Can’t say that you weren’t warned.
The sportsbooks beat up on the little guys in the opening First Four games of the NCAA Tournament, watching the Virginia Cavaliers get run over by the Colorado State Rams on Tuesday.
Virginia moneyline +110 was the most popular bet of the day at BetMGM Sportsbook, as the betting public prayed that an ACC strength of schedule could carry the Cavaliers past the Rams.
The Cavaliers received 79 percent of the moneyline handle yet the line continued moving in the opposite direction, triggering some speculation that the Rams were receiving sharp action.
In a tale eemingly heard many times over, Virginia came up small on the biggest stage at the March Madness Tournament, losing their first game in embarrassing fashion.
A less drastic public loss could be found on the Wagner-Howard game, as the Bison were a slight public preference entering Tuesday.
Sixty-four percent of the spread money was on Howard -3.5, a game they lost outright, 71-68.
The moneyline love for Howard wasn’t on the same planet that Virginia received from public bettors, but it still received 61 percent of the money on moneyline bets.
The two losses are a brutal start for the gambling public, and the hope is it isn’t a sign of things to come.
But if you read Post-Action Betting’s Tanner McGrath, he correctly predicted both winners, explaining why Virginia had no business being in the tournament.
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After trailing 18-14 with more than nine minutes to in the first half, Virginia did not score another point in the half, falling behind at halftime, 27-14, en route to the blowout loss.
Wednesday features another pair of First Four games, with Montana State favored against Grambling State and Colorado laying points against Boise State.
With March Madness upon us, new North Carolina sports bettors can wager on their March champion. To take advantage of their tournament bets, they should use North Carolina betting apps to wager with confidence.