With March Madness betting lines set to be revealed, a number of sportsbooks both in Las Vegas and New Jersey, as well as online, are offering totals on college basketball games. Totals are a form of straight wagering, where the bettor simply has to pick whether they believe the two teams will accumulate more or less points then what the sportsbook sets the line at. For all intents and purposes, when a sports betting enthusiast wants to make a profit on the NCAAB they should use the totals wagering method, as there are plenty of games to choose from. Today we will look at what you should be considering when betting on college totals.
Sharp bettors, for two reasons, mainly play totals, firstly not every sportsbook will carry college basketball totals, providing only a handful of options. Secondly, despite carrying college totals, many sportsbooks will offer good value on the line, because they may not be as focused on some lines as others. For instance, you’re more likely to see tough total lines on the Big East or ACC, then you would on the Mountain West or Horizon League conferences. Therefore, like anything, if you do your research, you can turn an excellent profit by finding value on your favorite teams.
For MLB bettors testing their luck at college basketball, one way to get an understanding of the totals lines, is by watching as many games as possible. Some handicappers, may even attempt to watch only the box scores for games, as teams may appear stronger in one half then the other. For example, middle of the pack teams tends to start strong jump out to a big lead and then take the rest of the game lightly. Meanwhile, excellent teams will look to score more points in the second half compared to the first, as they slowly build up before running away with the lead.
