Thinking about delving into the challenging, yet possibly ultra-rewarding, venture of college basketball betting? We're
still a-ways away from the beginning of the college hoops season, but here
are some college basketball betting tips as we prepare for what's to come.
Be wary of “traditional powerhouses”
There's plenty of high-powered Top 25 programs that will
continue to be overvalued going forward, and that's not because of their actual
skill level but strictly because of the name attached.
Take the Duke Blue Devils as an example. One of the most
storied college basketball programs in history, sportsbooks realize how popular
they are across the country and so often put out NCAA basketball lines to pull in the general college basketball betting public. The Blue Devils may have overachieved in general, but they
still were just 13-21 ATS this past season.
College basketball odds makers are shrewd in this way. They'll attract the
masses by playing on their biases and make bank from it.
It's up to you to differentiate and find the real value.
Never underestimate the psychology of sport
As with every other sport, there are also significant
psychological factors involved in college basketball and you can use these to
your advantage with your NCAA basketball picks.
Say a team you're tracking just beat Kentucky during the
regular season. Well, after such an emotional high, there's bound to be some
type of regression and often times there's value in fading a team after such a
monumental victory.
There's so many other important aspects, too. The effects of
traveling, losing streaks, winning streaks, and media-hype are only a fraction
of what's out there for collegiate athletes to deal with. Mental toughness
always trumps physical toughness.
Don't be scared of small-market teams
There's also bound to be value in the less glamorous games
featuring mid-major teams. If you play your cards right and do the research,
you have every chance of having a successful season in college hoops. Don't know
anything about Weber State? Well, start educating yourself.
Why not pick out two or three smaller conferences before the
season starts and really go to work?
Learn everything there is to know about those teams involved, and you will have a huge leg up on the rest of the handicapping world. The MVC,
Big Sky, CAA, Horizon, MAC and many more conferences are ripe for exploitation.
March Madness earns its name
Come tournament time, we all know what's capable of
happening. These are where the biggest upsets occur and where you can either
build up or demolish your bankroll. However, make sure you don't get too
wrapped up in the drama.
How many times have we seen teams peak during their
respective conference tournaments? Remember Kemba Walker and UConn in 2010?
Louisville this past season?
When a team is clicking like that, it's hard to ever fade
them. People naturally want to ride these amazing winning runs until they come
to a close, but be careful. Sportsbooks aren't stupid, and they're not going to
make things easy.
Do Not Chase! I repeat...
Again, we can't stress this enough: chasing losses is not
the way to go - unless you want to lose your bankroll in a hurry, that is.
Discipline, as with any other endeavor, is going to be key.
If you lose a bet, or even all of your bets, for the day, move on and start
working towards tomorrow.
“But Hawaii's playing Pacific at midnight, and the Warriors
are definitely going to cover. This is my chance to make back some coin!”
No. Don't do it.
Handicapping is a marathon,
not a sprint. Be disciplined, use proper money management, and you'll be much
better off in the long run.