shy of +2,000. The conclusion? Long shots just don’t win the national championship.
There’s a whole host of awards handed to players in college basketball but the most prestigious is the Naismith College Player of the Year. The prize has been awarded since 1969 and a shortlist is voted for by a panel of coaches and media experts. The final winner is identified from the result of a combined verdict by a group of selectors and the results of a fan vote.
Bets can be placed on who will be the Naismith College Player of the Year as soon as the initial ‘watchlist’ of 50 players is released before the season begins in November. The odds vary enormously between each candidate. For example, ahead of the 2022 season Oscar Tshiebwe was the hot favorite at a seriously short price of -150 with the second favorite, Kofi Cockburn, at +500. Even the third and fourth favorites can be priced way out at relatively long odds.
There’s so much going on both in the build-up to March Madness and during the three weeks of play itself that it can be bamboozling for experienced college basketball gamblers never mind those new to placing bets.
March Madness is almost as big as betting on the Super Bowl but instead of one enormous game, there are 68 teams in the field hoping to make their mark. The most popular bet types for March Madness include which teams will win their bracket, who will make the Final Four, prop bets and of course the squad that will ultimately be crowned March Madness national champions. If you’re approaching the NCAAB showpiece season determined to make it a successful one this time around, consider the following March Madness betting tips:
Understanding college basketball lines and odds is a skill in itself. It’s also a betting strategy that will help you turnover more winners. Each betting line tells a story. Knowing how to read the odds helps you interpret an upcoming game and place better-informed wagers.
When you log in to a sportsbook and browse the college basketball betting markets, every big betting site will display game lines something like this which were the odds for the game between Syracuse and big rivals Georgetown in the run-up to Thanksgiving 2021:
Georgetown: Spread +4 (-110); Moneyline (+146); Under 154.5 (-110)
Syracuse: Spread -4 (-110); Moneyline (-176); Over 154.5 (-110)
The first thing to note is that the road team is generally presented first with the home side below. We can see at a glance that Syracuse were favorites for this game as denoted by their negative odds figure on the moneyline. To turn a profit of $100 on Syracuse winning, bettors would have had to wager $176. $100 on Georgetown would have had them up by $146.
The oddsmakers have rated them as four-point favorites too. To cover the spread, Syracuse would have had to win by five points or more. The bookmaker has set the over/under line at 154.5 points. Both the spread and the over/under here have been advertised at standard odds of -110.
Once the sportsbooks release the odds for a game the lines will almost always move to some degree. This could be as a result of news about key players or expert insight emerging that predicts how the game will run. Lines also move in response to the money taken on each side of the bet. Such market action might see the oddsmaker alter their pricing in an attempt to balance out the wagers being placed on each side.
The College basketball season traditionally begins in early November and runs right through to early April when the National Championship concludes. The Division I schedule tips off with the annual Champions Classic. In 2022, the contest has Kentucky facing Michigan State and Duke squaring off against Kansas.
The various NCAAB conferences release their schedules by September as the schools get back into session and the betting markets with futures and player awards open at the leading NY sportsbooks. The Bulldogs and Wildcats are joined by the Tar Heels and UCLA Bruins as favorites to be 2023 tournament winners. 2022 champions, the Jayhawks have yet to see much public action in backing them to be triumphant once more.
For 2022-3 the projected top team is North Carolina followed by Gonzaga led by college basketball’s most famous player, Drew Timme. The early weeks will see the power forward face last season’s NPOY Oscar Tshiebwe of Kentucky. That’ll be shortly followed by the biggest spectacle of the regular term when Gonzaga plays Michigan State onboard the USS Abraham Lincoln on Veterans Day. When Thanksgiving rolls around PK85 takes place.
By then we should have a good idea of whether New York’s NCAAB teams can elevate themselves to be.
One of the most prestigious and storied college basketball teams in the US, it’d be fair to say that in the present era the Syracuse Orange are not entirely what they once were. Syracuse has won just one NCAA national championship (in 2003) but has been to the Final Four on six occasions, each under legendary coach Joe Boeheim. Boeheim remains at the helm of the Orange and the now 77-year-old did lead his team to the Sweet 16 at the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
Otto’s Army, the official student section of Syracuse Athletic, may have to hop across the border to New Jersey to legally bet on their team but they will be wagering on an improved showing on 2021-22’s efforts. A vastly different roster for the new season offers promise with a handful of four-star commits in Judah Mintz, Justin Taylor, Quadir Copeland and Chris Bunch. The Orange remain at seriously long odds in the futures markets in all competitions but hope on the Hill springs eternal.
With a home court at the nation’s first and foremost Franciscan university, the St. Bonaventure Bonnies are led by the team’s most successful coach Mark Schmidt. The Bonnies’ golden period came in the 1960s with a host of National Invitational Tournament appearances and after assorted minor resurgences, the team has again enjoyed successes in the last decade or so.
The St. Bonaventure Bonnies compete in the NCAA Atlantic 10 Conference and finished 2021-22 with a respectable 12-5 posting. The brown-and-whites spent much of the summer introducing their class of ‘New Look Bonnies’ to college basketball fans having advanced to the National Invitation Tournament Semifinals in Madison Square Garden last year. The season prior, the Bonnies were Atlantic 10 champions and progressed to the NCAA Tournament. Aspirations of a deep run in the NCAA tournament continue with a senior-laden lineup seeking to graduate with a flourish.
Representing the University of Buffalo, the Bulls college basketball team plays at Division I level in the Mid-American Conference East Division. Bulls' history highlights include six appearances in the NCAA Men's Division II Basketball Championship between 1957 and 1965 and two showings at the National Invitation Tournament. The Bulls enjoy a longstanding rivalry with the Bonnies.
Current Bulls' hoops hopes may weigh heavy on coach Jim Whitesell to continue the steady progression of his predecessors Bobby Hurley and Nate Oats in positioning the Bulls on the brink of next-level advancement. The Bulls roster has deepened in recent seasons, particularly in the front court with Conference regular season and tournament championship appearances the minimum achievement by which Whitesell will be judged.
College basketball is a whole different ball game to the NBA and so too is the approach you should take to betting on the school hoops sport. For one thing, there are roughly six times as many college basketball teams as their pro equivalents. That makes for a far bigger number of games to bet on so you need to wager wisely or risk burning your bankroll out before Fall has concluded. It’s impossible to bet on all conferences wisely so specialize in just a few.
There’s often a sizable talent gap between NCAAB teams when they face each other with powerhouse programs at minuscule odds when playing some of the small schools. That means you’ll often need to find value in your betting picks beyond the usual moneylines and standard spreads offered by sportsbooks. It’s essential therefore to employ some betting tips, tricks and tools if you’re ever going to turn a profit from wagers on college basketball.
Start with NCAAB stats - you’ll find a good selection available at the best NY sportsbooks and at a variety of dedicated websites. The numbers to look out for are how the star players who will be facing each other have previously performed in head to heads and their recent form. This will also include average points, assists and shooting percentages plus turnovers, rebounding and free throw statistics. Look for mismatches in the metrics such as the ability of a defense to force turnovers against offenses prone to losing possession.
Home court advantage can be a big factor in college basketball - bigger even than in the NBA. Some of the best teams can win 80% of their home fixtures in front of raucous campus followers. Recent form is also a good indicator of how an NCAAB game will play out. Confidence is a massive factor for school basketball players and a good tip is to only step back just five games or so to pick out recent trends for a hot take on just who is playing with the proverbial spring in their step.
The Carrier Dome, aka the JMA Wireless Dome for sponsorship purposes, is New York’s best-known college sports venue. The Syracuse stadium can accommodate 33,000 fans for basketball games and is America’s largest campus sports structure. The Dome has played host to the NCAA East Regional Tournament on seven occasions since opening in 1980 and began undergoing its most recent renovation in April 2022. With a roof, air conditioning and state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems, the Carrier Dome has earned the nickname ‘Loud House’ and has also seen legendary performers including Prince, David Bowie, 50 Cent and Drake take to its stage.
Home to the St. Bonaventure Bonnies, the Reilly Center opened in 1966 and can accommodate nearly 5,500 basketball spectators. Able to house twice the student population of St. Bonaventure University, the RC as it's commonly known, has a reputation as being one of the best home court advantages in the whole of college basketball. Alums make the pilgrimage from across western New York and beyond to join the present academic population with brown-robed Franciscan monks mingling with the crowd. The colorful student section on the north baseline of the Bob Lanier Court makes for a rowdy and authentic college sports experience.
Over 6,700 sports fans can cram into the Alumni Arena at the State University of Buffalo for the college’s home basketball fixtures to witness the current crop of Bulls stars. The venue opened in 1982 and has been extensively renovated and reconfigured in recent years. The Alumni Arena is the second largest on-campus sports facility in the State of New York, behind only the Carrier Dome. The student section at the Alumni Arena is responsible for the bulk of the noise with the Bulls mascot, Victor E. Bull and the school’s cheerleading squad directing the crowd.
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Whether your March Madness bracket is already busted or you’re on tenterhooks hoping for a profit on the moneyline, there are heaps of great sports bars in New York for watching the game to see how your picks will pan out.
Cat Sports Pub - Greenwich Street, NYC
A hip spot downtown where co-workers from the Financial District hang out after office hours and sports fans gather to watch the big game, the Cat Sports Pub serves up beers and cocktails with a food menu built on steaks for main and nachos for snacking. Live music features at weekends alongside an extensive selection of games. The Cat Sports Pub opens at 4 pm on weekdays and noon at weekends and closes at 1 am.
The Pourhouse - Johnson City, NY
Known as a favored hangout for post-grads and frats, the Pourhouse brings a suitable edge-of-campus vine for watching college basketball on the big screen. An extensive selection of beers (100 and counting) will dull the agony of a thwarted parlay while regular drinks promos are on offer for celebrations. Bar grub is served all day with the Pourhouse opening at noon and staying that way until the early hours.
Bar 515 - Murray Hill, NY
If you’re a diehard sports fan who hangs out with a mixed crowd of fellow devotees and those not so keen on watching the game, then Bar 515 makes for a great choice. The front bar beams live action on plasma screens while out back, Bar 515 delivers a more chilled vibe with a lounge area complete with a soothing waterfall. Various cohorts of NY sporting team fans gather at Bar 515 to cheer on their favorites. The bar opens at 5 pm and stays that way until after midnight with 3 am closing on Friday and Saturday.
To bet on college basketball, you’ll need to sign up with a legal sportsbook. After you’ve deposited funds, you can browse the lines and make your bets on games.
New Yorkers can legally bet on most college basketball games but the state gambling commission does not permit wagers on matches involving NY-based college teams. That applies whether they’re playing at home or on the road.
Second-half bets at most sportsbooks will count overtime. Sportsbooks will publish occasions when this does not apply in their rules.
To bet on the over/under in college basketball, sportsbooks will offer markets where they set what the final, combined score will be. Bettors can opt to wager on whether the points tally at the end of the game will be higher or lower than the number on offer.
Sportsbooks advertise points spreads whereby they put out a number that they think accurately balances out the talent gap between two teams. When you bet on the points spread in college basketball, you’re choosing whether the favorite will win by more than the number set (cover the spread) or the underdog will lose by less or actually be victorious.
College basketball totals bets simply require you to predict whether the combined points score will be higher or lower than the figure suggested by the sportsbook.
The simplest way to read college basketball odds when they’re presented in the American format is to think of how much you’d have to wager on a favorite to win $100 and what the profit will be when betting $100 on an underdog. At odds of -110 (favorite), you’d need to wager $110 to win $100 and at odds of +110 (underdog), you’d earn $110 for staking 100.
There is a multitude of stats generated in every college basketball game and by every team during a season. The key metrics though include offensive and defensive efficiency - that is points won per 100 possessions and points allowed per 100 possessions.
