Which of them will fall flat on their faces first?

The 2010 March Madness bracket tournament has been set and the top four No.1 seeds have been announced, that being the Kansas Jayhawks, the Kentucky Wildcats, the Duke Blue Devils and the Syracuse Orange. That being said, basketball aficionados looking to score some major winnings will wait which No.1 seed will falter first since these guys know how big underdogs pay off.

So who’ll get the boot first? Let’s start with the Duke Blue Devils. Among all of the no.1 seeds in this year’s tournament, many people are expecting Duke to have the easiest matchup, well, at least in the first round. Duke has all the materials to go deep in this tournament and since the Tar Heels won’t be playing this March, not many people think otherwise.

Next we have the Kansas Jayhawks. Kansas has one of the best defenses in college basketball as they held opponents to 63.8 points, the best average in the Big 12, the very conference the Jayhawks dominated with a 15-1 record before claiming the conference tournament championship for the seventh time. Betting against these guys is pretty much, not a good idea.

We also have the Syracuse Orange. They will slug it out against the Vermont Catamounts in the first round of the 2010 NCAA tourney. Looking back at the history of these two teams, Vermont, champions of the America East Conference, beat Syracuse 60-57 in overtime in the first round of the 2005 NCAA tournament, a stinging loss the Orange have not forgotten. And if you’re looking for an upset in the first round, this matchup can very well give you one.

Syracuse had finished the 2004-05 regular season at 24-6 and…

Read More » The No.1 seeds of the 2010 March Madness Bracket

Heeere we go.

An intriguing game in the 2010 March Madness bracket tournament will be played on Thursday as 11^th seed Washington faces 6^th seed Marquette. This is the third straight year Marquette has been a number six seed in the NCAA tournament. Two years ago they beat 11^th seed Kentucky in the first round before losing to third-seeded Stanford in overtime in the second round. Last year, Marquette beat 11^th seed Utah State and lost to third-seeded Missouri in the second round. It is the fifth straight year the Eagles have made the tournament.

The Marquette Golden Eagles are 2-point favorites at SBG Global.

Not much was expected of Marquette this season since they lost three starters, but the Eagles really came together late in the season, winning 11 of their last 14 games. The Eagles don’t have much of a bench so the starters are a big key. Marquette had some nice wins this year over Villanova, Georgetown and Xavier so they are capable of making a little run in the NCAA tournament.

Lazar Hayward is their big scorer. He was named second team All-Big East this season. Marquette is a good shooting team, especially from long range. The Eagles averaged 72.9 points per game this season while they allowed 64.2 points per game.

The Washington Huskies, on the other hand, had what could be considered a disappointing regular season but they made up for it by winning the Pac-10 Tournament. Washington has some players who can make an impact including Quincy Pondexter who leads the team in scoring.

Marquette and Washington have met twice in history but it was a long time ago. Marquette won 75-74 in 1966 and 71-63 in 1978.

The Huskies are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games overall but…

Read More » No.6 seed Marquette takes on No.11 Washington to kick off the 2010 March Madness Bracket Tournament

Since it’s that obvious anyway.

Arguably the greatest three weeks in sports are upon us with the 2010 March madness bracket tournament tipping off. And of course Bodog will have everything a basketball bettor could ever need.

Yes, it’s that time of year when even the most amateur sports fan becomes an expert in basketball with the men’s NCAA tournament here. From the play-in game through the 2010 NCAA Final Four in Indianapolis, Bodog will have it all covered with basketball news, odds, contests and more.

That’s right, the road to the Final Four runs through Bodog and you won’t find any gaming site with as many basketball betting options on the NCAA tournament than those guys. They’ve been doing this for 15 years and they should already know what bettors want when it comes to the Big Dance. From odds to news to brackets, you’ll find it all at Bodog.

This year’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament appears to be one of the most wide-open tourneys in recent year, and that could be good news for those basketball bettors. While the North Carolina Tar Heels were huge favorites going into last year’s Big Dance and came home with the title, the Heels are not even in the field this year.

The Kansas Jayhawks, the Kentucky Wildcats, the Syracuse Orange and the Duke Blue Devils are your four No.1 seeds in the bracket this year, but none of those four could be considered a lock Final Four team.

Last year’s tournament was very chalk, as for the first time since seeding began, all 12 teams seeded No.3 or better made it to the Sweet 16, and three No.1 seeds reached the Elite Eight for the third straight year.

There are probably about 20 or so teams that have a real shot at…

Read More » This is an article asking you to bet on the 2010 March Madness Bracket Tournament with Bodog Sportsbook

You ready?

As we move deep into the month of March, we inch ever closer to the 2010 March Madness bracket tournament and the madness that ensues each and every spring in college basketball. With just one week remaining in conference play, the right to automatic bids are already up for grabs.

On that note, here are the top five teams lording over the college basketball right now, starting with the best of ‘em all, the Syracuse Orange. Syracuse’s rise to the top of the national polls produced an Orange infusion in the college basketball power rankings.

The Orange’s 95-77 victory Saturday over Villanova helped Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim regain his position as the no.1 coach in the power rankings too, them rankings that measure the nation’s top performers at each position. Picked before the season to finish sixth in the Big East, Syracuse already has clinched at least a share of the conference title. With a 27-2 overall record and an incredibly effective two-three zone defensive scheme, Syracuse should be the team to beat once the brackets are here.

Following at the second spot are the Kansas Jayhawks. After suffering their first conference loss, the Jayhawks are determined to bounce back. Coach Bill Self said, ”I am believing we can get something out of (the OSU loss). I don’t think the thing is broken. I do think we need to evaluate our things. We need to take great pride in the things that help us win, especially this time of year.”

The loss at Oklahoma State could be a sign of fate for Kansas as the last time the Jayhawks visited Stillwater back in 2008, they suffered a one-point defeat. Then they went on to win out, capturing the NCAA title. The defeat also meant that the only team to ever go undefeated in Big 12 play remains the 2001-02 Jayhawks squad coached by…

Read More » The 2010 March Madness Bracket Tournament is coming, which among these teams will you bet on?

You ready to rake in some cash on March?

What’s the biggest betting event of the year in North America? Not so fast if you guessed the Super Bowl. While the Super Bowl lays claim to being the largest wagered event of the year, March Madness surpasses the NFL’s crown jewel in total wagering volume, probably because the tourney stretches over three weeks.

There is still a little more than a month of college basketball to be played this 2010 NCAA college basketball season before Selection Sunday, but the talk of ”Bubble” teams and tournament seeds is starting to heat up as we hit the most exciting part of the NCAA hoops schedule.

One of the marquee games of every college b-ball schedule, Duke Blue Devils vs. North Carolina Tar Heels, tipped off already. It was the spotlight game for sports bettors as well, as it attracted the most action on the board. The sports betting public scored a solid win as the Tar Heels took it on the chin.

Online sportsbooks had Duke as a -5.5-point favorite, a number they easily covered and with approximately 75 percent of all the betting volume on the Blue Devils, it was a winner for the players. While NC won the NCAA basketball championship last season, they lost power forward Tyler Hansbrough to the NBA and have been a shadow of their former selves this season.

The North Carolina Tar Heels are near the bottom of the…

Read More » SPORTSBETTING.com is ready for some March Madness

Since we all know the Lakers are the new champions, it’s time to look forward for next season.

And as far as the coming 2009 NBA Draft is concerned, the Los Angeles Clippers are the big winners of the NBA’s 25th draft lottery, moving up from the third-best chance to earn the top pick. Memphis will be second and Oklahoma City will pick third.

With the result now at hand, Oklahoma’s Blake Griffin appears to be the consensus No.1 pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. Griffin, who led the nation with 30 double-doubles and 14.4 rebounds per game while also averaging a Big 12-best 22.7 points as a sophomore, might be the best option for the Los Angeles Clippers as they can dispatch the services of expensive power forward Zach Randolph and try the rebuilding process once again.

Sure, the Los Angeles Clippers already have a lot of forwards on their roster but if the stats say that Griffin will give them the best chance to win more games, then that’s the guy they should take. Hopefully, it won’t be a mistake like the last time they had the overall No.1 pick, wasting it on Michael Olowakandi.

As far as the other teams and their picks are concerned, read on…

For the Memphis Grizzlies, it might be Connecticut junior center Hasheem Thabeet. The 7-3 shot-blocker is viewed as a high-risk choice. Memphis was the one team that might…

Read More » We’ll pretend we’re not sure if the Los Angeles Clippers will take Blake Griffin in the 2009 NBA Draft

Will he go in the first round of the draft or will he be the next wasted UNC product like, say, a Sean May?

Yes, the future of Tyler Hansbrough hangs in the balance with going pro in the NBA on the horizon. Can he still be a winner in the pro ranks or will he struggle in the same way like J.J. Reddick has?

Tyler Hansbrough has done it all during his time in North Carolina, diving for loose balls, skinning his knees and elbows and giving up his body to help UNC win it’s 5th national championship.

As the focal point of the North Carolina Tar Heels, Hansbrough has set himself up for the critics. He has been the best player on one of the nation’s highest-profile programs and has performed at an exceptionally high level for four straight years. He’s visible. He’s a player college fans know. He is the kind of player whom coaches love, and so many college basketball fans curiously love to hate. Hansbrough insists he didn’t return to fill the only hole, the glaring absence of national title, on his resume.

One season after winning National Player of the Year honors, Hansbrough continually had to defend his decision to return for his senior year after his NBA stock was at his highest point. He enjoys college and wants his degree, he explained to everyone who asked.

Hansbrough holds some impressive records too. He’s…

Read More » What’s next for Tyler Hansbrough?

If you still feel otherwise, read on.

Helping North Carolina beat Michigan State, 89-72, to win the national title was a dream come true for their trio of superstars; Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Tyler Hansbrough.

After they were surprisingly dumped by Kansas 84-66 in last year’s Final Four, all three almost walked away from the North Carolina Tar Heels basketball program for the glamor of going pro in the NBA.

Ultimately, all three decided to stick it out and try to win a title one more time. It paid off.

”I just wanted to be part of something special,” Tyler Hansbrough, who netted 18 points in the title game, said. ”I’m glad I’m going out like this. I’m glad we’re ending it the right way. I’m just glad we’re going out on the right note.”

The Tar Heels used that loss to Kansas last year as motivation. They started games slowly last year, falling behind quickly and never could recover. Throughout this tournament, rapid-fire starts have been their trademark. North Carolina certainly wasted little time in taking the suspense out of the NCAA final.

It was a fitting end for a team that’s carried the weight of the U.S. college basketball world on their shoulders all year long. From the moment of the first tip this season, all eyes were focused on the Tar Heels. Some pondered whether mighty North Carolina would…

Read More » Are the North Carolina Tar Heels worthy of the 2009 NCAA College Basketball National Championship?

It was a storybook ending for North Carolina.

After becoming the only team outside the Big East to earn one of four no.1 seeds for the tournament, after limping towards the 2009 NCAA Final Four with a hurting point guard and after simply dominating the tournament hosts, the North Carolina Tar Heels are the 2009 NCAA college basketball champions.

How about that huh? In Tyler Hansbrough’s senior year, the North Carolina Tar Heels became the 2009 national champions, sending off the face of their franchise like a hero.

Of course, Tyler Hansbrough could not be denied. And with the help of Wayne Ellington and Ty Lawson, who was playing hurt, the Tar Heels simply destroyed Michigan State, 89-72, in a blowout win that was already over as early as the first half.

”I felt like it was fitting for us to do what this group just accomplished,” UNC coach Roy Williams said.

Hansbrough, playing his last game with the Tar Heels, scored 18 points. Wayne Ellington had 19 while Ty Lawson managed to score a game-high 21 points despite playing hurt.

But the story here is Tyler Hansbrough, a guy who came back for his senior year in North Carolina for…

Read More » North Carolina wins the 2009 National Championship

Bittersweet, that’s the feeling for sports bettors as they head into Final Four weekend.

On one hand, there is sure to be some great basketball served up by the remaining four teams in the 2009 NCAA Final Four, but on the other hand, the college basketball season will crown a champ and turn out the lights for another season in a few days.

The futures betting has been steady on the four remaining teams, with the Connecticut Huskies listed at +250 to win the NCAA national championship, the Michigan State Spartans at +500, the North Carolina Tar Heels the odds-on favorite at -125 and the Villanova Wildcats listed as long shots at +600.

Bettors have been enamored with the North Carolina Tar Heels all tournament, and that hasn’t changed this week. According to SPORTSBETTING.COM, Tyler Hansbrough and crew have received a little over 50 percent of all the wagering volume on the ”who will win the championship” future odds option.

Not surprisingly, the other no.1 seed left standing, that being the Connecticut Huskies, are running second with the sports betting public, grabbing 30 percent of the wagering action.

It all tips-off on Saturday and in the first semifinal…

Read More » Which team will be your 2009 NCAA Final Four Pick?