March Madness is the apex of the college basketball season every year, but there’s a whole lot more to see when it comes to NCAA basketball betting. That’s especially true along the Atlantic Coast where fans can find historic programs at every turn.
We’ve got you covered, from how NCAA basketball odds work to what to bet on and more. We’ll also have real-time odds on college basketball games direct from Virginia online sportsbooks for game-day line shopping.
Latest College Basketball Odds and Lines at Virginia Sportsbooks
Check the feeds below for a snapshot of the latest NCAA basketball moneylines, spreads, and over/unders and National Championship odds as posted at Virginia online sportsbooks. See the full NCAA odds board here. Click on any odds below to go directly to the sportsbook, claim your bonus, and start betting college basketball.
How To Bet on NCAA Basketball
From the opening game of the regular season through to the national title tilt, you can bet on hundreds of college basketball games in several different forms. Sportsbooks release odds for almost all games in virtually every conference, typically the night before or no later than the day of the game.
When you check out college basketball odds, they’ll look similar to this:
| Spread | Moneyline | Totals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas | +2.5 (-110) | +120 | O 129.5 (-110) |
| Kentucky | -2.5 (-110) | -140 | U 129.5 (-110) |
Teams are listed with the home team on the bottom and the visiting side up top, but keep in mind that there are neutral-site games at times. To the right of the teams are three sets of numbers. These are the lines and odds for the three main bet types:
College Basketball Moneyline Betting
The moneyline bet is one of the easiest to understand. All you need to do is pick which side you think will win the game. For the odds, the number is negative on the favorite side and positive for underdogs.
A small range in the two numbers points to a close game while a wide gap indicates an expected mismatch. In this example, Duke is a reasonably strong favorite at -175:
- Wake Forest +155
- Duke -175
You would need to bet $175 to earn back $100 in profit on a bet on Duke. A winning bet on Wake Forest, on the other hand, would pay out $155 on a bet of $100.
College Basketball Point Spread Betting
The point spread is a designated number set by oddsmakers. It basically represents an estimated margin of victory that you have to account for in your bet. You can take the favorite minus the points, or go with the underdog plus the spread. Regardless of which side you choose, the spread needs to be covered to have a winning bet. For example:
- North Carolina +1.5 (-110)
- Duke -1.5 (-110)
For a bet on the favorite, Duke, to win, they would need to win by two or more points. A bet on North Carolina is a winner if they either win outright or lose by one point. Both bets would have a payout of $100 on a bet of $110.
College Basketball Totals Betting
This wager has to do with the total points that the two teams will combine to score in the game. Sportsbooks set a projected total, and bettors then get to decide if they think the combined points will go over or under that amount. This can be a great bet to focus on when you can’t make heads or tails of the outright winner or spread. For example:
- Over 137.5 (-110)
- Under 137.5 (-110)
For an Over bet to be a winner, the total combined score would need to be 138 points or higher. An Under bet would pay out if the combined score was 137 or fewer.
Keep in mind that the odds and lines can move after the initial release as betting action comes in. Also, the numbers won’t necessarily be the same at every online sportsbook. You can always shop around to find the latest and best numbers before actually placing your bets. Check our odds feed above for a list of all Virgina online sportsbooks.
College Basketball Futures and Prop Bets
Beyond betting on individual games, there are several other popular ways to bet on most sports. Two of the top options are:
The former requires a long-term perspective, while the latter offers up additional ways to potentially profit on the games.
A futures bet is a bet on an outcome that won’t be known until down the road. It’s a popular market that stays active all year round. For college basketball, there are a few options for futures betting. These are the most popular futures bets:
- National championship winner
- Team to make Final Four
- Conference winners
- Team regular-season win totals
- Player of the Year
Futures odds are released in the offseason. You can place your bets right then and there or stay engaged all season long to look for intriguing opportunities as the odds change. Either approach is fine, and plenty of bettors employ both.
A prop bet is akin to having a side bet on the game on something that may or may not happen. Props revolve around specific statistical accomplishments of the players, team performance, or something to do with the outcome of the game.
In most legal betting states, prop betting on college basketball games is prohibited. Virginia is the same.
Can You Bet on College Basketball in Virginia?
Sports betting legislation officially passed the Virginia Legislature in April 2020, but the rollout took a little longer. Virginia sports betting apps finally launched in 2021.
While college sports are available for betting, you won’t be able to bet on any of the local teams such as Virginia or Virginia Tech.
But remember, there are no restrictions on betting on any other Division I programs across the nation.
Want to bet on the rest of the ACC? Love the action from the SEC or Big Ten? As long as the game doesn’t involve a team from Virginia, or take place in Virginia, you’re good to go.
Who Are the Top College Basketball Players and Teams to Watch?
A great way to begin getting a handle on the betting landscape for a college basketball season is by taking a look at the futures odds. The odds for the next national champion will help to put the entire field in perspective.
Additionally, you can drill down into the individual conferences. You can get a quick snapshot of which teams look poised to be on top, as well as which appear to be in the also-ran category.
If we look at the futures odds to start the season on two of the biggest online sportsbooks, DraftKings Sportsbook in Virginia and FanDuel Sportsbook in Virginia, you’ll see a general consensus on the top five favorites to win it all this time around.
Check the odds feed above to see the latest futures odds for the current season.
Note: As the season begins, odds will shift (and shift dramatically). Always check your preferred sportsbook for current odds.
NCAA Basketball AP Top 25 Poll
Get current team rankings at AP’s Top 25 Poll
NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament (March Madness)
After the regular season and the conference tournaments are in the books, the selection committee unveils the bracket for March Madness. The winners of the conference tourneys get automatic bids, while the committee sorts through the at-large teams and selects the best remaining teams to fill out the field.
March Madness begins just a couple of days later with the First Four. These are essentially play-in games for the four lowest automatic qualifiers and the last four “at-large” teams selected. The winners move on to play in the first round.
Afterward, the fun really begins. There are 64 teams left standing at this point, and 63 games to play to crown a champ. The tournament is single-elimination, which means that winners advance, and losers go home. Here’s the number of games on a round-by-round basis.
- First round: 32
- Second round: 16
- Sweet 16: 8
- Elite Eight: 4
- Final Four: 2
- National Championship: 1
It’s a wild couple of weeks of full-on March Madness betting. There’s wall-to-wall hoops action on the dial, brackets to fill out, and plenty of individual games to bet on.
This is one of the best sporting events of the calendar year, and interest only seems to be growing with each passing year.
What Are the Biggest Rivalries in College Basketball?
As noted above, there is an elephant in the room with regard to betting on college basketball in Virginia. You can’t bet on any of the Virginia-based teams. Betting on local college sports teams is expressly prohibited in the state’s sports betting legislation.
On the bright side, the rest of the college basketball landscape is fair game. The two biggest programs in the state, Virginia and Virginia Tech, are members of the ACC.
And if you’re an ACC fan already, you know you’ll find plenty of elite rivalries in one of the nation’s top conferences. Here are just a few of the annual games that draw bigger betting action than most:
- Duke vs. North Carolina
- Pitt vs. Syracuse
- Miami vs. Florida State
For each NCAA Division I conference, there are plenty of intriguing games to explore. The regular season is packed with matchups almost every day, so you’ll always have a number of options to consider.
College Basketball Betting Guide for Beginners
For those new to betting on college basketball, there are several parallels that can be drawn from wagering on other team sports. The overall handicapping process is similar, as you’ll want to break down the matchup and research the news surrounding the game, for example.
However, there are also some big differences to be aware of. Among the biggest are the sheer number of teams and the disparity in strength between the various programs.
The good news is that the learning curve isn’t particularly steep. A little research and practice will get you ready in no time. Here are some tips to keep in mind as you get started.
1. Shop for College Basketball Lines
Lines don’t stay still after the initial release, and there can be differences in pricing by sportsbook operators. These are just two reasons why you want to get in the habit of shopping around for the best college basketball lines. Oddsmakers may spend lots of time on top matchups, while others fly under the radar, so there are discrepancies out there.
2. Finding an Edge in College Basketball Betting
Research can be your best friend in handicapping, especially when you spend your time wisely. As opposed to researching every stat imaginable, focus on what really moves the needle. In college basketball, the list includes true shooting percentage, defensive efficiency, depth of rotation, recent performance, and travel or rest concerns.
3. Benefits of Betting on College Hoops
During the regular season, the college basketball slate is pretty packed every day, but the individual teams only play a few games per week. This is a boon for handicappers. There’s extra time to research, and the various stats and metrics can mean that much more in comparison to sports in which teams play more games.
Once you gain experience at breaking down the games, college basketball betting will be that much more enjoyable and hopefully profitable.
College Basketball FAQ
Only one Virginia college program has won it all at March Madness. That came in 2019 when the Virginia Cavaliers took down Texas Tech by a score of 85-77 in overtime to claim the crown. Virginia had previously reached the Final Four in 1981 and 1984.
Virginia tops the list with three Final Four appearances in 1981, 1984 and 2019. The team won it all in its last appearance. The only other two Virginia-based teams to reach the Final Four are George Mason and VCU. George Mason made it in 2006 before falling to Florida. VCU’s run came in 2011 and was ended by Butler.
Along with our general basketball betting tips above, here’s a simple five-point plan that makes for a great starting point for college basketball betting.
- Research college basketball odds and lines while shopping for best prices.
- Break down strengths and weaknesses on both sides while sticking to key stats.
- Consider overall records, but also zero in on recent play and any common opponents faced.
- Use power rankings to help handicap spreads, and also research team splits for home/away, spreads and totals.
- Review news and notes surrounding the game, and research recent historical meetings between the two programs.
Once you have mastered these five steps, you can begin adding and subtracting items with the goal of building out your own handicapping system. In a perfect world, you’ll build out something that you can call your own before too long, and hopefully, it will point you toward more winners than losers over the long run.
The NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee tackles the herculean task of selecting the teams, as well as seeding and bracketing the tournament. There are 32 automatic qualifiers, the winners of the conference tournaments, while the remaining 36 spots fall on the committee. The 10-member panel goes through various metrics to select the best of the best to fill out the remainder of the field.
In general, odds and lines for college basketball games will be released the night before a game, and typically no later than the morning of the contest. At times, the numbers for marquee games will be released a few days in advance of the tilt. For March Madness, odds for the opening games will come out days ahead of the tournament start. In between rounds, odds will also be expedited for the next set of matchups.