Conference Tournament Betting Picks: Best Bets for ACC, Big Ten, SEC, and More

Several conference tournaments are already underway, but the big dogs are ready to run, too.

Powerful leagues like the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC are providing input, but there’s still time to bet on who will scour the other markets.
Here’s what we recommend:

ACC

Date: March 10-14

Where: Charlotte, North Carolina

Here are the top five teams on FanDuel’s Odds Board for winning the ACC Conference Tournament.

• Duke-330
• Virginia +700
• Louisville +1300
• Miami +1700
• North Carolina +2500

At these odds, Duke’s odds of winning the ACC Tournament are 76.74%. It’s definitely hard to argue with them. They are the hardest team to score in the conference (1st in points allowed, 62.5) and 4th in offense (82.9 points per game). With arguably the best player in the country, Cameron Boozer, leading the way, Duke will be hard to break away from.

But if anyone could do it I would have to say North Carolina. UNC has already beaten Duke once this season, and despite losing Caleb Wilson to a season-ending injury, the team continued to play well. But the Blue Devils dominated them in the regular season finale.

If the opportunity arises, you can’t let the buzzer control the paint. They need to win the rebounding battle and can’t turn the ball over much.

Best bet: North Carolina +2500

Duke should win the tournament, but at -330 there is no value in that bet. If someone upsets them, the Tar Heels have the best chance (since they’ve beaten them before). But keep your bets small and your expectations low.

Big East Conference

When: March 11-14

Where: New York City

Here are the top five teams on FanDuel’s Odds Board for winning the Big East Conference Tournament.

• UConn -125
• St. John’s +210
• Villanova +650
• Seaton Hall +1700
• Creighton +5000

If there’s any conference that should be upset, it’s the Big East. UConn needs to win, but the team doesn’t have the killer instinct needed to take control of games and shut down opponents for a while. Georgetown and Seton Hall were closer games than expected, sandwiched between two losses (Creighton and Marquette).

So if not UConn, then who?

I would have to say St. John’s. Yes, UConn crushed them 72-40 a few weeks ago, but the Red Storm won the regular season title. My pick: St. Petersburg at +210. St. John’s (but consider Creighton as a long shot worth investing a few dollars at +5000 for).

Big Ten Conference

When: March 10-15

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Here are the top five teams on FanDuel’s Odds Board for winning the Big Ten Conference Tournament.

• Michigan -105
• Illinois +480
• Purdue +600
• Michigan State University +650
• Nebraska +1000

Michigan will be difficult for anyone to beat in this conference. Yes, Wisconsin has proven they can lose, but those losses can outweigh them just as the Badgers have had a good night, just as the Wolverines have had a bad night.

With the size and talent they have in the frontcourt, scoring and rebounding in the paint will be difficult. They are very efficient in attack and don’t make too many mistakes.

If someone upsets them, I’ll pick Illinois. Because they have the best offensive and defensive combination in the conference next to Michigan. However, the Wolverines beat the Illini 84-70 on the road a few weeks ago.

My Pick: Michigan -105

I don’t like betting at negative money odds, but at -105 I can live with that. No one in this conference is going to touch Wolverine.

Big 12 Conference

Date: March 10-14

Location: Kansas City, Missouri

Here are the top five teams on FanDuel’s Big 12 Conference Tournament winner odds board.

• Arizona +110
• Houston +200
• Iowa State +800
• Kansas +850
• Texas Tech +1700

Most analysts are fixated on one of the top two teams, either Houston or Arizona, to win it all.

Even though they have a tougher road ahead, they still have to take Arizona to beat Houston. The Wildcats have a better, more consistent offense paired with an elite defense. Houston fans can’t trust their offense to get the job done.

Arizona has the talent and depth to waltz into this tournament and the next.

But if you’re looking for a dark horse, give Cincinnati (+8000) serious consideration. If your enemy’s defenses are on, they can suffocate you and make you take harder shots than you’d like. They certainly came up big in their wins over Kansas and Iowa State.

They may not be impressive on offense, but if they can slow down their opponents enough and their massive frontcourt can force them to take more jump shots, they

Best Pick: Arizona +110 (but Houston wouldn’t be a bad choice either)

secretary

When: March 11-15

Location: Nashville, Tennessee

Here are the top five teams on FanDuel’s odds board to win the SEC Tournament.

• Florida -180
• Arkansas +700
• Alabama +700
• Tennessee +850
• Vanderbilt +3500

Florida is a difficult team to oppose. With a strong frontcourt and efficient offense, scoring is rarely an issue. They are not afraid of physical aggression, whether chasing the boards or playing defense.

They may be too good on both ends of the court to compete with anyone in the SEC. Especially when you can play a half-court game and slow down a team (like Alabama).

Among the teams capable of pulling off an upset, I would say Alabama, Arkansas, and Vanderbilt, in that order. why? Because if you can turn a game into a track meet, there are better offenses than the Gators.

Best Pick: Vanderbilt at +3500.

Florida will probably win, but I don’t like the -180 value. Of the three upset contenders, Florida was held to 77 points by more than 100 points from Alabama and Arkansas. Vanderbilt lost by four points, 98-94.