Sharp bettors pound NCAA Tournament opening lines

Boise State Broncos secure Max Rice (12) commits what referees considered an offending nasty versus UNLV Rebels guard EJ Harkless (55) throughout the first half of an NCAA college basketball quarterfinal game in the Mountain West competition at the Thomas & & Mack Center on Thursday, March 9, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @ellenschmidtttUNLV Rebels guard EJ Harkless (55) tries to steal ownership from Boise State Broncos safeguard Max Rice (12) throughout the very first half of an NCAA college basketball quarterfinal video game in the Mountain West competition at the Thomas & & Mack Center on Thursday, March 9, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @ellenschmidtttBoise State Broncos center Lukas Milner (25) and UNLV Rebels forward Victor Iwuakor (0) dive for a rebound throughout the first half of an NCAA college basketball quarterfinal game in the Mountain West tournament at the Thomas & & Mack Center on Thursday, March 9, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @ellenschmidtttThe Boise State Broncos commemorate after referees called a nasty on the UNLV Rebels during the last minute of overtime in an NCAA college basketball quarterfinal video game in the Mountain West competition at the Thomas & & Mack Center on Thursday, March 9, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @ellenschmidttt
Minutes after the NCAA Tournament selection committee revealed the bracket Sunday, the South Point sportsbook posted point spreads on all 32 video games and took up to $10,000 a side at the counter.

The sharp action and line relocations that followed came quickly and furious.

In the very first hour alone, the book took 20 limitation bets (consisting of several $3,000 max bets on the mobile app) and made 20 line relocations.

" We composed a ton of service," South Point sportsbook director Chris Andrews said. "It's been wonderful both on the app and at the counter. We got a couple men wagering $100 or whatever, however it was primarily nickels ($ 500), cents ($ 1,000) and 10 dimes ($ 10,000).

" There was a lot of sharp action."

The book disagreed with the committee in a number of cases, as three lower seeds are favored over higher seeds: No. 10 Utah State -2 over No. 7 Missouri, No. 9 West Virginia -2 over No. 8 Maryland and No. 9 Auburn -1 over No. 8 Iowa.

No. 10 Boise State is a choice 'em over No. 7 Northwestern after opening as a 2-point underdog.

" We don't make the seeds. We make the numbers," Andrews stated. "I think we do a better job than the committee."

When the matchups were released, Andrews, Gaughan Gaming sportsbook director Vinny Magliulo and fellow long time Las Vegas oddsmakers Jimmy Vaccaro and Tony Sinisi made their numbers on each game. Sometimes, the lines differed by three points. Andrews had the last word.

" It's constantly great to get various opinions," Magliulo stated. "We were quite close on the games. However it's good to get variation, then discuss why there's variation."

Night moves

The most significant line relocation was Tennessee dropping from a 13-point preferred over Louisiana to -10.

" We got bet a couple times on Louisiana," Andrews stated. "We just opened the best number we could.

Andrews said his book likewise took limit bets on Southeast Missouri State, Memphis, Miami, Kent State, Texas Southern, Montana State, Iona, Kennesaw State, Boise State, College of Charleston and Arkansas.

" Let's face it, 85 to 90 percent of business is still to come, starting on Wednesday night," Magliulo stated.

12 seeds

When submitting a bracket, it's ended up being popular to choose a 12-seed to disturb a 5-seed. In 32 of the previous 37 NCAA Tournaments, No. 12 seeds have won a minimum of one first-round video game, including two last year.

Based on the lines, No. 12 Drake has the very best opportunity of an outright upset, though the early cash went against the Bulldogs. No. 5 Miami opened as a 2-point favorite over Drake prior to it was wager up to -3.

No. 12 seed College of Charleston settled as a 4½½ -point underdog to San Diego State after the line opened at 5 and dipped to 4. No. 12 Virginia Commonwealth is +3½ ½ to Saint Mary's after the line opened at 4, and No. 12 Oral Roberts is +6 over Duke.

First Four

In the First Four opener Tuesday, Texas A&M- Corpus Christi is -3½ ½ over Southeast Missouri State after the line opened at 4 and dipped to 3.

In Tuesday's nightcap, Mississippi State is -1½ ½ over Pittsburgh after it opened -1.

In Wednesday's First Four games, Texas Southern is -2 over Fairleigh Dickinson after opening -1½½, and Arizona State is -1½ ½ over
UNR.

Pro choice Paul Stone, a Texas-based professional sports bettor, likes Illinois +3 over Arkansas in Thursday's first-round video game.

" I actually thought this video game would be lined better to choose," said Stone (@paulstonesports).

Arkansas is 3-7 ATS as a favorite of 7½ ½ points or less this season, Stone kept in mind.

" The Razorbacks' overall body of work has been choppy this season," he said. "And, although it's up for dispute, I believe the Big Ten is the slightly tougher league from top to bottom." Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.