Bet Chicago Logo MY CONTESTS
NCAA BB

College basketball futures odds: Illinois could cost sportsbooks after opening as major longshot

      NCAA Basketball Betting News, Information and Insight
      NCAA Men's Basketball Odds & Betting
      <div><div><h3>Betting on college basketball in 2019-20</h3><p>March Madness came and went with the Virginia Cavaliers winning the NCAA Tournament, but in November, all 353 college basketball teams will begin the 2019-20 season with the same goal in mind – win the 2020 NCAA Tournament. Early odds have Kentucky, Virginia, Duke and Michigan and Michigan State from the Big Ten as the early favorites to cut down the nets in at Atlanta, site of the Final Four, with North Carolina, Villanova and North Carolina not far behind.</p><p>With so many teams in action on a daily basis during the season, bettors have plenty of opportunity to find value across the 32 conferences with point spreads, moneylines, totals, props and live betting.</p><p>Illinois and Northwestern are not exactly in their prime, but the Illini and Wildcats have plenty of optimism moving forward with scrappy defenses and talented rosters ready to reward bettors. Ayo Dosunmu is returning to Champaign for coach Brad Underwood. There’s plenty for Chicago-area college hoops fans to look forward to.</p><p>Handicapping college basketball comes with research, updating power rankings and understanding stats and information to break down betting matchups and find that NCAA Tournament Cinderella longshot on the futures board. With the help of a dedicated team of writers and editors, as well insight from oddsmakers, a winning wagering strategy is at the fingertips of BetChicago readers.</p></div></div>
      <div><p>For gambling success, it’s crucial for college basketball bettors to stay on top of news, line moves, analytics and trends. Research and analysis from a dedicated team of writers and editors, as well insight from oddsmakers, can help bettors formulate and execute profitable wagering strategies. It's key to understand how point spreads and totals are moving before tip-off. </p><p>While college basketball betting is evolving to where props and live betting are becoming a bigger part of the overall pie, there is also a robust <a href="https://www.betchicago.com/ncaa-basketball-betting/futures">futures market</a>, where you can bet on which team will win the NCAA Tournament, in addition to the Big Ten and any other conference. Futures bets often pay off at long odds.</p><p>Following the ups and downs of college basketball betting is a fun endeavor. We love to keep track of the bad beats, crazy finishes and upsets, while we also keep a close eye on how the Chicago and Illinois schools are faring against the spread and in their conference standings. </p></div>