March Madness is upon us.
The NCAA men’s basketball tournament is a marquee sporting event, which makes it a prime option for sports bettors. With 32 games over the next two days, there’s no shortage of CBB betting markets to cash in on.
If you’re in a state where wagering on college games is allowed, then you’re in luck.
Here are a few March Madness props to consider for Round 1.
March Madness Round 1 Props
Utah State Over 73.5 1H Points ()
TCU vs. Utah State • FanDuel Sportsbook (1 unit)
The Aggies are 44th in the country in points per game (79.8) and are a top-40 rated team in KenPom’s Adjusted Offensive Efficiency ratings, averaging 116 points per 100 possessions.
TCU is 157th in the country in points against per game (71.2) and 234th in Division 1 in opposing field-goal percentage (.446).
This game should easily surpass its Over/Under, barring a cold shooting night from either side. But don’t expect the Aggies to freeze up since they are eighth in the nation in shooting percentage (.493) and 13th in the nation in two-point shooting percentage (.573).
Find the best CBB player props (where it’s legal to bet them) with our college basketball prop tool:
Longwood: Under 52.5 Points ()
Houston vs. Longwood • FanDuel Sportsbook (1 unit)
Houston has held an opponent to 50-or-less points 10 times, including two of its past four games. The Cougars went 8-5 against this number in their nonconference slate and held their first-round opponent, Western Kentucky, to 52 points in last year’s tournament.
The Longwood Over/Under has been as low as 51 in some sportsbooks, which is why we advocate shopping to wager it at Under 52.5 at FanDuel.
Saint Peter’s +13.5 1H Spread ()
Tennessee vs. Saint Peter’s • BetMGM Sportsbook (1 unit)
The Peacocks were destiny’s darling two years ago when they became the first No. 15 seed to reach the Elite 8, and they’re back with a new cast of players who are still extremely tough, especially on defense. St. Peter’s is 78th in the nation in KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency—better than UT’s SEC rivals Kentucky, Florida, and Alabama.
The Vols have been prone to slow starts of late, trailing at halftime in three of their past four games. I’m not saying Saint Peter’s will shock the world again and beat Tennessee, but the Peacocks are feisty and should be competitive early before the Volunteers pull away late.
Samford: Over 73.5 Points ()
Kansas vs Samford • bet365 Sportsbook (1 unit)
The Bulldogs are the fifth-highest-scoring team in the country, scoring 86 points per game. So, it’s surprising that the Jayhawks, who have given up at least 75 points in three of their past five, will slow Samford, especially without leading defender Kevin McCullar Jr., who averages 1.5 steals per game.
I picked Samford to upset Kansas as one of my Round 1 March Madness predictions. If the Bulldogs do so, they’re going to need to top 74 points.
