Posted on 1/11/2008 3:20:10 PM

Bet On NCAA Basketball - Big Monday

By Robby Maddux

Big Monday has arrived and if you know what to look for Mondays can earn you a weekly payday. First, the Georgetown Hoyas invades Pittsburgh to play the Panthers beginning at 7:00pm EST. Then, the Kansas Jayhawks hosts the Oklahoma Sooners at 9:00pm EST, with the nightcap featuring visiting Pepperdine Waves against the Gonzaga Bulldogs.

With college basketball betting in full swing, sometimes so many games along with a colossal number of stats available for each contest, handicapping can become overwhelming and not just on Big Mondays. So now's the time for some handicapping 101 in efforts of making this year's college basketball odds campaign a winning one.

College hoops is considered by many, even the wise guys, to be one of the toughest sports to handicap but at the same time, it can be one of the most profitable sports to cash in on.

On Saturdays, there's upwards of 80 games and with 225 Division I teams, there's countless games nightly throughout the season en route to March Madness. The average sports bettor cannot possibly handicap all of these games, so be selective and only invest in games you feel have the strongest chances of making money.

Placing a large number of wagers daily is a sportsbook wet dream, because you're most likely only going to fill their pockets with juice. When looking over the games, focus on smaller conferences because oddsmakers tend to release soft lines on games that don't figure to get much action. Finding teams with value can be a huge plus to your bankroll.

When number crunching, you have to make sure you are looking at the right stats and also interpreting them properly. Simply looking at points scored for and against can be very misleading at times. When breaking down the numbers, against the spread stats are crucial. As well, pay close attention to how teams play at home and on the road.

Stats are very important when handicapping college hoops because they are real and genuine even though parity isn’t very prevalent. At the college level, young men go out and play hard for their team every game, not just for themselves, but to sometimes make a name for themselves in hopes of reaching the next level.

A stat that's crucial to your analysis is how a team fares at the charity stripe. The numbers might be slightly skewed based on pressure situations for some teams and not others but for the most part, it's a good handicapping tool to keep in mind.

Early in the season, you will see a lot of inflated lines due to the soft schedules of non-conference play. But now conference play is underway, these numbers will decline and become sharper due to more difficult schedules.

Assist to turnover ratio is another one of most important stats to look at. As well, take into consideration of how certain teams play each other. Some clubs own others, while other teams battle tooth-and-nail to the buzzer in close games.

A good practice when getting down on college hardwood action is to stay away from games pegged with lines of 20-points or more. Even with conference action now being played, occasionally these high line will still be around. Laying or pocketing 20 or more points in a contest is no different then flipping a coin to decide the outcome.

Last year, oddsmakers tagged 68 games with lines of 20 or more points involving the major conference teams. The chalk covered the number 36 times while the dog cashed 32 times, making it pretty much a wash. There's too many games out there that you can find better numbers on.

Take a look at injury reports each and every day before making your moves. While injury reports list actual players injuries, they also list eligibility information as well that may keep a player on the bench. If a key player isn't suiting up for a particular game, oddsmakers will adjust the NCAAB odds accordingly. It may be wise to stay away from such cases, because minus a big name stats can become misleading.

There are a large number sources available on the net where you can get a variety of power ratings. But for the more advanced handicapper, create your own power rating you can tweak and adjust until you have come up with a solid bunch of rankings that produces winners. Comparing your numbers against the lines can provide you some very solid parameters to use to try and filter out some of the games you are looking to handicap.

During the college hoop's season money management is a crucial element, as in all forms of sports betting. Put a simple budgetary type of money management system in place. Stick to it even when you come across that game you think is a "lock". Be wise and don't allow yourself to succeed your decided on budget, and wagering on sports will remain exciting and yield profits if you stay focused and stay within your budget.

Do not increase your bet amounts or bet on more games in order to make up losses. You must stay focused and disciplined. By chasing losses all you do is put your bankroll at risk. If you experience a losing streak, reassess your research and handicapping efforts. If in hindsight you would still make the same bets, then relax and stay consistent. If you see gaps in your skills, then spend some time 'capping. Frankly, the learning experience never ends.

Hopefully this information will help you make your NCAA basketball betting season a money-making experience, beginning Monday with three great nationally televised games.

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