Two days before the Final Four begins in New Orleans, bets are flooding the online sportsbook as Kansas, Villanova, Duke, and North Carolina chase a national championship.
How is the public betting on Final Four odds? Here’s a breakdown of the public ticket and handle at BetMGM:
Kansas vs. Villanova: Tickets & Handle
So far, Kansas has seen the majority of tickets and money in spread betting.
As of Thursday, the Jayhawks are receiving 72% of the bets and 81% of the handle in a matchup that opened at -3.5 and quickly moved to -4.5, where it currently sits.
Injury news has (likely) played a big factor in the movement. Villanova guard Justin Moore, the team’s second-leading scorer on the season, suffered a torn Achilles late in the team’s win over Houston in the Elite Eight. His absence leaves a serious hole in the short Wildcat rotation and may have prevented this number from opening closer to 2 or 2.5.
The moneyline has also shifted towards Kansas to -200 (Villanova +165) from the open of -175/+145. The Jayhawks have only 46% of the moneyline bets but nearly 80% of the handle.
Duke vs. North Carolina: Tickets & Handle
The public seems to be all-in on this scorching hot North Carolina team.
The Tar Heels have received 62% of the bets and 78% of the spread handle thus far. Despite this, the spread has not budged from an opening line of -4.5, which could signal the book is comfortable with the exposure on the Tar Heels.
While the spread has held steady, the moneyline has seen a slight shift from -200 Duke/+165 North Carolina to -190/+155. The Heels again come in with 62% of the bets, but the handle favors the Blue Devils at 57%.
