NCAA Basketball Betting Considerations: Part 2 of Bethereum’s College Basketball Series

Success in betting is all about putting yourself closer to the information you need in order to make the right decisions. Bethereum not only provides you information on our platform and updates, but sport-specific advice and tools to make placing winning wagers easier than ever before.

The Bethereum College Basketball Series was created to give you a leg up on the competition when betting on NCAA basketball games. At the end of the series, you’ll also have the opportunity to have your questions answered by our college basketball expert Michael Luchies.

In Part 1 of the Bethereum College Basketball Series, we covered the basics of NCAA basketball (college basketball). Here in part 2, we’ll cover several aspects of college basketball you need to consider before placing your bets.

NCAA Basketball Betting Considerations

• Location

In every sport, where the game is played makes a difference on the outcome. College students often pack the arenas and have more energy and enthusiasm than an average fan base of a professional team. Keep in mind what team is playing in front of their own fans before placing your bet.

• Recent Play

A team’s “form,” as it’s described in football, plays a large role in the outcome of a game. The college basketball season lasts months and teams often go on winning and losing streaks. Although it’s impossible to know when a team will break a streak, recent play can help you determine how this team will continue to play unless something drastic changes.

• Conference vs. Non-Conference Games vs. Tournament Games

Games early in a college basketball season often feature teams playing opponents who are not in their conference (non-conference). These games can be harder to predict, however, conference games often feature upsets no one could’ve predicted because these teams know each other well and are likely to create a better gameplan.

Another scenario to consider is if the teams playing are in a tournament, for example, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, which is college basketball’s version of a playoff. Tournament games are exciting and often much closer than casual fans would’ve expected. It’s not uncommon for a 10–15 point underdog to win a game or two.

• Injuries/Suspensions

A team is only as good as the players they can put on the court. Suspensions and injuries impact games in college basketball, so make sure to consider injuries before wagering on an NCAA basketball game.

• Style of Play

Style of play is possibly the most overlooked and least talked about aspect of a college basketball game. It’s also nearly impossible to know a team’s style of play without reading a short article or two about a team.

A team’s style of play depends on many factors, including their coach, players, and opponent. The style impacts a team’s ability to stop opponents, score, and more. For example, if a team has two 7-footers in their lineup, they are likely to be tough on defense and play a slower style, meaning games are likely to have lower scores and opponents will have to rely more on shooting three-pointers and winning without snagging rebounds.

Ask your NCAA basketball betting questions to our expert Michael Luchies right here.

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This series of articles is written by Michael Luchies. Read more of Michael’s articles on his Medium.