Final Four Betting
One of the single most bet on sporting events is the NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four. Starting in March, and finishing typically the first weekend in March is what is referred to as “March Madness“. This is three straight weekend’s of non-stop basketball. There is no single period of time where work is done less than “March Madness”. Office pools, sports betting, and just simply watching all the action is turning into an American holiday of sorts for some. The Final Four is basically what it is called when the tournament has only 4 teams remaining. The remaining games are played out over one weekend and that is called the Final Four.
Betting on the Final Four is not easy. With four teams that are typically the best of the best, it’s anyone’s guess sometimes. Some years you will see a big favorite, but even then, we have seen them lose over time. Throughout the entire NCAA Basketball season you will have the opportunity to bet on a NCAA Champion. This is called a future bet. Each team will get odds based on what bookmakers think their opportunity to win the National title is. Here is what it would look like:
- North Carolina 5-6
- Villanova 10-1
- Connecticut 5-2
- Michigan State 8-1
- Duke 6-1
- Air Force 1000-1
I think you get the idea.
So, what do these future bets really mean? North Carolina is the favorite, followed by Connecticut. Duke, Michigan State, Villanova and Air Force. For North Carolina’s odds, if you wanted to win a total of $100, you would have to bet $54.55 to win $45.45. That’s what 5-6 odds do. Connecticut at 5-2, if you bet $28.57, you would win $71.43. The other teams, Duke, Michigan State, Villanova and Air Force would all bet underdogs and give you a chance to win even more money. Air Force at 1000-1, would pay $1000 for every $1 put down. Take a chance with the Falcons. Put $20.00 down and see if you can return big time money!
Once the actual teams make the Final Four, a lot of times these odds are now off the board. Now you can simply bet on each individual game. For example, if North Carolina took on Villanova in the first game, you would see lines such as North Carolina (-8.5), Villanova (+8.5). What this means is, if you want to bet North Carolina, you have to take them and subtract 8.5 points, and the result still has to be higher than Villanova’s. To make it even easier: North Carolina would have to win by 9 or more. For Villanova, you are betting that they can either win the game straight up, or if they lose, lose by less than 9.
You can also pick the game straight up, which is called Moneyline. When betting on the Moneyline and you select a favorite, your winnings will lower. For example, the favorite – North Carolina would look something like this: North Carolina (-300), while the underdog would appear: Villanova (+350). This means that if you take North Carolina to win and you want to win $100. You would have to bet $300. A lot of people do not feel it’s worth the risk betting on large favorites in the Final Four. If you were betting on Villanova on the other hand, a $100 bet would win you $350 if they won the game straight up.
Betting is part of what makes the Final Four great. Vegas, Handicappers and online Sportsbooks all take millions of dollars in bets when the Final Four rolls around. This year, you should be prepared to make your own Final Four bets. Be sure to do your homework and find some of the best possible lines around.
