As the NCAA Tournament unfolds, Duke University has emerged as the frontrunner following a dynamic opening weekend. While this year’s March Madness has seen fewer last-minute thrills, it has not been devoid of surprises; unexpected victories by teams like Arkansas, Mississippi, and BYU have propelled them into the Sweet 16.
Previously, Florida was the top contender at the BetMGM online sportsbook for clinching the men’s national championship. However, Duke has captivated attention with two commanding wins, shifting odds in their favor at +225.
Significant Game Highlights
In the Sweet 16, Duke decisively overpowered Baylor with an 89-66 victory, easily surpassing the 12.5-point spread. The Blue Devils attracted 70% of the bets and 69% of the money, whereas Baylor struggled, failing to clinch any win as an underdog of three or more points, concluding with a 2-9 spread record in such conditions.
Florida edged past UConn with a close 77-75 win, yet the Huskies maintained an impressive record against the spread, covering in 14 consecutive NCAA Tournament encounters. This streak extends through their previous national championship runs, continuing this year.
A last-second 3-pointer altered the outcome of the Florida-UConn contest, pushing the final score to 77-75 and allowing those who bet on the over (150.5 points) to celebrate. Prior to this matchup, a significant 87% of the money had been wagered on the over.
Throughout the NCAA Tournament, favorites hold a 28-24 record against the spread, with a dominant 19-9 run for those favored by six or more points. Big Ten teams are excelling, boasting a 12-4 record against the spread.
Surprising Endings
Notable upsets occurred on Sunday with No. 6-seed Ole Miss defeating No. 3-seed Iowa State. Unusually, Kentucky, despite being a No. 3 seed, found itself the underdog against No. 6 Illinois. Kentucky, at +115 on the moneyline, garnered 76% of the bets, while Ole Miss, with odds at +195, attracted 81% of the bets.
In golf, Viktor Hovland clinched the Valspar Championship with an impressive score of 11 under par, edging out Justin Thomas by a single stroke. Hovland was a +5000 underdog pre-tournament and represented just 1.4% of the bets and 0.8% of the money.
Upcoming Sports Betting
As the NBA regular season draws to a close, two teams are differentiating themselves in terms of championship prospects — the Boston Celtics and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Oklahoma City is currently favored at +185, with Boston close behind at +220. Following them are the Cleveland Cavaliers (+500), Los Angeles Lakers (+700), and Golden State Warriors (+1200), completing the top five in championship betting predictions.