How to Bet on College Basketball

Betting on College Basketball has never been simpler!

Whether you want to wager against a rival or put some capital behind your team, Dimers.com is here to show you how to bet on NCAA Basketball. 

So, let’s break down the best betting options when it comes to the likes of Gonzaga and Duke.

College Basketball Spread

Often you’ll hear the term 'against the spread', largely in NBA betting and NFL betting. However, this type of bet is also prevalent in NCAA Basketball. 

The spread bet is essentially a sportsbook’s way of levelling out two unequal opponents. 

An underdog team is given a ‘head start’ in the form of points. To cover a spread, a favored team needs to win the game by the specified amount of points. Meanwhile, an underdog can either win, or lose by the number to cover.

Example: 

• Duke -5
• Auburn +5

Using the example above, if you bet Auburn +5, they would need to win outright or lose by 4 points or less to cover the spread.

Conversely, if you bet Duke (-5) against the spread, the Blue Devils would need to win by 6+ points for you to profit. 

In the event of a push – where the bettor and sportsbook tie – your stake will be refunded, as per this example.

Example:

• Bet: Michigan -3 vs. Penn State 
• Final: Michigan 62 def. Penn State 59 

Given Michigan only won by 3 points, and not MORE THAN 3, this is considered a push. You would be refunded your bet, and yes, sadly that means no profit. 

You will also see alternate spreads for CBB games. Often the spread number is blown out, giving you a better chance of covering. Naturally, the odds are thereby shorter than the standard spread.

More: How do College Basketball Odds Work?

College Basketball Over/Under (Total)

Betting the over/under in a College Basketball game simply means you are wagering on how many points will be scored overall, NOT how many one team will score, nor who will win.

Example:

North Carolina vs. Michigan – Over/Under 143.5

• Bet the Over (144+ points to be scored by both teams) 
  
• Bet the Under (143 points or less to be scored in total) 
  

There are other options to choose from, including scoring totals for a particular quarter/half, home team points and more.

More: What is Over/Under Betting?

College Basketball Moneyline (H2H)

The moneyline is the simplest College Basketball bet to make! Betting the moneyline simply means you are picking a team to win the game outright. 

If a team is favored, they will have a - symbol next to their name. Conversely, the underdog will have a + symbol.

Example:

• If a team has a -200 moneyline, it means you need to wager $200 in order to win $100. 
  
• If a team has a + moneyline, it's the opposite. The + tells you how much you would win betting $100, if you win of course.
  
• For example, a +150 moneyline would mean – if successful – a profit of $150.
  
• Similarly if a team had a +185 moneyline, you would make $185 profit – $285 total – when betting $100.

More: How to Live Bet on College Basketball

College Basketball Futures

College Basketball futures bets are exactly what they sound like. You are wagering on an often far-away event. If you’re looking to lay down some capital in the hopes of large winnings down the line, this is the bet for you.

Popular College Basketball future bets include:

• NCAA Basketball Championship
• College Basketball Final Four
  
• March Madness 
• Conference Champions
• Naismith Trophy Winner

The only downside to futures bets is they can take weeks or even months to occur. But if you’re patient, they can pay off big. 

More: How to Read Vegas Odds

College Basketball Prop Bets

Prop bets are popular throughout the CBB season and enable you to bet on almost anything which may unfold in a game. 

You can wager on player props; choosing whether they will achieve over/under a certain amount of points and so much more.

Common College Basketball prop bets include:

• Top scorer in a game
• First basket scorer
  
• Which team will score first
• Player to score X+ points
• Player to record X+ rebounds
  
• Player to record X+ assists
• Player to record a triple double

Depending on the sportsbook, there may be options to include props in a same game parlay. 

More: Where do Sports Odds Come From

College Basketball Parlays

A parlay simply involves more than one wager combined together for greater odds. You can place a same game College Basketball parlay – multiple events from one matchup – or alternatively, events across multiple games.

Example:

You could take Villanova (-6.5) to cover against Iowa, and take the over 137.5 points total in a same game parlay. You could add bets from other games, say Kansas to beat Texas (moneyline). 

More legs = higher odds and a chance at a larger return. But in saying that, it can also decrease your chance of winning, so make sure you only bet on things you're confident will happen!

In any parlay, you will need to get each event correct for there to be a payout. Unless a book has a special offer, there is no refund for getting 7 out of 8 right. 

More: Best Betting Strategies for College Basketball 

College Basketball Live Betting

Live or in-play betting is where you wager on a basketball game currently in progress. As odds shift throughout the game, you can find the bet to suit you whilst the action continues on. 

Example: 

• Moneyline
  
• Spread
  
• Props bets
  
• Next team to score
  
• Next scorer 
• Next player to record a foul

Utilize the Dimers live in-play probabilities section to increase your knowledge and chances of winning on your live bets. 

The live probabilities of any NCAA Basketball match can be accessed through the scoreboards at the top of the Dimers website, the Live Now section and even in the CBB Bet Hub.

Join a legal sportsbook in your state and start betting today.