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

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

Powerhouse leagues — ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC — are tipping off, but there is time to get bets in for who will and scour other markets.
Here are our picks:

ACC

When: March 10-14

Where: Charlotte, NC

The following are the five teams at the top of FanDuel’s ACC Conference Tournament Winner oddsboard:

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

At these odds, Duke has a 76.74% chance of winning the ACC Tournament. It is certainly hard to argue against them. They are the hardest team to score on in the conference (No. 1 in points allowed, 62.5) and No. 4 in offense (82.9 points per game). With arguably the best player in the nation, Cameron Boozer, leading the way, Duke will be tough to get out.

If anyone can do it, though, I’d 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 has continued to play well. But the Blue Devils dominated them in the regular season finale,

If they are going to have a chance, they can’t let Boozer control the paint. They need to win the rebound battle and can’t turn the ball over as much.

Best Bet: North Carolina +2500

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

Big East Conference

When: March 11-14

Where: New York City

The following are the five teams at the top of FanDuel’s Big East Conference Tournament Winner oddsboard:

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

If there is a conference that should be on upset alert, it’s the Big East. UConn should win, but they have not had the killer instinct teams need to take over games and shut opponents down for a while. Georgetown and Seton Hall were closer games than they should have been, and they were sandwiched between two losses (Creighton and Marquette).

So, if it isn’t going to be UConn, then who?

I’d have to say St. John’s. Yes, UConn just crushed them a couple of weeks ago, 72-40, but the Red Storm won the regular season title. My Pick: St. John’s at +210 (but give some thought to Creighton as a long shot worth putting a few dollars on at +5000.

Big Ten Conference

When: March 10-15

Where: Chicago, IL

The following are the five teams at the top of FanDuel’s Big Ten Conference Tournament Winner oddsboard:

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

Michigan is going to be tough for anyone to beat in this conference. Yes, Wisconsin has proven they can be defeated, but you could chalk that loss up just as much to the Wolverines having a bad night as the Badgers having a good one.

With the size and talent they have in the front court, scoring in the paint and rebounding against them is a challenge. They are very efficient on offense and don’t make too many mistakes.

If anyone is going to upset them, I’d take Illinois since they have the best combination of offense and defense in the conference next to Michigan. However, the Wolverines beat the Illini on the road a couple of weeks ago, 84-70.

My Pick: Michigan -105

I’m not a fan of making wagers on minus money odds, but at -105, I can live with that. No one in this conference is going to touch the Wolverines.

Big 12 Conference

When: March 10-14

Where: Kansas City, MO

The following are the five teams at the top of FanDuel’s Big 12 Conference Tournament Winner oddsboard:

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

Most analysts are locked in on one of the top two to win it all, Houston or Arizona.

While they have the tougher road, I’d still have to take Arizona to win over Houston. The Wildcats have a better, more consistent offense to go along with their elite defense. Houston fans can’t count on their offense to get the job done.

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

But if you are looking for a darkhorse, give Cincinnati (+8000) some serious thought. When their defense is on, it can smother you and force you into taking more difficult shots than you’d like. It certainly came up big in the wins over Kansas and Iowa State.

On the offensive end, they are less than impressive, but if they can slow opponents down enough and if their massive frontcourt can force opponents to take more jump shots, they

Best Bet: Arizona at +110 (but Houston would not be a bad bet)

SEC

When: March 11-15

Where: Nashville, TN

The following are the five teams at the top of FanDuel’s SEC Tournament Winner oddsboard:

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

Florida is a hard team to argue against. With a strong front court and efficient offense, scoring points is seldom an issue. They aren’t afraid to get physical, going after boards or on defense.

They may be too good on both ends of the court for anyone in the SEC to compete with, especially if they get the half-court game going and can slow teams (like Alabama) down.

Of the teams that might pull off an upset, I’d have to say Alabama, Arkansas, and Vanderbilt in that order. Why? Because if they can turn the game into a track meet, they have offenses better suited to it than the Gators.

Best Bet: Vanderbilt at +3500

Florida will probably win, but I don’t like the value at -180. Of the three upset contenders, Florida scored 100+ on Alabama and Arkansas and held them to 77 points. Vanderbilt lost by four, 98-94.