A total of 347 schools compete in 32 Division I basketball conferences. However, only 68 teams qualify for "March Madness" or the "Big Dance".
Thirty-one teams earn automatic bids as conference champions. The remaining thirty-seven tournament slots are determined by a special Selection Committee appointed by the NCAA. The committee also determines where all sixty-eight teams are seeded and placed in the bracket.
With lots of teams and matchups to bet on, college basketball bettors surely have a lot to choose from. Here are a few college basketball betting tips to consider before making your pick.
Don't expect the referees' calls to go the home team's way. But College Basketball's home courts can be a crazy mix of loud, drunk and fanatic students and alumni.
The energy that the fans give is a sure shot of adrenalin for the home team, while it can be a pressure cooker waiting to explode for the visiting team.
Thus, a team may be particularly good at home but totally mediocre on the road. It is said that the difference between a home and road game is as much as 10 points.
Basketball stats can be a bit confounding even to seasoned punters. So start looking at rebounds. More rebounds mean more possessions, thus more chances at scoring points. Rebounds can also be equated to hussle - which team works harder.
Compare the rebounds of the competing teams to see which has a significant edge. Chances are the team with the rebounding edge has an edge on other statistics too.
A college basketball season starts in November. The first two months are called the non-conference portion of the season. January, February and the beginning of March are for conference play. March and April is the post-season.
Every part of the college basketball season is different. In non-conference play, good teams mostly go up against weaker opponents or teams that they are unfamiliar with. The outcome of the games is more erratic.
In conference play, teams go up against other teams that they play twice each year. Teams get familiar with one another and the outcome of the game gets a bit more predictable.
Meanwhile, it's the postseason where all teams go all in. From this point on, the premium is simply on the better team.
Certain teams have rivalries - Duke vs. University of North Carolina, Georgetown Hoyas vs. Syracuse Orange, West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Pittsburgh Panthers to name a few.
Understandably, teams play with more passion and sense of urgency against their bitter rivals. While some teams simply have the number on other teams. Look at recent matchup results and stats.
With so many games ongoing at the same time, it's quite common to see differing lines from bookie to bookie. Once you've decided on which team to bet on, shop around to get the best value. And the internet is your best friend in doing this!
Remember, in college basketball betting (and sport betting in general) every point counts!
| DATE | MATCHUP | MONEY |
|---|---|---|
| Sat, Feb. 21, 09:30 pm |
Los Angeles FC | +119 |
| Inter Miami | +205 | |
| Draw | +264 | |
| Sat, Feb. 21, 08:30 pm |
Houston Dynamo | +154 |
| Chicago Fire | +163 | |
| Draw | +250 |
| DATE | MATCHUP | SPREAD |
|---|---|---|
| Wed, Feb. 11, 03:15 pm |
Italy (M) | (-5.5) +115 |
| Sweden (M) | (+5.5) -135 | |
| Thu, Feb. 12, 06:15 am |
France (M) | (-3.5) +117 |
| Switzerland (M) | (+3.5) -137 |
Thursday, Feb. 12, 07:00am EST
| DRIVER | MONEY |
|---|---|
| Kyle Larson | +1100 |
| Ryan Blaney | +1000 |
| William Byron | +1000 |
| Christopher Bell | +2200 |
| Chase Briscoe | +2000 |
| Denny Hamlin | +900 |
| DATE | MATCHUP | SPREAD |
|---|---|---|
| Wed, Feb. 11, 06:00 pm |
Boston U | (-3.5) -110 |
| Army | (+3.5) -110 | |
| Wed, Feb. 11, 06:00 pm |
Colgate | (-7.5) -110 |
| Holy Cross | (+7.5) -110 |
| DATE | MATCHUP | SPREAD |
|---|---|---|
| Tue, Feb. 10, 07:45 pm |
Indiana Pacers | (+12) -110 |
| New York Knicks | (-12) -110 | |
| Tue, Feb. 10, 08:15 pm |
Los Angeles Clippers | (+7) -105 |
| Houston Rockets | (-7) -115 |
| DATE | MATCHUP | MONEY |
|---|---|---|
| Wed, Feb. 11, 04:11 am |
Fucsovics, Marton | -392 |
| Den Ouden, Guy | +304 |
| DATE | MATCHUP | MONEY |
|---|---|---|
| Wed, Feb. 11, 05:10 am |
Sakkari, Maria | -224 |
| Gracheva, Varvara | +184 |
February 10, 2026
The wait is over, and the stakes have never been higher. Watch Alex Weaver, Steve Letarte, and the legendary Kyle Petty as they break down the high-octane season ahead. Plus, we're getting the inside track from the man with the target on his back: defending Cup Series champion Kyle Larson. Credits to the video owner.
What's on the Dashboard?
Among professional sports leagues in the US, Major League Soccer (MLS) is the youngest. It was founded in 1993 as part of the United States' bid to host the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
MLS began with only ten teams. The first season was played in 1996. Today, the league has grown to 19 teams - 16 in the US and three in Canada.
An MLS Season begins in March and lasts until December. Teams are divided into the Eastern and Western Conference with each team playing 34 regular season games. The top five teams in each conference qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs. The season culminates with the MLS Cup - the league's version of the championship game.
It's generally understood that about half of all games end in home wins - another quarter end in draws - and the rest are away wins. This is true across nearly all professional leagues. Home advantage is real.
A common method of forecasting is to look at the previous match results during the current season - and perhaps last season too - in order to estimate chances of a result.
Another complicating factor is the rivalry. Matches between fierce rivals usually are hard fought affairs simply because both sets of fans demand the best from their players against "the enemy". Here are some MLS rivalries: