How the public is betting Northwestern vs. No. 21 Ohio State

The Northwestern Wildcats will be trying to get back into the win column when they take on the No. 21-ranked Ohio State on Wednesday night. Both teams are three games out of first place in the Big Ten Conference, which is held by the undefeated Michigan Wolverines.

This weeknight contest is scheduled to tip-off at 7:00 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network. Northwestern is coming into this game on a three-game losing streak, with their last win happening on Dec. 26 against Ohio State. Last week, the Wildcats lost 81-56 to the Illinois Fighting Illini. During their losing streak, Northwestern has given up 84.3 points per game, which is higher than their season average of 68.9.

The Buckeyes got themselves back into the win column last weekend as they defeated the Rutgers Scarlet Knights 79-68. In that game, Ohio State shot an impressive 51 percent from the field and 41.7 percent from three-point range. Also, with the victory, Ohio State has won three of their last five games.

So where are sports bettors going as we get closer to game time? Let’s take a look. All odds and info were provided by DraftKings Sportsbook.

Point Spread

Ohio State is favored by 8 points heading into this Big Ten matchup. The Buckeyes are also receiving 67% of the bets and 51% of the handle.

Is the public right?

The last time these two teams played each other, the Buckeyes were favored by 2.5 points in Evanston, Ill. But the underdog Wildcats ended up securing the victory 71-70, thanks to a game-winning shot from Boo Buie.

However, when you look each teams record against the spread this season, they are very similar. Ohio State’s record against the spread is 6-5-1, while the Northwestern’s record is 5-4.

Over/Under

The point total for this Wednesday night contest is set at 139. As of now, 55% of the bets and 85% of the handle are siding with the over.

Is the public right?

Yes, the public is right! Between the point and the point total, the best bet might be the over on Wednesday night. When these two teams played in December, they scored 141 points. Along those same lines, the Wildcats are averaging 79.1 points per game and the Buckeyes are averaging 76.5 points. In Ohio State’s last six games this season, the point total went over four times.

Moneyline

The Buckeyes have moneyline odds of -400, with the Wildcats’ odds coming in at +300. Out of all the moneyline bets placed for this game, Ohio State is seeing 94% of the bets and 97% of the handle.

Is the public right?

Ohio State will be looking to avenge their one-point loss to a Northwestern team that has lost three-straight games. The Wildcats have struggled defensively giving up 80 points or more recently. Also, the Buckeyes play great when they are at home. They’ve won their last six contests and averaging 80.3 points per game, which is a recipe for disaster for the Wildcats.

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