NCAAB Futures Odds Betting – Alabama has the Look of a Title Contender

I offered up five positions to take fliers on last week in my first breakdown of the 2022-23 college basketball futures odds. They included Purdue (+1500), TCU (+4000), Xavier (+5000), Kentucky (+5000), and St. Mary’s (+8000). We timed it right with the Boilermakers, Wildcats, and Gaels who saw their odds shorten up to +1200, +4000, and +6600 over the last week. The Horned Frogs and Musketeers stayed put so I still recommend adding them to your March Madness futures odds portfolio at the current offerings. Now a third into the conference schedule, things are starting to round into form. The futures odds are moving on a gamely basis, so it’s time to roll up the sleeves and get dirty. The following are my official favorite, underdog, and longshot suggestions to back on the futures odds at PointsBet Sportsbook now before their rates of return lose most of their value.

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Favorite to Bet: Alabama Crimson Tide +1000

Alabama is widely known as a football factory. Nate Oats has tried his damndest to change that ideology by turning the Crimson Tide into an SEC powerhouse since first making his home in Tuscaloosa back in the 2019-20 season. Since then, Bama has punched a ticket to the NCAA tournament each of the last two seasons and got as far as the Elite Eight. With wins already under the belt against Michigan State, North Carolina, Houston, Kentucky, and Arkansas while clocking in as the No. 4 team in the country per the most up to date Pomeroy Ratings, it looks like we’ll be hearing “Roll Tide” ad nauseum come March. As unfair that may seem with Bama a routine fixture in the CFP every passing year, this program has earned it!

Alabama is one of the most well-balanced teams in the country. Brandon Miller (20.1 PPG) is the ringleader of the nation’s 12^th most efficient offense, while the defense ranks No. 3 in efficiency serving up just over 69 points per game. And it’s not like these gaudy stats have been accrued against a creampuff schedule either with it clocking in as the second toughest in the land; only the defending champion Kansas Jayhawks have taken on a tougher cast of opponents. The Crimson Tide has shown they can win both at home (10-1) as well as on the road (6-1) and stands 2-2 in neutral court bouts. This team plays at a breakneck pace (No. 3), limits 2-point shots (No. 3), and locks the perimeter down (No. 7). On top of all that, it hits the offensive glass (No. 28) and gets to the charity stripe a ton (No. 20). If only it forced turnovers (No. 317)! All these intangibles lead me to believe a deep run is in store for this insanely deep team!

Underdog to Bet: Creighton Bluejays +4000

The window of opportunity to snag Greg McDermott’s kids at an insanely lined price is slamming shut. Now that the stink of the mid-season six-game losing streak has faded away, Creighton is back to kicking butt and taking names having rattled off back-to-back wins by margin against Providence and Butler. I think the winning streak has only just begun now that the injury bug has vacated Omaha and begun a search for a new team to haunt. With Xavier, UConn, and Marquette still set to pay a visit to their home digs, the Bluejays aren’t out of the Big East title race – not by a longshot!

I honestly don’t think there’s a better starting five in the country with the guard trio of Baylor Scheierman (13.4 PPG), Trey Alexander (13.2 PPG), and Ryan Nembhard (11.2 PPG) about as good as it gets in this day and age of the game. Arthur Kaluma (12.4 PPG) has taken a step forward in his sophomore campaign, but the straw that stirs the drink continues to be 7-footer Ryan Kalkbrenner (15.2 PPG/6.9 RPG). It hardly came as a shock to see the losing streak come to an end and the team start competing again once he returned to the hardwood at the end of December. I don’t think we’ve seen what this team is truly capable of just yet which makes its 2.43 percent implied probability of cutting the nets at this price point laughable in my opinion. These guys have been through the wars the last few seasons losing to Kansas in the second round last year and to Gonzaga in the Sweet 16 the year prior. This team is hungry and you’ll want them in your portfolio come March – BUY NOW!

Longshot to Bet: Texas A&M Aggies +20000

Though Buzz Williams’ kids can’t shoot the 3 (No. 255) or defend it (No. 266), everything else comes up roses for the NIT runner-ups of a season ago. The experience of going deep in the “Not invited Tournament” has done this team well with it winning 12 of 17 games and going unblemished in SEC play. Armed with the 21st most efficient offense in the land and backed by a defense that gives up next to nothing close to the rim (No. 33), Texas A&M looks to be a team that has staying power in the rugged SEC. Linemakers at PointsBet don’t seem to agree with their odds to win it all longer now than they were before the season tipped off (+10500). I’ll gladly take the extra cheddar and throw that dart with the hope that what Wade Taylor IV and his mates have done to this point isn’t a mirage.

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