College basketball betting is one of the few kinds of sport betting where adoration of the public plays a role in the odds a team is given. The public has a list of teams that it bets on regardless of whether or not the team is winning. Many people develop a sentimental attachment to a college basketball team and bet based on emotion. It seems to happen more in college basketball than any other sport, so that is why the odds makers shade things a little based on those emotions.

For example, the Duke Blue Devils are an extremely popular team which means that the odds makers can move the odds either for or against the Blue Devils and get more action. People will bet on the Blue Devils to win just because it is the Blue Devils. If Duke is playing an especially good team, then the odds can still favor the Blue Devils and the betting sites would make more if the Blue Devils lose.

March Madness betting can be a bit different because so many new bettors are in play that it can distort the betting lines. But if a fan favorite is playing poorly, then the odds will still favor that team. That allows you the chance to make some money by betting against a popular team that is having a bad year. Since the popular team will usually be the favorite, it is giving up points. When you see this, you should take advantage of it to make a betting profit.

College basketball differs from the NBA in that college teams are constantly changing personnel because of new players coming in and players graduating every four years or getting into the NBA. A popular team in transition, that is not playing well, can be your ticket to a profitable betting year.