The 2024 NCAA Tournament begins on Thursday after at 12:15 p.m. ET with No. 9 Michigan State vs. No. 8 Mississippi State. From there, we’ve got non-stop basketball for about four days in a row. March Madness is the most exciting time of the sports calendar and one of the most bet on events as well. If you’re looking to place wagers or just looking to research for your bracket, betting splits and how the public money is landing can help tremendously. Below we’ll have a table with public betting splits on DraftKings Sportsbook for all first round matchups.
2024 March Madness
Public betting splits for first round
Notable spreads
Ironically enough the largest spread is the one being bet the most. UConn is favored by 26.5 points over Stetson in their first-round matchup on Friday. The Huskies are seeing 86% of the bets and 79% of the handle to cover that spread. The team seeing the second-most bets on the spread? UAB at +7 against the runner-up from last season, San Diego State. UAB is seeing 83% of the bets on DKSB to cover.
The one game that the public is completely torn on is No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 14 Morehead State. The Illini are 11.5 points favorites and the bets are split down the middle 50-50 on DraftKings. The same goes for No. 2 Arizona vs. No. 15 Long Beach State, a game the Wildcats are 20.5-point favorites in. Another 2-15 matchup also has bettors split. No. 2 Tennessee will face No. 15 St. Peter’s and are 21.5-point favorites. We’re seeing 51% of the bets on the Vols to cover that spread. While much of the public may be seeing St. Peter’s and thinking of their run from a few seasons ago. This is a very different Peacocks team.
Notable totals
The honor of highest over/under for the first round goes to No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 13 Charleston out of the West Region. That line is set at 173 points. The Crimson Tide boasts the 3rd ranked offense on KenPom and play at a very fast pace. Charleston similarly plays up in tempo and has a good offense for a mid-major. Even at such a high number, the majority of the public is on the over with 60% of the bets and 82% of the handle.
Again the public seems least decisive on Illinois vs. Morehead State. The line is at 147 points and the bets are almost a dead split with 51% of the over. The heaviest amount of money bet on a total is No. 5 Wisconsin vs. No. 12 James Madison with the over/under at 145. We’re seeing a heavy amount of bets (77%) and money (93%) on the over to hit there.
Notable Moneylines
Moneyline betting in the first round is very erratic. A lot of the splits are pretty extreme and we’ll see more handle on the dogs while more bets on the favorites. One game that sticks out is No. 4 Kansas vs. No. 13 Samford. The Jayhawks won’t have G Kevin McCullar Jr. for the entirety of the tournament. As a result, the public is split on whether or not to bet on Kansas or Samford on the moneyline. We’re seeing 77% of the handle on Samford +230. An upset could be a bit of a liability for the books.
The largest amount of moneyline bets for the first round appears to be on No. 4 Auburn vs. No. 13 Yale in the East bracket. In the classic 12-5 matchup, JMU is seeing 64% of the bets and 86% of the handle to upset Wisconsin at +185.
Note — These splits are updated as of Wednesday evening at around 7:30 p.m. ET.
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| Game | Spread | Handle | Bets | Total | Handle | Bets | Moneyline | Handle | Bets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game | Spread | Handle | Bets | Total | Handle | Bets | Moneyline | Handle | Bets |
| Michigan St. (9) Mississippi St. (8) | -1 +1 | 67% 33% | 63% 37% | 130.5 130.5 | 66% 34% | 64% 36% | -120 +100 | 43% 57% | 44% 56% |
| Duquesne (11) Brigham Young (6) | +10 -10 | 41% 59% | 61% 39% | 142 142 | 46% 54% | 40% 60% | +380 -500 | 71% 29% | 36% 64% |
| Akron (14) Creighton (3) | +12.5 -12.5 | 58% 42% | 34% 66% | 141 141 | 25% 75% | 44% 56% | +600 -900 | 70% 30% | 23% 77% |
| Long Beach St. (15) Arizona (2) | +20.5 -20.5 | 55% 45% | 50% 50% | 163.5 163.5 | 52% 48% | 28% 72% | +1500 -3600 | 92% 8% | 36% 64% |
| Wagner (16) North Carolina (1) | +25 -25 | 31% 69% | 41% 59% | 133.5 133.5 | 73% 27% | 70% 30% | +2000 -6500 | 50% 50% | 30% 70% |
| Morehead St. (14) Illinois (3) | +11.5 -11.5 | 73% 27% | 50% 50% | 147 147 | 66% 34% | 51% 49% | +550 -800 | 84% 16% | 33% 67% |
| Oregon (11) South Carolina (6) | +1.5 -1.5 | 62% 38% | 55% 45% | 133 133 | 51% 49% | 66% 34% | -105 -115 | 80% 20% | 69% 31% |
| Nevada (10) Dayton (7) | -1.5 +1.5 | 67% 33% | 65% 35% | 136.5 136.5 | 25% 75% | 53% 47% | -122 +102 | 64% 36% | 61% 39% |
| Colorado St. (10) Texas (7) | +2.5 -2.5 | 50% 50% | 45% 55% | 144 144 | 58% 42% | 43% 57% | +120 -142 | 89% 11% | 61% 39% |
| Oakland (14) Kentucky (3) | +13.5 -13.5 | 29% 71% | 18% 82% | 162.5 162.5 | 75% 25% | 53% 47% | +675 -1050 | 78% 22% | 25% 75% |
| Mcneese St. (12) Gonzaga (5) | +6.5 -6.5 | 70% 30% | 68% 32% | 150 150 | 79% 21% | 56% 44% | +230 -285 | 86% 14% | 54% 46% |
| S Dakota St. (15) Iowa St. (2) | +16 -16 | 62% 38% | 36% 64% | 135.5 135.5 | 39% 61% | 39% 61% | +950 -1650 | 88% 12% | 26% 74% |
| St. Peters (15) Tennessee (2) | +21.5 -21.5 | 43% 57% | 49% 51% | 130 130 | 59% 41% | 64% 36% | +1600 -4000 | 86% 14% | 35% 65% |
| NC State (11) Texas Tech (6) | +5 -5 | 60% 40% | 74% 26% | 145.5 145.5 | 54% 46% | 44% 56% | +180 -218 | 94% 6% | 75% 25% |
| Samford (13) Kansas (4) | +7 -7 | 73% 27% | 53% 47% | 153.5 153.5 | 73% 27% | 32% 68% | +230 -285 | 77% 23% | 50% 50% |
| Drake (10) Washington St. (7) | -1.5 +1.5 | 83% 17% | 77% 23% | 137.5 137.5 | 41% 59% | 55% 45% | -122 +102 | 77% 23% | 73% 27% |
| Northwestern (9) FAU (8) | +3 -3 | 38% 62% | 46% 54% | 142 142 | 63% 37% | 55% 45% | +130 -155 | 55% 45% | 51% 49% |
| Colgate (14) Baylor (3) | +14 -14 | 23% 77% | 46% 54% | 138.5 138.5 | 49% 51% | 56% 44% | +700 -1100 | 82% 18% | 26% 74% |
| UAB (12) San Diego St. (5) | +7 -7 | 74% 26% | 83% 17% | 139.5 139.5 | 67% 33% | 58% 42% | +225 -278 | 73% 27% | 47% 53% |
| W Kentucky (15) Marquette (2) | +14.5 -14.5 | 70% 30% | 48% 52% | 158.5 158.5 | 49% 51% | 28% 72% | +800 -1350 | 87% 13% | 31% 69% |
| Stetson (16) Connecticut (1) | +26.5 -26.5 | 21% 79% | 14% 86% | 146 146 | 69% 31% | 56% 44% | +2200 -8000 | 39% 61% | 23% 77% |
| New Mexico (11) Clemson (6) | -2.5 +2.5 | 80% 20% | 74% 26% | 151.5 151.5 | 64% 36% | 37% 63% | -148 +124 | 64% 36% | 66% 34% |
| Yale (13) Auburn (4) | +13 -13 | 41% 59% | 36% 64% | 140 140 | 35% 65% | 56% 44% | +550 -800 | 61% 39% | 18% 82% |
| Texas A&M (9) Nebraska (8) | +1 -1 | 80% 20% | 66% 34% | 147 147 | 74% 26% | 69% 31% | -108 -112 | 60% 40% | 66% 34% |
| Vermont (13) Duke (4) | +12 -12 | 37% 63% | 25% 75% | 132.5 132.5 | 54% 46% | 62% 38% | +550 -800 | 78% 22% | 27% 73% |
| Charleston (13) Alabama (4) | +9.5 -9.5 | 54% 46% | 61% 39% | 173 173 | 82% 18% | 60% 40% | +370 -485 | 76% 24% | 35% 65% |
| Longwood (16) Houston (1) | +24 -24 | 20% 80% | 31% 69% | 128 128 | 32% 68% | 54% 46% | +1800 -5000 | 71% 29% | 38% 62% |
| James Madison (12) Wisconsin (5) | +5 -5 | 86% 14% | 78% 22% | 145 145 | 93% 7% | 77% 23% | +185 -225 | 86% 14% | 64% 36% |
| TCU (9) Utah St. (8) | -4 +4 | 50% 50% | 44% 56% | 150.5 150.5 | 76% 24% | 47% 53% | -185 +154 | 26% 74% | 52% 48% |
| Grand Canyon (12) St. Marys (5) | +5.5 -5.5 | 82% 18% | 75% 25% | 131.5 131.5 | 60% 40% | 67% 33% | +190 -230 | 81% 19% | 53% 47% |
Note — If you want the latest public betting splits, head here.
