Thanks to historic wins by UMBC, Loyola Chicago and Syracuse, your NCAA tournament bracket is probably in worse shape than Facebook stock.
However, two of the favorites to win it all (Villanova and Duke) are still alive, as well as one of the trendy sleeper picks (Michigan). If you picked one of those schools, there’s still hope.
If you didn’t, there’s always gambling.
Should you feel like placing a friendly – and hopefully legal – wager on the Sweet 16, Sports Information Traders analyst Dave Michaels recommends rooting for Cinderella squads with your heart – but not backing them with your wallet.
“The Sweet 16 is a time when gamblers want to hope for a Cinderella bet and cash in on it, but that hardly ever makes sense when you’re this deep into the tournament,” he told RealClearLife. “The public loves to bet on a Cinderella and that goes into the oddsmakers formula, but the sharp bettors wager against the hype.”
Therefore, despite the presence of Sister Jean, Michaels suggests steering clear of Loyola Chicago to win or to cover. “They don’t have a legitimate shot,” he said
He also thinks Purdue is “way overvalued” and says betting against them (on Texas Tech) is “easy cash for this round.”
Kentucky at -6 points is another play Michaels likes, as is Michigan (a team that has won 11 straight games and has covered the spread in 9 of those) to win straight-up.
Which brings us to Duke.
“Duke is 10-13-1 against the spread going back over the last 12 years in the tournament,” Michaels said. “While I like them moneyline I don’t like the play against the spread (-11) when it is that high.”
Good luck.
Whether you’re looking to get into shape, or just get out of a funk, The Charge has got you covered. Sign up for our new wellness newsletter today.
