The full 2019 NCAA Tournament field has been set, as 68 teams prepare for the Big Dance. With the bracket in place, we know who each team will face in the first round as well as the path they’ll have to take to get to Minneapolis for the Final Four.
While many will be digging in over the next few days to pick their brackets and try to win their pool, there are plenty that will be enjoying the opportunity to wager on the many games coming our way next weekend and for the three weekends to follow. Some will head to Las Vegas for viewing and gambling, while others will do so at their local establishment, but even if you don’t plan on betting on games, checking out the betting odds can be useful.
Seeding can give you a bit of understanding of how close matchups may be, the oddsmakers projections are an even better way to determine how close teams truly are to each other. That won’t stop there from being blowouts and major upsets, but oddsmakers are very good at their jobs. If there’s a matchup that, seed-wise, looks to be not close but oddsmakers expect it to be, that could help lean you towards some upset picks in your pool.
Below, you’ll fine the spreads for the First Four games in Dayton on Tuesday and Wednesday, as well as all of the first round matchups (excluding those that await the outcome of the First Four games), courtesy of BetOnline.
As of now, the biggest favorite on the board is North Carolina (-24.5) against Iona, but that’s without Duke’s game on the board, which is expected to be an even larger spread. For those seeking upset potential based off Vegas lines, the team from seeds 10-14 getting the fewest points on the spread are: No. 14 Yale (+7.5) vs. No. 3 LSU, No. 13 Northeastern (+7.5) vs. No. 4 Kansas, No. 12 Oregon (+2) vs. No. 5 Wisconsin, No. 11 St. Mary’s (+5) vs. No. 6 Villanova, and No. 10 Florida (+2) vs. No. 7 Nevada.
Point totals aren’t up just yet, but eventually those will be posted for your over-under betting needs.
Tuesday, Mar. 19
16. Fairleigh Dickinson (-1.5) vs. 16. Prairie View A&M
11. Belmont (-3) vs. 11. Temple
Wednesday, Mar. 20
11. Arizona State (-1) vs. 11. St. Johns
16. NC Central (+5) vs. 16. North Dakota State
Thursday, Mar. 21
11. St. Mary’s (+5) vs. 6. Villanova
14. Old Dominion (+12.5) vs. 3. Purdue
12. Murray State (+4) vs. 5. Marquette
13. Vermont (+12) vs. 4. Florida State
14. Yale (+7.5) vs. 3. LSU
10. Seton Hall (+3) vs. 7. Wofford
15. Abilene Christian (+21) vs. 2. Kentucky
10. Minnesota (+4.5) vs. 7. Louisville
15. Bradley (+20) vs. 2. Michigan State
10. Florida (+2) vs. 7. Nevada
15. Montana (+15.5) vs. 2. Michigan
11. NM State (+7.5) vs. 6. Auburn
13. Northeastern (+7.5) vs. 4. Kansas
9. Baylor (+1.5) vs. 8. Syracuse
Friday, Mar. 21
16. Gardner-Webb (+23) vs. 1. Virginia
9. Oklahoma (+2) vs. 8. Ole Miss
10. Iowa (+4) vs. 7. Cincinnati
15. Colgate (+17.5) vs. 2. Tennessee
16. Iona (+24.5) vs. 1. UNC
9. Washington (+2.5) vs. 8. Utah State
11. Ohio State (+6) vs. 6. Iowa State
14. Georgia State (+12.5) vs. 3. Houston
14. Northern Kentucky (+14.5) vs. 3. Texas Tech
12. Liberty (+7.5) vs. 5. Mississippi State
13. St. Louis (+10) vs. 4. Virginia Tech
12. Oregon (+2) vs. 5. Wisconsin
