Only one Big Ten team, Northwestern, was a consistently strong wager versus the pointspread last season, a trend that basketball betting aficionados will be monitoring this year. Teams are listed in predicted order of finish. Straight up (SU), against the spread (ATS), and over/under (O/U) records for the 2009/10 season are in parentheses:
MICHIGANSTATE (28-9 SU, 15-21 ATS, 15-18-1 O/U)
By the Numbers (2009/10 Season)
Home Favorite:5-11
Home Underdog:0-0
Away Favorite:4-3
Away Underdog:2-3
Neutral site:4-4
Sportsbook Buster: The Spartans were 5-11 ATS at home.
Sports Betting Angle: The "under" was 11-7-1 in MichiganState conference games.
Bets and Pieces: The Spartans were 5-12 ATS playing on three or more days rest.
PURDUE (29-6 SU, 15-19-1 ATS, 13-17-2 O/U)
By the Numbers (2009/10 Season)
Home Favorite:7-9
Home Underdog:0-0
Away Favorite:2-6
Away Underdog:2-0
Neutral Site:4-4-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Boilermakers are 7-13 ATS on the road the past two seasons.
Sports Betting Angle: Purdue is 14-26-1 ATS on three or more days rest the last two seasons.
Bets and Pieces: The Boilermakers were 11-18-1 as favorites.
OHIOSTATE (29-8 SU, 18-17-2 ATS, 17-16-1 O/U)
By the Numbers (2009/10 Season)
Home Favorite:10-8
Home Underdog:0-0
Away Favorite:3-1
Away Underdog:2-5
Neutral Site:3-3-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Buckeyes were 2-6 as underdogs.
Sports Betting Angle: OSU is 21-9-1 ATS on two or fewer days rest the last two seasons.
Bets and Pieces: The "under" was 9-6 when the Buckeyes played at home.
ILLINOIS (21-15 SU, 14-18-2 ATS, 20-12 O/U)
By the Numbers (2009/10 Season)
Home Favorite:4-8
Home Underdog:1-3
Away Favorite:2-0-1
Away Underdog:6-2
Neutral Site:1-5-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Illini were 6-12-1 as favorites.
Sports Betting Angle: The "under" is 21-9 in Illinois home games the last two seasons.
Bets and Pieces: The Illini were 8-2-1 ATS on the road.
MINNESOTA (21-14 SU, 17-17 ATS, 17-16 O/U)
By the Numbers (2009/10 Season)
Home Favorite:9-5
Home Underdog:2-0
Away Favorite:1-3
Away Underdog:1-4
Neutral Site:4-4
Sportsbook Buster: The Golden Gophers are 12-23 as underdogs the last three seasons.
Sports Betting Angle: Minnesota is 23-13 as a home favorite the lat three years.
Bets and Pieces: The Golden Gophers were 2-8 ATS in road games.
WISCONSIN (24-9 SU, 17-14 ATS, 12-18 O/U)
By the Numbers (2009/10 Season)
Home Favorite:8-5
Home Underdog:2-0
Away Favorite:4-2
Away Underdog:2-2
Neutral Site:1-5
Sportsbook Buster: The Badgers are 8-16-1 ATS on two or fewer days rest the last two seasons.
Sports Betting Angle: Over the last two seasons, the "under" is 12-5-1 when Wisconsin is an underdog
Bets and Pieces: The Badgers were 10-5 ATS at home.
NORTHWESTERN (20-14 SU, 18-10-1 ATS, 17-10-1 O/U)
By the Numbers (2009/10 Season)
Home Favorite:7-2
Home Underdog:2-3
Away Favorite:0-2
Away Underdog:6-3
Neutral Site: 3-0-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Wildcats were 9-3 ATS on three or more days rest.
Sports Betting Angle: Northwestern is 25-13-1 ATS in Big Ten play the last two seasons.
Bets and Pieces: The "over" was 15-5 in Wildcats conference play.
PENN STATE (11-20 SU, 15-14 ATS, 13-12-1 O/U)
By the Numbers (2009/10 Season)
Home Favorite:3-6
Home Underdog:2-3
Away Favorite:0-1
Away Underdog:9-1
Neutral Site:1-3
Sportsbook Buster: The Nittany Lions were 9-1 as road underdogs.
Sports Betting Angle: PSU is 15-9 ATS in games after a pointspread loss the last two seasons.
Bets and Pieces: The Nittany Lions were 4-9 as favorites.
INDIANA (10-21 SU, 12-18-1 ATS, 14-10-2 O/U)
By the Numbers (200/10 Season)
Home Favorite:3-4
Home Underdog:4-5-1
Away Favorite:0-0
Away Underdog:3-6
Neutral Site:2-3
Sportsbook Buster: The Hoosiers were 7-11-1 ATS in Big Ten play.
Sports Betting Angle: Indiana is 2-12 ATS the last two years in games following a SU win.
Bets and Pieces: The "over" was 14-8-1 when Indiana was an underdog.
MICHIGAN (15-17 SU, 14-14 ATS, 9-19 O/U)
By the Numbers (2009/10 Season)
Home Favorite:3-6
Home Underdog:2-0
Away Favorite:0-3
Away Underdog:6-2
Neutral Site:2-3
Sportsbook Buster: The Wolverines were 4-12 as favorites but 9-2 as underdogs.
Sports Betting Angle: The "under" was14-6 in Michigan conference games.
Bets and Pieces: The "under" was 9-2 when the Wolverines were underdogs.
IOWA (10-22 SU, 12-19 ATS, 13-14 O/U)
By the Numbers (2009/10 Season)
Home Favorite:2-5
Home Underdog:5-5
Away Favorite:0-0
Away Underdog:4-7
Neutral Site:1-2
Sportsbook Buster: The Hawkeyes were 2-10 ATS outside the Big Ten conference.
Sports Betting Angle: Iowa was 4-7 ATS in road games.
Bets and Pieces: The Hawkeyes were 4-7 ATS in games following a pointspread win.
This is the third of an NCAA basketball betting preview series.
Next: Handicapping the Big East.
This article was written by Luken Karel for http://www.thegreek.com. The Greek Sportsbook & Casino is host to one of the top online sportsbooks offering college football betting and sports betting on NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and all other major sports. The Greek is a must have sports betting and entertainment portal with one of the largest wagering menus available online. Article reproductions must include a link pointing to http://www.thegreek.com
