Florida is a very popular bet to cover in the Sweet 16. Auburn is not.
The No. 1 Gators are getting the most bets and money at BetMGM to cover the spread on Thursday night in the NCAA tournament against No. 4 Maryland. Florida is a 6.5-point favorite against the Terrapins and is getting 71% of bets and 65% of the money bet on the game.
Florida advanced to the Sweet 16 with a hard-fought win over two-time defending national champion No. 8 UConn. Maryland needed a buzzer-beater from Derik Queen to get past No. 12 Colorado State in the second round.
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The game is the most-bet of any of the eight Sweet 16 games on Thursday and Friday. The second-most bet team to cover is No. 1 Duke at -9.5 points. The national title favorites are getting 61% of bets and 69% of the money bet on the spread against No. 4 Arizona on Thursday night.
No. 1 Auburn, meanwhile, is not getting much action despite the line moving in the Tigers’ favor. Auburn opened as a 7.5-point favorite against No. 5 Michigan and is now a 9.5-point favorite. But the Tigers are getting just 22% of bets and 27% of the money against the spread. Michigan is the most-bet underdog to win outright of any team in the Sweet 16.
The public isn’t too keen on either No. 1 Houston or No. 3 Texas Tech, but sharps are favoriting the two Texas schools. Tech is a 5.5-point favorite against No. 10 Arkansas and is getting just 44% of bets against the spread. However, those bets total 59% of the money bet on the game.
Houston is an 8.5-point favorite and is getting 64% of bets and 79% of the money to cover against No. 4 Purdue.
The highest total of any Sweet 16 game is in No. 6 BYU vs. No. 2 Alabama and it’s not even close. The over/under has moved up to 175.5 points as 62% of bets and 75% of the handle is on the over. The only other game within 20 points of that total is Maryland and Florida. That total has moved up three points to 157.5 as a whopping 94% of the money is on the over.
