Sports Betting Week: Sweet 16 Hits Floor
The Sweet 16 tips off on Thursday night as anyone whose bracket isn't already busted tries to stay alive in their pool. But even if your bracket bit the dust long ago you can still make some cash back on spread bets this week.
There are two No. 1 seeds in action Thursday, as the Kansas Jayhawks takes on the No. 5 Maryland Terrapins and the Oregon Ducks face the No. 4 Duke Blue Devils. The Jayhawks are a 6.5-point favorite at online sportsbook 5Dimes and the Ducks are a 3-point favorite.
In their last seven games as a 7-point favorite or less Kansas is a perfect 7-0 straight up and 6-1 against the spread. Maryland is 2-0 SU against Kansas with both wins coming as the underdog.
The other two Sweet 16 Thursday matchups see the No. 3 Miami Hurricanes face the No. 2 Villanova Wildcats and the No. 3 Texas A&M Aggies take on the No. 2 Oklahoma Sooners. The Wildcats are 4-point chalk at 5Dimes and the Sooners check in as a 2-point favorite.
Miami is a solid 7-3 SU and ATS in their last 10 games against Villanova. The last time they met up 12 years ago Miami pulled off a 59-56 upset as an 8-point underdog.
In pro basketball this weekend, the big matchups are on Wednesday night with the Cleveland Cavaliers, San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors all in action. The Cavaliers get a visit from the Milwaukee Bucks, the Spurs play host to the Miami Heat, and Golden State takes on the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Cavs are surprisingly only 6-4 SU in their last 10 games against the Bucks despite being favored in nine of those games. San Antonio has won six in a row SU and ATS against the Heat. The Warriors have won five straight against the Clippers, but they're only 2-3 ATS.
On the ice this week the Dallas Stars and Chicago Blackhawks face off for the fifth time this season on Tuesday night. Dallas is 3-1 in those four games and 5-1 in their last six against Chicago.
On Wednesday night it's an Original Six matchup when the Boston Bruins take on the New York Rangers. Boston is a strong 7-2 in their last nine versus New York, including wining their last two games at Madison Square Garden.