NCAAB College Basketball Odds

NCAAB score predictions have been gaining traction in the US lately. Since the league first rose to prominence in the early 40s, it has become one of America's favorite professional sports competitions, with more viewership than even the NBA in certain parts of the country.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) organizes the competition, and the NCAAB acronym refers to its basketball operations. Every winter, the best college basketball players from 351 schools nationwide compete for glory and a chance to participate in the prestigious NCAA March Madness.

You can follow all the action here at Sportzino — the leading sweepstakes sportsbook in the US. We offer the best NCAAB pre-match and live odds, from minor conference contests to grand championship showdowns. Read on to learn more about making free college basketball predictions and get some vital NCAAB USA tips to keep you winning.

NCAA Basketball — What You Need to Know

Basketball was invented in 1891, and in just under two years, some colleges were already playing it. However, colleges didn't start competing against each other until 1896. Eight years later, the best teams in the country would go to the 1904 Olympic Games, with basketball as a demonstration sport.

Since, several basketball tournaments were held around the US, but none compared to the NCAAB tournament, which debuted in 1939. The competition was initially based in New York and featured only eight teams but later expanded to 68 as the league grew in popularity.

NCAA March Madness

Except for Arizona, all US states have programs competing in the league's top division; 351 programs compete across 32 conferences. These conferences hold tournaments at the end of the regular season to determine who'll represent them at the NCAA tournament in March. An NCAA Selection Committee awards the remaining 36 spots, announcing the selected teams a week or two before the competition starts. The day the announcement is made is popularly known as Selection Sunday.

The Match Madness tournament commences in the closing days of March and runs through mid-April. It operates under a single-game elimination format, where one loss results in exiting the competition. The most popular NCAAB predictions take place in the later rounds, with fans rushing to guess the outcome of the Sweet Sixteen, Elite Eight, and Final Four matches.

The UCLA Bruins hold the record for the most March Madness titles with 11 but haven't won in almost three decades. The Kentucky Wildcats follow with eight titles, while the North Carolina Tar Heels are third with six. These programs, and the Kansas Jayhawks, have had the most appearances in NCAAB tournaments.

Best NCAAB Prediction Markets

The NCAAB is widely regarded as one of the most competitive sports competitions in the US. Even the March Madness tournament has witnessed some fantastic underdog stories in recent years, with outright favorites crashing out in the first round in some cases.

The large number and raw passion of teams have made the league perfect for players who enjoy making action-filled predictions. If you're one of them, Sportzino is the place to be. Not only do you get to enjoy an elite betting-like experience, but you also get to play for free. These are some of the more common NCAAB markets available at Sportzino.

  • Moneyline: You simply pick who you believe will triumph in the game. The underdogs receive positive odds, while the favorites get negative odds.
  • Point spread: This is one of the most popular NCAAB markets. It was introduced to address the disparity between favorites and underdogs. It's not just the winner of the game that matters; the margin of victory also plays a role. Your team could win, but your prediction fails if they don't score enough points to cover the spread.
  • Totals: Totals predictions are all about guessing if the number of points in an NCAAB game will be more or less than the number we set.
  • Half-time/full-time: A typical NCAAB game is split into two halves of 20 minutes each. You can predict who will win each half, whether the total score will be an even or odd number, or guess the winning margins.

NCAAB Prediction Tips

Predicting NCAAB games can be exciting and highly rewarding with the correct information. Want to be an expert NCAAB tipster? Here are some vital tips to consider before making your college basketball predictions.

  • Stick to teams you know: With over 300 programs participating yearly, many options are available. Nevertheless, you'll do yourself a massive favor by only predicting matches of the teams you're familiar with.
  • Analyze team form: Knowing how a team has performed over the last few games can help you judge their upcoming performances. It's common for NCAAB teams to go through winning or losing streaks, so before you predict that game tonight or later this week, gather all the info you can get. Follow up on stats like H2H and player strengths, and try to read some NCAAB expert picks.
  • Don't let emotions get in the way: This might be hard, given that basketball, especially college basketball, holds a special meaning to many. However, always put stats over feelings when checking the spreads today or looking for a great odds line to drop your daily predictions.

Now that you know everything you need to know about one of America's most prestigious sports competitions, head to Sportzino and start making your free predictions today. Simply visit our official website and use our one-click registration process to create your account. Then, start enjoying the finest college basketball betting-like feeling in the country.