March Madness betting is just around the corner as conference tournaments are set to begin with the NCAA Tournament not far behind. Many teams are trying to position themselves to get into the big dance so the March Madness odds are very important.
March Madness betting will include 65 teams in the NCAA Tournament. Some of these teams get in by winning their conference tournaments while others get at-large bids. The teams that get the 34 at-large bids are largely determined by three factors. The committee looks at wins, schedule strength and opponent schedule strength. This is basically the RPI that you will hear so much about when it comes to March Madness odds.
Some of the teams are already in and have basically clinched spots. Kansas and Kentucky are almost assuredly going to be #1 seeds unless they collapse and Syracuse is looking like a sure #1 as well. The other spot is up for grabs among Purdue, Duke and maybe even Kansas State. Villanova is out of the mix with their loss to Syracuse.
As you look at March Madness betting you can examine the RPI of each team. Keep in mind that the lower numbers are better when it comes to the RPI. Any team with a 30 or below is almost assured of getting into the NCAA Tournament. Since 1991, more than 99 percent of teams with an RPI of 30 or less have gotten in. As you look at the RPI numbers past that, the percentages change. Teams in the 30’s make it about 83% of the time while teams in the 40’s make it 55 percent of the time. Once you get to 51 and over in RPI numbers then only 25% make it. And only ten teams since 1991 have made the tournament as an at-large team with an RPI over 61.
Many people hear the word “bubble” at this time of the year when it comes to March Madness betting. So many teams go in and out of the tournament based on what they do in each game. Power conference teams have the advantage but only if they win. The best conference by far this season is the Big East and they are going to get a lot of teams. Some people think ten teams are possible but that is unlikely. What will affect team’s chances are the conference tournaments that are set to begin. A major upset will take away an at-large bid so keep that in mind as you look at March Madness betting.