Big Ten Tournament Betting Guide: Why Illinois is Worth Playing

Michigan has looked like one of the best basketball teams in the country all season. They have fallen only once during conference play, in a game where Wisconsin recorded 15 3-pointers. They are entering the tournament with even money to win the event, so there isn’t a lot of juice in picking them to win.

Outside of the Wolverines, the Big 10 is pretty wide open. Illinois, Purdue, Michigan State and Nebraska are the next group of contenders, all of whom have +1000 odds to win the Big 10.

Illinois is probably the most consistent contender of that group. Freshman Keaton Wagler will be a lottery winner this summer and leads a team comprised of Eastern Bloc senior men. The Balkan Boys are anchored by two 7’0″+ twin brothers named Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivisic. Illinois has the best offensive rating in the country and can also throw two 7-footers on defense. They are a team capable of winning a national title.

Tom Izzo has a classic Izzo type team. They have a number of veterans who grew up within the Spartans program, and they play a tough defense. Michigan State also has a spark plug on offense in Jeremy Fears Jr. If he can stop his antics in the tournament, I think there’s tremendous value in betting on Michigan State at +700.

The final two contenders in Purdue and Nebraska do not enter the tournament playing their best basketball. Purdue’s Braden Smith is one of the most reliable players in the country, so I don’t want to count them out, but I wouldn’t bet on any of these teams in Big 10 play.

If you want to make a long-term bet to win the Big 10, I think you can find some great value on either Ohio State or Iowa State. What the two teams have in common is that the star guard is leading.

Thankfully, Ohio State finished the season strong and essentially secured Bruce Thornton’s tournament spot. He was the most underrated player in the country during his four years at Ohio State and has the ability to single-handedly win games for the Buckeyes. If Ohio State can get help in the frontcourt, they could make some noise in the Big 10, or at least offer a good cash offer at +10000 odds.

At Iowa, Bennett Stirtz is another 20-pointer who has led the Hawkeyes all season. Iowa has lost three straight to the tournament, but those losses were a two-point loss to Penn State, a three-point loss to Michigan and an overtime loss to Nebraska. This team has been very close all season, and if the circumstances are right, they can be worth a decent +6500.

Still, this tournament is a loss for Michigan, but if I wanted to bet on the team for more money, I’d put +350 on Illinois.