A tradition unlike any other. Oh, wait. That’s reserved for the Masters, which starts later this week.
A tournament and month unlike any other concludes tonight. The 68-team NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, America’s favorite, stretches March Madness into April.
The Madness comes to its traditional close on a Monday night and comes a close for the first time for mobile New York sports betting when eighth seed North Carolina (29-9) faces No. 1 seed Kansas (33-6) in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament national championship at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans (TBS, 9:20 p.m. ET).
A Look at Championship Game Odds
With updated odds released by BetMGM Monday morning, Kansas is a 4.5-point and -190 moneyline favorite with North Carolina coming in as a +155 moneyline underdog. The Over/Under total is at 151.5.
FanDuel has North Carolina as 4-point and +160 moneyline underdog. Like BetMGM, the over/undet is 151.5.
As has been the case throughout the tournament, EmpireStakes.com has your best bets for March Madness sportsbooks.
BetMGM also moved updated line movements for each team and the numbers certainly raise some eyebrows.
Certainly, North Carolina turned the corner on its season with a win at Cameron Indoor Stadium in the final regular season home game for Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski.
Despite a loss later in the ACC Tournament to Virginia Tech, that momentum has carried on in the NCAA Tournament for North Carolina with wins over Marquette, Baylor, UCLA, Saint Peter’s and a come-from-behind, 81-77 victory over Duke in Saturday’s Final Four nightcap. It marked second consecutive victory for the Tar Heels over their hated in-state rival.
North Carolina’s preseason odds to win the national title was posted at +3000. Entering the tournament, their odds skyrocketed to a whopping +12500 (only 1% of tickets and 0.6% of handle). Those odds are now listed at +155 (6.5% tickets, 7.8% of handle).
The line movement for Kansas was a bit steadier with preseason odds listed at +1600. Before the tournament started, odds decreased to +950 (4.8% of tickets, 4.3% of handle) and are currently listed as the favorite at -190 (6.9% of tickets, 10.1 % of handle).
Prop Bets on Game
You want side action?
Currently, the most bet props on BetMGM are North Carolina guard Caleb Love to score 25 or more points (+500), North Carolina to score 50 points first (+125) and North Carolina forward Brady Manek over 2.5 three-pointers (-125).
Here are some BetMGM odds for the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player:
- Ochai Ajbaji (Kansas) opened at +1700, now +110
- Caleb Love (North Carolina) opened Off the Board, now +400
- Armando Bacot (North Carolina) opened at +30000, now +600
- Remy Martin (Kansas) opened Off the Board, now now +1400
Analysis and Prediction
Kansas, the least-talked about top seed in recent memory, took it to Villanova right from the tip Saturday night and never looked back.
North Carolina knew it was in for a game against Duke as the schools met for the third time this season. To add to the monumental challenge of the moment, both schools never had met in the NCAA Tournament. Throw in the fact that a trip to the national championship was at stake and, oh yeah, try to end the career of one of the greatest coaches in the sport – who happens to lead your most hated neighbor.
In come-from-behind fashion, the Tar Heels accomplished it all under first-year head coach and former Carolina player Hubert Davis.
In this tournament, the underdog Tar Heels were a favorite only once (Saint Peter’s) in their last five games and they remain an underdog tonight. With all the intangibles in play, Love and Manek will continue to make huge shots and Armando Bacot will continue to grab big rebounds. Expect Kansas to go cold from the field late and North Carolina to pull the upset.
EmpireStakes.com prediction: North Carolina 81, Kansas 75.
