With the Sweet 16 tipping off, there’s a bunch of teams looking to end long droughts in the NCAA tournament. We look at the odds on some of the biggest streaks in March Madness finally coming to an end
It’s the one folks are just afraid to bet on. Gonzaga, with a long history of scouting Europe brilliantly, has been highly fancied before but too many times punters have been burned. Too many times it’s looked like this is the year for the Zags but each and every time they’ve failed to make the big breakthrough. This year, finally, it looks like Gonzaga are ready for the breakthrough and to reach a first ever Final Four. The market however remains wary. Despite holding the 1 seed and progressing in businesslike fashion to the Sweet 16, the Bulldogs are only 11/8 to make the big breakthrough. Honestly, this looks too cautious for me. The last time we thought Gonzaga was going to do it all, it came up against a buzzsaw in the form of a wildly mis-seeded Wichita State. This time, there’s no committee-built obstacle in their way. I’m backing the Zags.
Also at 11/8 is one that really surprised me. I just assumed that Sean Miller had a Final Four under his belt by now but somehow the Arizona coach hasn’t actually made it to the final weekend ever. This is a great Arizona side and Miller is due his trip to a championship weekend but I just can’t see it this year. With the Zags in the way, I’m walking away from this at a price this short. If it moves, to around 15/8 or longer, then consider making the jump.
Finally, for those who want to bet against drama it’s worth looking at a current in-tournament streak. So far there have been no true buzzer beaters in this year’s edition of the NCAA tournament. March Madness almost seems built for it but it’s looking increasingly likely that we won’t get that kind of shining moment. Of course, fun fact, the last buzzer beater in March Madness was literally the last shot of the tournament a year ago. This time around, at 6/5, I’m going to back the competition to end devoid of that kind of shot.
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