By Nick Savage & Jake Lazarus & Trevor Roughan
This March Madness, an estimated $15.5 billion will be wagered. Roughly 31 million American adults will place a traditional bet online or at a physical sports book.
Our goal is to beat the public by using the Only Players Expert Pick Tracker, experts with positive and public records who pick every tournament matchup. While shocking upsets do happen, the wisdom of the crowd fits sports gambling trends quite well.
Remember… anything can happen in March!
| Expert | 2023 Record | WVU @ MD | FUR @ UVA | USU @ MIZ | HOW @ KU | AMCC @ ALA | COFC @ SDSU | PRIN @ ARIZ | ILL @ ARK | AUB @ IOWA | ORU @ DUKE | COLG @ TEX | BOIS @ NU | NKU @ HOU | UL @ TENN | PSU @ TA&M | UNCA @ UCLA |
| CBS Sports | 5-10 | MD +2 | UVA -6 | USU -1.5 | HOW +22 | N/A | COFC +5.5 | PRIN +14.5 | ILL +2 | IOWA +1 | DUKE -6 | COLG +13.5 | BOIS +1.5 | HOU -19.5 | TENN -11.5 | PSU +3 | UCLA -17.5 |
| Oddstrader | 8-8 | MD +2 | FUR +6 | MIZ +1.5 | HOW +22 | AMCC +24 | COFC +5 | PRIN +14 | ILL +2 | IOWA +1 | ORU +6 | COLG +13.5 | BOIS +1.5 | NKU +19.5 | UL +11.5 | PSU +3 | UNCA +17.5 |
| Covers | 8-8 | WVU -2 | UVA -5.5 | USU -1 | KU -21.5 | ALA -23.5 | SDSU -5 | ARIZ -13.5 | ARK -1.5 | AUB -1 | DUKE -5.5 | TEX -13.5 | NU -1.5 | HOU -19 | TENN -11 | TA&M -2.5 | UCLA -17.5 |
| Sports Chat Place | 2-11 | N/A | UVA -5.5 | USU -2 | N/A | AMCC +20.5 | COFC +5.5 | N/A | ILL +3 | IOWA +1 | DUKE -6.5 | COLG +13.5 | BOIS +1.5 | HOU -19.5 | TENN -10.5 | PSU +2.5 | UNCA +17.5 |
| PickWise | 7-8 | WVU -2 | FUR +5.5 | MIZ +1 | HOW +21 | ALA -23.5 | SDSU -5 | ARIZ -14.5 | N/A | AUB -1 | ORU +6.5 | TEX -13.5 | NU -1.5 | HOU -19.5 | TENN -11 | PSU +3 | UNCA +18 |
| Dimers | 8-8 | WVU -2 | UVA -5.5 | USU -1.5 | KU -21.5 | ALA -23.5 | SDSU -5.5 | ARIZ -13.5 | ARK -1.5 | AUB -1 | DUKE -5.5 | TEX -13.5 | NU -1.5 | HOU -19.5 | TENN -11.5 | TA&M -3.5 | UCLA -17.5 |
| International Business Times | 6-10 | MD +2.5 | FUR +5.5 | USU -1 | KU -22 | AMCC +23.5 | COFC +5.5 | ARIZ -13.5 | ARK -2 | IOWA +1.5 | ORU +6.5 | COLG +13.5 | NU -1.5 | HOU -19.5 | TENN -11.5 | TA&M -2.5 | UCLA -17.5 |
| Action Network | 7-9 | WVU -2.5 | FUR +5.5 | USU -1.5 | KU -21.5 | ALA -24.5 | SDSU -5.5 | ARIZ -14.5 | ARK -1.5 | IOWA +1.5 | DUKE -6.5 | TEX -13.5 | BOIS +1.5 | HOU -18.5 | TENN -11.5 | TA&M -3.5 | UCLA -17.5 |
The Charleston Cougars are on fire. With separate win streaks of 20 and more recently 10 under their belt, Charleston looks to make a deep run this March. Despite being a 12th seed, Charleston is just a 5.5-point underdog against 5th-seeded San Diego State in their first-round matchup. Both teams lack “big game” experience (combined 0-3 vs top 25), increasing the unpredictability of this matchup. Experts are split on deciding a winner against the spread.
The Houston Cougars look to back up the hype on Thursday. Houston is favored by many to run the table this tournament, sporting the best odds to do so among most sportsbooks. Despite such a large point spread for their 1st round matchup against Northern Kentucky (19.5), experts still overwhelmingly predict Houston to cover.
The 8th seed Iowa can score the basketball nearly at will. The Hawkeyes come into their matchup with Auburn as one of the only 18 NCAA D1 teams to average more than 80 ppg. Even though Auburn held opposing teams to an impressive 40.7 FG% (29th in the nation), experts predict Iowa’s scoring prowess to be too much for a Tigers team that sometimes has difficulty making three-pointers (31.4%) and staying out of foul trouble.
1st seed Kansas ended their impeccable regular season in disappointing fashion. Considering their surprising blowout loss vs Texas in the Big 12 championship game and head coach Bill Self’s health concerns, experts aren’t as high on Kansas as they were earlier in the season. The 16th-seeded Howard Bison contrarily have been hot lately, winning 14 of their last 16 games. Regardless, experts are giving Kansas a slight edge against a large 21.5-point spread for their first-round matchup vs Howard.
12th-seed Oral Roberts vs 5th seeded Duke should be a fun matchup. Oral Roberts is the second-highest-scoring team in the entire tournament, while Duke sports one of the best defenses in the nation, holding opposing teams to a measly 40.9 FG% and 30.4 3P%. Many are choosing Oral Roberts as their Cinderella pick for this year’s tournament, but experts are giving a slight edge to Duke to cover as 6.5-point favorites.
