March Madness is back this week, and with it is one of the best sports betting times of the year. The first-round matchups are set for the 2023 NCAA men’s basketball tournament, and there are already odds in the market for the First Four and first-round games.
The First Four — games between the last four at-large teams selected and four lowest-ranked automatic qualifiers — takes place Tuesday and Wednesday in Dayton, Ohio, with the winners joining the round of 64, which will be played Thursday and Friday at eight sites around the country.
Naturally, the biggest spreads in the first round appear in the No. 1 vs. No. 16 matchups, with Kansas favored by 22 points over Howard and Houston by 21 points over Northern Kentucky. (The other two top seeds, Alabama and Purdue, are waiting on the First Four to determine their first games.)
{ if (response.ok) { return response.json(); } else { throw new Error(“Invalid Request”); } }) .then((data) => { if (data.started === false) { bettingOddsSection.style.display = “block”; let svgContainer = document.getElementById(“ceasars-sportsbook-svg”); svgContainer.innerHTML = $(window).width() market.name === “Money Line (Action @ Action)” || market.name.startsWith(“Run Line (“) || market.name === “Run Line” || market.name === “Total Runs” || market.name.startsWith(“Total Runs (“) ); } else if (league === “NHL”) { marketsArrayFiltered = data.markets.filter( (market) => market.name === “Money Line” || market.name === “Total Match Goals” || market.name === “Puck Line Handicap” ); } else { marketsArrayFiltered = data.markets.filter( (market) => market.name === “Spread” || market.name === “Money Line” || market.name === “Total Points” ); } data[“markets”] = marketsArrayFiltered; let tableHeadersData = [ formatDate(data.startTime), “Spread”, “Money Line”, “O/U”, ]; let tableHeaderContainer = document.getElementById( “betting-odds__table-heading-container” ); tableHeadersData.map((tableHeader, i) => { let tableCellHeader = document.createElement(“th”); tableCellHeader.setAttribute( “class”, `betting-odds__tableCell-header betting-odds__tableCell-header-${i}` ); tableCellHeader.innerHTML = tableHeader; tableHeaderContainer.appendChild(tableCellHeader); }); let bodyContainer = document.getElementById( “betting-odds__container-body” ); /****** Team 1 ********************/ let team1 = data.markets.map((market) => { let line; if (league === “MLB”) { if (market.name === “Run Line”) { line = market.line * -1; } else { line = market.line; } } else { if (market.name === “Spread”) { line = market.line * -1; } else { line = market.line; } } let filteredSelections = market.selections.find( (selection) => selection.name === data.teamsInfo[0].teamName || selection.name === “Over” ); let title = market.name; // Spread let a = filteredSelections.price.a; let selectionName = filteredSelections.name; let teamNameAbrv = data.teamsInfo[0].teamNameAbrv; return { [market.name]: { title, selectionName, line, a, teamNameAbrv }, }; }); let newTeam1 = [ { info: { name: formatDate(data.startTime), title: data.teamsInfo[0].teamName, logo: data.teamsInfo[0].teamLogo, abrv: data.teamsInfo[0].teamNameAbrv, }, }, …team1, ]; let object1 = Object.assign({}, …newTeam1); console.log(“TEAM 1”); console.log(object1); console.log(“TEAM 1”); /****** END OF Team 1 ********************/ let team2 = data.markets.map((market) => { let title = market.name; // Spread let line = market.line; let filteredSelections = market.selections.find( (selection) => selection.name === data.teamsInfo[1].teamName || selection.name === “Under” ); let a = filteredSelections.price.a; let selectionName = filteredSelections.name; let teamNameAbrv = data.teamsInfo[1].teamNameAbrv; return { [market.name]: { title, selectionName, line, a, teamNameAbrv }, }; }); let newTeam2 = [ { info: { name: data.competitionName, title: data.teamsInfo[1].teamName, logo: data.teamsInfo[1].teamLogo, abrv: data.teamsInfo[1].teamNameAbrv, }, }, …team2, ]; let object2 = Object.assign({}, …newTeam2); console.log(“TEAM 2”); console.log(object2); console.log(“TEAM 2”); let tBody = document.getElementById(“betting-odds__table-body”); createRow(object1); createRow(object2); /********************* FUNCTIONS ************************/ function createRow(object) { let tRow = document.createElement(“tr”); tBody.appendChild(tRow); let tCellLeague = document.createElement(“td”); tCellLeague.setAttribute( “class”, “betting-odds__tableCell-container-info” ); tRow.appendChild(tCellLeague); let leagueInfoContainer = document.createElement(“div”); leagueInfoContainer.setAttribute( “class”, “betting-odds__container-table-info-container” ); tCellLeague.appendChild(leagueInfoContainer); let leagueImageContainer = document.createElement(“div”); leagueImageContainer.setAttribute( “class”, “betting-odds__container-table-image” ); leagueInfoContainer.appendChild(leagueImageContainer); let leagueImage = document.createElement(“img”); leagueImage.setAttribute(“class”, “betting-odds__table-image”); leagueImage.setAttribute(“src”, object?.info.logo); console.log(object?.info.logo); leagueImageContainer.appendChild(leagueImage); let leagueTeamNameContainer = document.createElement(“div”); leagueTeamNameContainer.setAttribute( “class”, “betting-odds__container-table-teamName” ); leagueInfoContainer.appendChild(leagueTeamNameContainer); let leagueTeamName = document.createElement(“p”); leagueTeamName.setAttribute(“class”, “betting-odds__table-teamName”); console.log(object.info.title); if ($(window).width() <= 810) { leagueTeamName.innerHTML = object?.info.abrv; } else { leagueTeamName.innerHTML = object?.info.title; } leagueTeamNameContainer.appendChild(leagueTeamName); /************** SPREAD *************/ let tCellSpread = document.createElement("td"); tCellSpread.setAttribute("class", "betting-odds__table-Cell-body"); let spreadDiv = document.createElement("div"); spreadDiv.setAttribute("class", "betting-odds__tableCell-container"); tCellSpread.appendChild(spreadDiv); tRow.appendChild(tCellSpread); let Spread; let moneyLine; let totalPoints; if (league === "MLB") { moneyLine = object["Money Line (Action @ Action)"]; Spread = object["Run Line"]; totalPoints = object["Total Runs"]; } else { moneyLine = object["Money Line"]; Spread = object.Spread; totalPoints = object["Total Points"]; } console.log(moneyLine, Spread.teamNameAbrv); // spread Line let spreadAbrv = document.createElement("p"); spreadAbrv.setAttribute( "class", "betting-odds__p-bold betting-odds__p-abrv" ); spreadAbrv.innerHTML = Spread.teamNameAbrv; spreadDiv.appendChild(spreadAbrv); let spreadLine = document.createElement("p"); spreadLine.setAttribute("class", "betting-odds__p-bold"); spreadLine.innerHTML = signChecker(Spread.line); spreadDiv.appendChild(spreadLine); // a ? let spreadA = document.createElement("p"); spreadA.innerHTML = signChecker(Spread.a); spreadDiv.appendChild(spreadA); /************** END OF SPREAD *************/ /************** MONEY LINE *************/ let tCellMoneyLine = document.createElement("td"); tCellMoneyLine.setAttribute("class", "betting-odds__table-Cell-body"); let moneyLineDiv = document.createElement("div"); moneyLineDiv.setAttribute( "class", "betting-odds__tableCell-container" ); tCellMoneyLine.appendChild(moneyLineDiv); tRow.appendChild(tCellMoneyLine); if (moneyLine) { let moneyLineSelectionName = document.createElement("p"); moneyLineSelectionName.setAttribute( "class", "betting-odds__p-bold betting-odds__p-abrv" ); moneyLineSelectionName.innerHTML = moneyLine.teamNameAbrv; moneyLineDiv.appendChild(moneyLineSelectionName); // money line a ? let moneyLineA = document.createElement("p"); moneyLineA.setAttribute("class", "betting-odds__p-bold"); moneyLineA.innerHTML = signChecker(moneyLine.a); moneyLineDiv.appendChild(moneyLineA); } else { let moneyLineSelectionName = document.createElement("p"); moneyLineSelectionName.innerHTML = ""; moneyLineDiv.appendChild(moneyLineSelectionName); } // //selection name /************** END OF MONEY LINE *************/ /************** TOTAL POINTS *************/ let tCellTotalPoints = document.createElement("td"); tCellTotalPoints.setAttribute( "class", "betting-odds__table-Cell-body" ); let totalPointsDiv = document.createElement("div"); totalPointsDiv.setAttribute( "class", "betting-odds__tableCell-container" ); tCellTotalPoints.appendChild(totalPointsDiv); tRow.appendChild(tCellTotalPoints); //m let totalPointsOUDiv = document.createElement("div"); totalPointsOUDiv.setAttribute("style", "display: flex"); totalPointsDiv.appendChild(totalPointsOUDiv); if (totalPoints) { let totalPointsSelectionName = document.createElement("p"); totalPointsSelectionName.setAttribute( "class", "betting-odds__p-bold" ); if ($(window).width() console.warn(err)); } function formatDate(dateUTC) { var date = new Date(dateUTC); if ($(window).width() 0 ? `+${value}` : value; } function checkUrlInclusion(word, secondParameter) { let secondParameterChecker = secondParameter !== undefined ? secondParameter : word; // console.log(secondParameterChecker, " item.trim()); let indexOfSecondParameterChecker = keywordArray.indexOf( secondParameterChecker ); // console.log(valueOfHuman); if ( keywordKey.includes("NFL-") || keywordKey.includes("NCAAF-") || keywordKey.includes("NBA-") || keywordKey.includes("NHL") ) { let foundKeys = keywordArray .find( (item) => item.includes(“NFL-“) || item.includes(“NCAAF-“) || item.includes(“NBA-“) || item.includes(“NHL”) ) .split(“-“); league = foundKeys[0]; team = foundKeys[1]; } else if (indexOfSecondParameterChecker > -1) { return true; // return keywordArray[indexOfSecondParameterChecker]; // var regExp = new RegExp(secondParameterChecker, “gi”); // let keywordValue = // keywordKey.match(regExp) === null // ? undefined // : keywordKey.match(regExp)[0].toLowerCase(); // return keywordValue === secondParameterChecker; } else { // console.log(word, “<=== word"); return RegExp("\b" + word + "\b").test(windowStr); } } function svg(svgWidth) { return ` `; } ]]>
Most other matchups, of course, are projected to be much closer, lending not much of a hit as you begin to fill out brackets. Here are the point spreads from Caesars Sportsbook, official odds partner of Bet.NOLA.com, plus over/unders and money lines available in the market as of Sunday evening:
First Four
TUESDAY, MARCH 14
Texas A&M Corpus Christi (-4½, -210) vs. Southeast Missouri State (+180)
Mississippi State (-2, -130) vs. Pitt (+110, o/u 131.5)
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15
Texas Southern (-3½, -165) vs. Fairleigh Dickinson (+140)
Arizona State (-1½, -120) vs. Nevada (+100)
First round
THURSDAY, MARCH 16
No. 1 Houston (-21, -15000) vs. No. 16 Northern Kentucky (+3000, o/u 121½)
No. 9 West Virginia (-1, -140) vs. No. 8 Maryland (+120, o/u 140½)
No. 5 San Diego State (-5, -205) vs. No. 12 Charleston (+175, o/u 143½)
No. 7 Texas A&M (-3, -165) vs. No. 10 Penn State (+140, o/u 135½)
No. 10 Boise State (-2, -130) vs. No. 7 Northwestern (+110, o/u 128½)
No. 9 Auburn (-1, -120) vs. No. 8 Iowa (+100, o/u 154)
No. 2 Arizona (-13, -1650) vs. No. 15 Princeton (+950, o/u 157½)
No. 2 Texas (-14½, -1100) vs. No. 15 Colgate (+700, o/u 151½)
No. 2 UCLA (-18, -2800) vs. No. 15 UNC-Asheville (+1300, o/u 134½)
No. 4 Virginia (-6½, -255) vs. No. 13 Furman (+215, o/u 132)
No. 5 Duke (-7, -285) vs. No. 12 Oral Roberts (+228, o/u 146)
No. 10 Utah State (-2, -130) vs. No. 7 Missouri (+110, o/u 159½)
No. 1 Kansas (-22, -10000) vs. No. 16 Howard (+2000, o/u 149½)
No. 8 Arkansas (-2½, -155) vs. No. 9 Illinois (+130, o/u 144½)
No. 4 Tennessee (-13, -600) vs. No. 13 UL-Lafayette (+450, o/u 136½)
FRIDAY, MARCH 17
No. 3 Xavier (-12½, -700) vs. No. 14 Kennesaw State (+510, o/u 155½)
No. 7 Michigan State (-1½, -130) vs. No. 10 USC (+110, o/u 137½)
No. 5 Miami (-2½, -165) vs. No. 12 Drake (+140, o/u 147½)
No. 4 UConn (-10, -500) vs. No. 13 Iona (+400, o/u 144½)
No. 6 Kentucky (-3, -170) vs. No. 11 Providence (+143, o/u 145)
No. 8 Memphis (-2½, -145) vs. No. 9 Florida Atlantic (+125, o/u 150½)
No. 3 Baylor (-11, -580) vs. No. 14 UC Santa Barbara (+440, o/u 143½)
No. 6 Creighton (-5½, -240) vs. No. 11 NC State (+200, o/u 147½)
No. 5 St. Mary’s (-5, -240) vs. No. 12 VCU (+200, o/u 120½)
No. 4 Indiana (-5½, -240) vs. No. 13 Kent State (+200, o/u 141½)
No. 2 Marquette (-12, -650) vs. No 15 Vermont (+460, o/u 144½)
No. 3 Gonzaga (-14½, -2100) vs. No. 14 Grand Canyon (+1100, o/u 156½)
No. 3 Kansas State (-10, -420) vs. No. 14 Montana State (+320, o/u 139)
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