Much like the first round of the 2021 March Madness Tournament, the Round of 32 provided an exciting experience for sports bettors. Now, the Sweet 16 is set to begin on Saturday, March 27 as we inch closer to crowning this year’s NCAA NCAA Division I Men's Basketball champion.
As in every other round of the tournament, the Sweet 16 offers sports bettors a variety of markets, from prop bets to futures. However, wagering on individual matchups is just as exciting. Read on below to find out the individual odds coming up for Saturday’s games.
March Madness Round of 32 Odds: Midwest Region
Odds via BetOnline as of Monday, March 22
Houston (#2) vs. Syracuse (#11)
- Point Spread: Houston-6.5 (-110) vs. Syracuse +6.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Houston -275, Syracuse +230
- Over/Under: Over 140 -105, Under 140 -115
Syracuse cannot stop upsetting everyone in this year’s tournament. They continue to increase the March Madness Tournament record for upset wins (15) after beating No. 3 West Virginia 75-72 on Sunday. Coach Jim Boeheim’s son, Buddy Boeheim, led the way for Syracuse with 25 points.
Despite being the second seed in the Midwest Region, Houston squeaked out a three-point win against No. 10 Rutgers in the Round of 32. They’ll face a tough task in a Syracuse team that’s been because of the three-pointer.
Syracuse has scored 29 three-pointers in their first two games this tournament. Their three-point percentage in those games was 55.6 and 45.2 respectively. If Houston wants to win, they’ll have to take away the long-range shot from Syracuse after letting Rutgers score on 43.8 percent of their 3s.
Loyola Chicago (#8) vs. Oregon State (#12)
- Point Spread: Loyola Chicago -7.0 (-110) vs. Oregon State +7.0 (-110)
- Moneyline: Loyola Chicago -285, Oregon State +240
- Over/Under: Over 126 -110, Under 126 -110
Loyola Chicago score potentially the biggest upset of the Midwest Region so far when they beat Final Four favorites Illinois to make it to the Sweet 16. Their dominant performance showed that their first-round victory was no fluke. They’ll take on an Oregon State team that has upset both fourth and fifth seeds in the region. Ethan Thompson had a great game for Oregon State against Oklahoma State as he put up 26 points and seven rebounds while going 14/15 in free throws.
While both teams have been playing fun basketball, it’s hard not to ignore what Loyola Chicago did to Illinois. The No. 1 seed had the second-best odds to win the entire tournament and Loyola Chicago put them down as if they were the actual higher seed.
March Madness Round of 32 Odds: South Region
Odds via BetOnline as of Monday, March 22
Arkansas (#3) vs. Oral Roberts (#15)
- Point Spread: Arkansas -11.0 (-115) vs. Oral Roberts +11.0 (-105)
- Moneyline: Arkansas -600, Oral Roberts +460
- Over/Under: Over 159 -110, Under 159 -110
Oral Roberts is on a Cinderella run to remember. On Sunday, they upset No. 7 Florida 81-78 after already beating the second-seeded Ohio State on Friday night. Kevin Obanor and Max Abmas carried the team again, combing for 54 points against Florida.
Meanwhile, Arkansas held on for a 68-66 win over Texas Tech to advance to the Sweet 16. If Arkansas wants to play in the Elite Eight, they’ll need to bring that defense that they’re known for. According to the KenPom rating system, they have the 11th-ranked defense in the NCAA.
At the same time, they’ve also been able to score at will this season, averaging 82.0 ppg (7th). That bodes well for Arkansas as Oral Roberts has one of the worst defenses in the nation and will have to work even harder to pull off another upset.
Baylor (#1) vs. Villanova (#5)
- Point Spread: Baylor -7.0 (-105) vs. Villanova +7.0 (-115)
- Moneyline: Baylor -260, Villanova +220
- Over/Under: Over 139 -110, Under 139 -110
This game has all the makings of a memorable Sweet 16 matchup. On one hand, you have a Baylor team that’s been one of the favorites to leave with the college basketball national championship since the tournament began. On the other hand, Villanova has won two of the last four March Madness Tournaments.
Baylor is an offensive powerhouse, averaging 83.8 ppg on the season. It’ll be a tough task for Villanova to match-up to without their best player, Collin Gillespie. While the five-seed dominated North Texas in the Round of 32, Baylor is an entirely different beast. It’s not impossible for Villanova to advance from the Sweet 16, but sportsbooks have Baylor as a probable Final Four lock for a reason.
