Prop bets are all the rage right now, as bettors flock to this market to get creative with their wagers. It’s so much fun to take the Over on your favorite player or target a team total instead of choosing a side.
March Madness sets up perfectly for prop betting because there are so many games to choose from, especially in the first round.
With that in mind, let’s dive into March Madness Round 1 prop bets.
Keep tabs of all the March Madness player prop odds with our CBB props tracker:
March Madness Game Props
Tennessee vs Louisiana: Louisiana Under 62.5 Points (-115) | DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
Louisiana has the daunting task of going up against the second-best defense in the country, per Pomeroy’s rankings.
Tennessee has held opponents to 62 points or fewer on 20 occasions this season. What’s even more impressive is that opposing teams scored less than 50 points in nine of those games.
The Volunteers are 11.5-point favorites, so they’re projected to control this game, which bodes well for the Under.
All CBB odds used for these bets are current as of 10 a.m. ET on Wednesday, March 15, and are courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
UConn vs Iowa: 1st Half Under 67.5 Points (-120) | DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
Targeting first-half Unders is a strong bet because teams tend to play it conservatively as they’re getting their feet wet in the first round on the big stage.
This is a great game to go after because both of these teams play at a slow pace. Iona (T-189th) and UConn (T-161st) are two of the slowest teams in the tournament.
That’s good news for the first half Under, which is set at a pretty high bar at 67.5 points.
Keep tabs of the latest March Madness futures odds to bet on NCAA Tournament Champion and more:
March Madness Player Props
Duke vs Oral Roberts: Jeremy Roach Over 13.5 Points (-125) | DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
Roach is a junior guard for Duke who finished second on the team in scoring, averaging 13.3 points per game while shooting 77.4% from the line and 34.1% from three-point range.
The Blue Devils take on Oral Roberts, who rank 106th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency, per KenPom. Duke has a 76.5-point team total, so they’re projected to have their way on offense here.
When you consider that this number is close to Roach’s season average while factoring in Oral Roberts’ subpar defense, the Over looks like a strong bet.
Houston vs Northern Kentucky: Jamal Shead Over 12.5 Points (-115) | DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
Shead is a junior guard for Houston who averaged 10.3 points per game while posting a 32.6% three-point percentage. While this number is above his averages, we like the spot for an Over.
The Cougars have a 71.5-point team total, so they’re projected to score a fair share of points in this one. They take on Northern Kentucky, who ranks 121st in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency, according to Pomeroy’s rankings.
Houston’s leading scorer Marcus Sasser is a game-time decision with a groin injury. If he misses this game, Shead would get more usage, which would help him eclipse this number.
