College Basketball Consensus Picks & NCAAB Public Betting Trends

College Basketball Public Bets May 21, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What are Public Consensus Picks for College Basketball?

The public consensus is an invaluable piece of betting information for bettors, as it shows the majority (and minority) of bets that are placed on a given game in college basketball. The public betting consensus is displayed in terms of percentages, showing just how the public feels about a particular game. If enough of the money is on one side, this could sway the odds as well. First-round March Madness games are notorious for perfect “public set-up” opportunities for which fading the public is highly recommended.

 

How to Use College Basketball Consensus Picks

Using the public consensus to bet on college basketball could give you an edge you did not have before in your daily handicapping prep. While it is not the key to winning or losing, it can certainly help you make more informed decisions when wagering. Specifically in college basketball (and college sports in general), the betting public flocks to teams they know and favorites in general. Once again, this is why the public normally gets smoked in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

With that said, the lesser-known schools bring a vast edge where you can capitalize on public betting information. For example, if there is a game between lesser-known teams such as say Dayton vs. VCU, the public betting percentages will likely favor the sharp money. This is how you can quickly identify where the sharps are wagering. This brings the ever-popular question to mind though, do you bet with or against the public? It depends. Let’s take a look.

 

Do I Bet With or Against the Public in College Basketball?

There is no right or wrong answer, but there are situations where you can take advantage of the number and bet on either side. Most betting amateurs will wager on teams they know, such as the Kentucky or Gonzaga or Baylor teams, especially against a lesser-known program. In this case if you see a massive number, such as a spread being -25 or something of the like, keep an eye on the public betting numbers. If the bets have close to 90%, but the money is much lower that means the sharps likely wagered on the underdog, so you’d bet against the public to side with sharps.

This is not guaranteed though, of course. But, sometimes big-name programs in CBB struggle against the spread, especially in non-conference games.

Essentially, to use the bet with or against the public strategy, it’s all about picking and choosing your spots. Wait for the large set of money to come in, and take advantage of vast differences in total bet percentages compared to total money percentages. If 90% of the bets are on a team, but only 50% of the money, that likely means sharp money is on the other side.

 

Take Advantage of Public Betting Percentages

Not every bettor has the opportunity or know-how to find these public betting percentages for college basketball, so use them to your advantage. Now that you’ve taken a look at these percentages, it’s time to use them to help gain an edge. After you have found which edge you believe to be true based on the above, it’s time to place your wager.

You have seen that on Team A, there is a ton of bets but only 50% of the money so you wish to place a bet on the other side. Look at your favorite legal sportsbook, and find the best odds. Once you find the best odds, place your wager and enjoy the game!

Keep in mind, you can wager on most games in legal states during the game as well, where you can use the lines to your advantage knowing the public betting percentages as well. Is one team on a run, but the public was on the other side, use that to your advantage if the price is right.

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