A March Tournament of Betting Madness
The college basketball tournament known as March Madness is a highly competitive tug of war between desire and passion. The passion of the rabid college fans and the desire of their team`s players are a match made from an emotional roller coaster.
How to endure the optimism of hope is a testament to the humanity of sport.
Aside from the bumpy ride and emotional attachment, there is the large undertaking of handicapping the whole thing or at least some of the moving parts. A bettor will find those moving parts that fit his strategy of profiting from a huge selection.
There will be many betting opportunities due to the larger than usual match-ups and how to decipher weak lines. The oddsmakers are facing a difficult point spread evaluation especially in the early rounds. Posting the point spread, moneyline, totals and side bets like first and second half is a mathematical equation waiting to be solved.
What factors besides the numbers do you need to stay ahead of the action.
Do not bet on your favorite team. Experienced bettors do not have favorites that can dent your bankroll. Do not create a bias towards a team you favor. Do not bet on that inflated moneyline because you picked a team to advance to the next round.
Not every game will show value but a selected pattern of how much to bet on small value and when to pass on others.
Watch for those big name teams or highly ranked teams who are public betting favorites. The bigger the college reputation the more likely they are overvalued by the books with an inflated line. You are paying a premium if you are locked in to a particular popular team.
Watch for those high scoring teams when playing a sound defensive team. Teams that rely on offense too much are not prepared for a shooting slump and face elimination from a lower seed. Strong defensive teams are a sound basketball bets to cover as a dog. They bring that intense energy defending the ball and putting pressure on players trying to score. Defensive schemes are easier to use and most effective against a cold shooting offense.
You would not think location is much a factor since play is on a neutral court. A short travel for some seeded teams means their support fan base will follow. When top teams are seeded closer to home and play in familiar territory, the travel factor is minimal as teams are quite comfortable in the environment.
Factoring in the last few weeks of play during the regular season is a sound handicapping strategy. Looking at how teams performed down the stretch and in their conference tournament is a key indicator to their mental and physical readiness. Teams that get in through their seasonal play but were ineffective the last few weeks are prone to upsets in the first or second round. Surprising dogs getting points and winning outright are a bettor`s delight.
A deciding factor is to last through the betting madness by controlling your bankroll or money management You have heard it so many times before but you are dealing with a monster tournament. It is a crescendo of games leading to a climax of sheer joy or disappointment. The tourney is full of surprises but do not get short-handed when reaching the destination.
How do you allocate betting funds to keep profitable or recoup funds from previous bets? Picking your spots with a disciplined money management effort is the best way to advance your profits or stay even. There are good betting opportunities in the later rounds when the major upsets from earlier rounds are done. When reaching the elite 8 or the final 4, you are more knowledgeable with the remaining teams from their previous level of play. A moneyline bet at this stage could be best if under -200 or a +120 dog. Point spreads will be smaller in the later rounds so picking the winner may be your strategy.
The wise old philosopher Yogi Berra said ” you can observe a lot by just watching “. This is especially true for this tournament. Watch and take notes as teams will reveal their true identity at this high level of competition. Then bet accordingly. Good luck !
