How To Bet College Basketball Games

How to Make College Basketball Bets

With the start of the NCAA Basketball season in November, sports bettors instantly have hundreds of new wagering opportunities. But prior to betting, you’ll need to set up an account with at least one online sports book. That is if you want to wager over the Internet, which today is the most common place to do so. Whether you bet online, use a Vegas book or do both, you’ll find that there are innumerable options that await you.

Although you don’t have to sign up with a sportsbook that has been around for at least five years, it’s not a bad idea to bet at a place that has an established track record of booking sports bets. You may get a better sign up bonus at a new book as they attempt to get as many new bettors as possible, but you also want to be sure that you’ll have great customer service, ease in placing bets and as many wagering opportunities as possible. A book that’s been around for five or more years usually has that part of the game down and is financially rock solid.

Of course, the first thing to do when looking for a sportsbook at which to make your college basketball bets is to consider first if it takes American bettors and then check to make sure it has ample NCAA Basketball wagering opportunities. Overall, the initial elements you’re looking for are great customer service (24/7), solid wagering choices on college hoop and ease in placing bets and doing other business such as transferring funds. Plus, and this is very important, the book needs to be safe and secure.

Once you’ve located a range of online sportsbooks that fit the basic criteria, you’ll need to designate some specifics regarding what’s important to you. Not all books have an array of betting choices. Some are simply more basic than others. If you’re going to go with the three standard bets—the point spread, moneyline and over/under—then a book that pretty much just focuses in those areas along with offering parlays and maybe a few other types of exotics might be enough.

However, you will find other books that will provide you with plenty of player props, second half betting and futures. If you’re interested in these, this will help you narrow your choices. There are other things to consider.

Do you want reduced juice? Not all books offer this. What about betting minimums? These vary a lot too with some sportsbooks offering bets as low as $5.00 and a few with minimums as low as $1.00. Others set their minimums at $10.00. If you’re a high roller, how high do you want to go on a bet--$500.00, $5,000 or $20,000? Books vary a lot when it comes to maximums.

Don’t get too infatuated with a huge sign up bonus. The fact is you will have to spend a certain amount before you can clear that bonus. As an example, if a sportsbook is offering 100% on up to $1,000, you’ll be required to wager a set amount before you’ll get that bonus. It can be anywhere from 10 time to 35 times the bonus amount, which is $10,000 to $35,000 on $1,000. And often there’s a time limit of 30 to 90 days on clearing your free funds.

If odds are important to you, click to our college basketball live odds page. You’ll get a good idea of the types of lines offered by some of the biggest online books around and you can do so without clicking from book to book.

If you find more than one site that you like, then it makes sense to set up a few accounts. You’ll have to fund each so you’re ready to bet at any time. Also, be aware that you want to have your account loaded for the weekend since about 50% of your college basketball games are played at this time.

By the way, if you don’t already have a ready funding source, such as an eWallet, you’ll need to apply for one. This can take a few days to get established and funded. Usually Americans fund sportsbook accounts using eWallets or money transfer services. Once the eWallet is set up and funded, you can transfer cash very quickly but other money transfer services, such as Western Union or Money Gram, can take as little as minutes for books to receive your deposit.

Once you are set up at a site and funded, you’ll be all set to make your bets. Be sure to keep on top of the odds and to get the best deals you possibly can. College basketball lines are active numbers that you need to constantly monitor.

The overall process of wagering at a sportsbook in Las Vegas is the same, except you’ll be in environment with other people and where there are often complimentary drinks, reasonably priced food, big screen TVs and plenty of comfortable seating. At least, that’s what you can expect from the best land-based books. You should also get friendly service, high limits and plenty of wagering opportunities.

If you do go to a Vegas book, you do not want to look like a novice. Make sure that you know how to read college basketball odds. When you place your bet at the window, you’ll do so using the rotation number of the team on which you’re betting and not the team name. You’ll also need to know how much you’re wagering and what type of bet your making. Know all of this before you go to the window. You don’t want to hold up other bettors by hemming and hawing.

A few key points when it comes to betting at a land-based book. Be sure to act and behave properly. Don’t offer advice to someone who doesn’t ask for it and don’t ask a bettor you don’t know how they did. It’s also bad form to brag when you win. Think about it—probably at least 50% of the people in that room just lost. Whether you win or lose, don’t start acting like an expert, cocky or loud and obnoxious. Finally, if a bookie or sharp bettor at the sportsbook gives you a tip that pays off big, with a $400 or larger payout, then by all means tip them 1-2%. That’s simply common courtesy.

A land-based sportsbook really gives you a whole new perspective on betting. It’s worth the trip to try one out and settle into the live atmosphere. But if you do go to one make sure you enter with a firm budget and that you stick to it. It’s easy to get caught up in trying to make up for loses with one more bet and still another until you’ve lost a lot more than you had ever intended.

College basketball betting is filled with a lot of great opportunities on spreads and totals. One thing every bettor needs to do is to find the online book that’s right for him or her. Take some time to shop around and to find the book that gives you exactly what you want in order to make the kind of college basketball bets you want to make.