Latest College Basketball Odds & Betting Lines

NCAAB Betting Odds

Interpreting odds for the first time can be an intimidating process. But like everything else, practice makes perfect. We’ll teach you how to understand college basketball’s betting language, NCAAB betting odds, how to bet on NCAAB games, increase your chances of winning wager, and ultimately grow your bankroll.

By the end of this guide, if you’re not ready to make the right picks but want to wager, our NCAAB computer picks page can help. But before you place your first NCAAB bet, let’s go over what the experts already know.

How to Read NCAAB Odds

NCAAB odds are usually expressed in three different ways:

• American Odds
• Decimal (European) Odds
• Fractional (British) Odds 

How to Read American NCAAB Odds

American odds are the most common format used by top US sportsbooks. Odds start with either a minus (-) or a plus (+) and are always a whole number (+235, +120, +150, -225, -845 etc.) 

The odds tell you how much you need to wager to earn $100, which team is the favorite and which team is the underdog.

• Positive (+) odds show the amount of profit for a $100 bet
• Negative (-) odds show the amount needed to bet to win $100

The positive odds are easy to calculate. The odds represent how much you’ll win if you bet $100. In this example, we win $255. To calculate the payout for odds of +255, simply use the following formula:

For negative numbers, the value of the odds tells you how much you need to bet to win $100. In this scenario, we need to risk –$185 to win $100. To calculate the payout for odds of -185, just apply the following formula:

How to Read Decimal NCAAB Odds

The most common format used by European sportsbooks are decimal odds. Decimal odds are always positive and decimal numbers. 

Below is the formula for calculating the profit and return for decimal odds of 1.98:

So…what’s the difference between return and profit?

• Return is how much profit you made plus your original wager amount
• Profit is how much money you won by placing your wager

How to Read Fractional Odds for NCAAB

Used primarily in the United Kingdom and Ireland, fractions represent the profit you would earn for a successful bet. The following is how to calculate the profit for the fractional odds of 7/1:

What are the Different Types of NCAAB bets?

The leading online sportsbooks offer 200+ betting options on a single college basketball game. Commonly placed NCAAB bets include:

NCAAB Moneyline

For the easiest way to bet on a college basketball game, look no further than the moneyline bet (odds vary.) Simply put, it’s a prediction on which team wins the college basketball game.The sportsbooks assess the two teams, determine an underdog and a favorite, and then release the moneyline odds. For example:

• North Carolina Tar Heels  +165  at BetMGM
• Kansas Jayhawks -200 at FanDuel

In this example, the Kansas Jayhawks are the favorite. A $100 bet on the Kansas Jayhawkss would earn you a $50 profit if they won the game. On the other hand, a $100 bet on the North Carolina Tar Heels would earn you a $165 profit.

NCAAB Point Spread

The oddsmakers at betting sites will assess the weaknesses and strengths of the teams, focusing on offensive and defensive stats, recent results, head-to-head matchups, injuries and so on. They determine which team is stronger, and they assign a points handicap to that team. 

This results in a point spread and it allows the sportsbooks to “level out the playing field” for both teams.

• North Carolina Tar Heels +4.5 (-115) at BetMGM
• Kansas Jayhawks -4.5 (-105) at FanDuel

In this example, the sportsbooks have priced the Kansas Jayhawks as the favorite to win. You have two options:

• Bet on the North Carolina Tar Heels at +4½, meaning they would need to win the game or lose by no more than 4 points for the bet to cash.
• Bet on the Kansas Jayhawks at -4½, meaning they would need to win the game by 5 or more points for the ticket to cash.

There is always a favorite and an underdog in an NCAAB game. If both teams are deemed to be evenly matched, there will not be a point spread, and you can simply bet on either team to win (moneyline.) That is known as a pick’em, and it is rare.

NCAAB Point Totals (Over & Under Wagers)

This is another popular NCAAB bet. All you have to do is estimate how many total points will be scored in a specific college basketball game. The sportsbooks will release a total points line on each game. For example:

• Over 151 points (-110) at BetMGM
• Under 151 points (-110) at FanDuel

If you expect North Carolina and Kansas to combine for at least 151 points, you can bet on the over. If you believe the game will see 150 points or fewer, you should bet on the under. If the game lands exactly on 151, there would be a push and both sides of the bet would be no actioned, meaning bettors get their money back.

There will be a standard total points line, but you will also find alternate total points lines. They allow you to move the line down or up, which updates the odds. You will also find alternate points lines for both college basketball teams.

How to Bet on NCAAB Props

NCAAB prop bets provide you with hundreds of additional betting opportunities on any given college basketball game. Prop bets focus on a proposition – whether something will happen during a game – and they are often unrelated to the final result. Prop bets in college basketball often fall into two distinct buckets:

• Game Props/Team Props 
• Player Props

Player props focus on individual performance stats. You can bet on the total number of points, three-point field goals, assists, blocks, steals, rebounds, etc. You can also bet on the following stats:

• Made free throws
• Steals + Blocks
• Points + Rebounds + Assists
• First Basket (player who scores the first field goal)
• Method of First Basket
• Turnovers
• Double Double
• Triple Double

Game props might include betting on the highest scoring half or whether the game goes into overtime. You can also bet on the following game props:

• Team to Score the First Basket
• Exact Score
• Team with the least turnovers
• Team with the most blocks
• Team with the most steals
• Team with the most three point field goals
• Team with the most made free throws
• Exact Margin of Victory

How to Bet on NCAAB Futures Odds

Sportsbooks release NCAAB futures odds on a range of markets before the season begins. These odds update often and will be available to bet on throughout the season. Examples of NCAAB futures bets include:

• Odds to win the NCAAB Championship
• Odds to win each conference
  • Odds to win the ACC Tournament
  • Odds to win the Big 10 Tournament
  • Odds to win the Big 12 Tournament
  • Odds to win the Big East Tournament
  • Odds to win the Pac-12 Tournament
  • Odds to win the SEC Tournament
  • Odds to win the Mountain West Tournament
  • Odds to win the WCC Tournament
  • Odds to win the A-10 Tournament
  • Odds to win the C-USA Tournament
  • Odds to win the MAC Tournament
  • Odds to win the American East Tournament
  • Odds to win the ASUN Tournament
  • Odds to win the Big Sky Tournament
  • Odds to win the Big South Tournament
  • Odds to win the Horizon Tournament
  • Odds to win the SoCon Tournament
  • Odds to win the Sun Belt Tournament
  • Odds to win the WAC Tournament

The odds on these markets change over the length of the NCAAB season, depending upon how poorly or well the teams are playing.

How to Bet on the First Half or Second Half

You can also bet on the first or second half of a college basketball game. Sportsbooks release the exact same key betting options – spreads, money lines, totals, and props – and both halves of a college basketball game. See the following for an example of a second half bet:

• North Carolina Tar Heels  (+2½) at BetMGM
• Kansas Jayhawks (-2½) at FanDuel

In this example, Kansas are the favorite. A $110 bet on Kansas would earn you a $100.00 profit if they covered the first half spread, whereas a $110 bet on North Carolina would also earn you a $110 profit. 

What other types of NCAAB Bets exist?

NCAAB Live Bets

NCAAB betting sites allow you to keep betting on games after they have started. This type of betting is also known as “live betting” because moneylines, total points lines, props, and alternate lines will dynamically update as the college basketball game progresses. 

You can continue betting until the game ends, but make sure to do your research. You want to avoid betting with your pride at all costs. If not, there’s a slight chance you’ll win but odds are, you’ll eventually deplete your bankroll.

Let’s say the Michigan Wolverines are playing the Duke Blue Devils and the odds to start the game are:

• Michigan (+3 -110)
• Duke (-3 -110)

In the first half with 10 minutes remaining, the point spread odds have adjusted to reflect the performance of Duke to start the game against Michigan. The in-play odds have adjusted to favor Duke by –7, while the pregame odds were –3.

Parlay Betting

A parlay bet lets you combine predictions on multiple games into a single bet. Because it’s harder for you to win a parlay, the odds of you winning are much greater. For example, let’s say you like these three wagers:

• Duke Blue Devils (-3.5 -110)
• Michigan Wolverines and Duke Blue Devils (Under 150 Total Points) 

If you combined them into a two-team $100 parlay, you would earn a profit of $264.46. The winnings from each leg roll over onto the next leg, meaning the profit compounds inside the parlay, leading to large payouts. However, if one leg fails, the parlay fails and you lose the wager. Alternative options include:

• Teasers
• Progressive Parlays
• Reverse Bets
• Same Game Parlays
• Round Robins

NCAAB Betting FAQs

Can I bet on NCAAB games Legally?

You can bet on college basketball games legally in many different states, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Michigan, Nevada, and Illinois. 

What are the key dates for the NCAAB 2022-23 season?

• Regular Season Start: November 8th, 2022
• Regular Season Ends: March 12th, 2023
• 2023 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament: March 14th, 2023
• First Four: March 14-15, 2023
• First round: March 16-17, 2023
• Second round: March 18-19, 2023
• Sweet 16: March 23-24, 2023
• Elite Eight: March 25-26, 2023
• Final Four: April 1, 2023
• NCAA Championship Game: April 3, 2023

How do I bet on NCAAB games?

You can bet on college basketball games by downloading a sports betting app or by visiting an online sportsbook website. You can browse a range of betting options, including moneylines, run lines, either for the full game, totals, a specific half, etc.

What are the best NCAAB betting sites?

The highest rated NCAAB betting sites include Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM. If you are looking for a broad variety of bets and useful features, Draftkings is a great option. BetMGM is the best for odds boosts and bonuses.

How do I make money betting on the NCAAB?

For most people it takes years and years of sports betting to perfect the science of wagering on NCAAB. Before placing a bet, make sure to do your research, here are some things to look for:

• Who is the home team?
• Who is the away team?
• Regular Season Stats
• Strengths and Weaknesses
• Starting Lineups
• Bench Strength
• Head to Head Results
• Team Against the Spread (ATS) Records
• Recent Games (is the team on a losing or a winning streak?)

What to consider before placing a bet?

There are many things you should consider before placing a bet on an NCAAB game like:

• Public Betting Consensus
• Line Movements
• Sportsbook with the Best Odds
• Travel Schedule
• Key Injuries

How important are NCAAB Injuries for handicapping?

Simply put, never place a bet unless you know who’s playing in the game. This might seem obvious but who’s active for the game has a massive impact on the odds. When the game day status of key players is unknown, most sportsbooks will not release the odds to the public.

What is the NCAAB Public Betting Consensus?

The public consensus refers to which team the majority of the public is placing bets on. It’s not uncommon for popular teams to receive 90% or more of the wagers. This creates opportunities for handicappers who know how to take advantage of these scenarios.

What does a spread of +33.5 points mean when placing a bet on an NCAAB game?

Simply, it means that an NCAAB team is a 33.5-point underdog in the spread betting market. If you bet on that team to cover the spread, they must win the game or lose by up to 33 points for the bet to pay off. 

Can I bet on college basketball online?

You can bet on college basketball online in the following states: New York, Colorado, Rhode Island, Wyoming, Louisiana, Tennessee, Virginia, Oregon, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New Jersey, Arizona, Arkansas, Iowa, Michigan, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, and New Hampshire. Sportsbooks offers websites and mobile apps for NCAAB and general college basketball fans and bettors.

Can I bet on a non-college basketball sport online?

Yes, you can bet on non-college basketball sports online in the states listed above! The most popular sports to bet on are NCAAF, NBA, NFL and MLB. You can also bet on the following sports (and more): 

• UFC
• Boxing
• Soccer
• Hockey
• Golf
• Tennis
• Hockey