SI Gambling insider Frankie Taddeo spotlights three marquee Top 25 college basketball matchups that sharp bettors are targeting.
As the calendar flips and football season comes to an end, it's time for sports bettors to transition their bankrolls towards college basketball. With March Madness right around the corner, SI Gambling is here to highlight key matchups on tap for Saturday from the eyes of the "Vegas Whispers."
The sharp information courtesy of Vegas Whispers has been extremely profitable in 2020 NFL wagering thus far this season standing at 71-53-1 ATS overall. The betting plays supplied by Sports Illustrated’s Gambling Vegas Insider Frankie Taddeo, have continued to win against the sportsbooks in NFL, NCAA basketball and NCAA football wagering for all SI PRO subscribers.
UFC bettors, courtesy of Casey Olson’s information, finished 2020 at 210-87-6 ATS (71%) on all wagers for all SI PRO members.
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Let’s dive into the games!
NCAA Basketball Odds, Breakdowns for Saturday, January 30th
No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 24 Oklahoma: Betting Odds and Breakdown
Spread: Alabama +1.5 (-110) | Oklahoma -1.5 (-110)
Total: 154.5– Over (-110) | Under 154.5 (-110)
Venue: Lloyd Noble Center, Norman, Oklahoma
Game Info: Saturday January 30, 2021 12:00pm EST / 9:00am PST | ESPN2
Editor's Note - Odds are subject to change.
The line has flipped since its opening in favor of No. 9 Alabama (14-3 SU; 9-5 ATS) as 2-point road favorites in several shops in Las Vegas over No. 24 Oklahoma (10-4 SU; 8-6 ATS) with the line now displaying the Sooners as 1.5-point home favorites.
NOTE: Odds for this matchup have not yet been released at DraftKings Sportsbook.
If you thought that Alabama was only a school with a dominant football program, think again. The Crimson Tide have taken the NCAA basketball season by storm, winning 10 consecutive games on their way to cracking the top 10 in the polls. Backing the Tide at the betting windows has been extremely profitable as Alabama has posted a 9-1 ATS record during their winning streak.
The remarkable season taking place in Tuscaloosa, highlighted by an undefeated 9-0 in the SEC, will go to another level on Saturday. They'll head to Norman and face a difficult out-of-conference game against a soaring Oklahoma club. The Sooners have won four in a row and just upset No. 5 Texas 80-79 in Austin Tuesday after defeating No. 15 Kansas last week.
The backcourt matchup between Oklahoma’s Austin Reaves (15.8 points per game) and De’Vion Harmon (12.8 points per game) against Alabama’s John Petty Jr. (13.9 points per game) and Jaden Shackleford (13.5 points per game) is where this game will likely be decided.
No. 3 Villanova at Seton Hall: Betting Odds and Breakdown
Spread: Villanova -5.5 (-110) | Seton Hall +5.5 (-110)
Total: 142.5– Over (-110) | Under 142.5 (-110)
Venue: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey
Game Info: Saturday January 30, 2021 3:00pm EST / 12:00pm PST | FOX
Editor's Note - Odds are subject to change.
The line has dropped since its opening in favor of No. 3 Villanova (10-1 SU; 7-4 ATS) as 4-point road favorites in several shops in Las Vegas over Seton Hall (9-7 SU; 10-6 ATS) with the line now displaying the Wildcats as 5.5-point favorites.
NOTE: Odds for this matchup have not yet been released at DraftKings Sportsbook.
It is no shock to see Jay Wright guiding the Villanova basketball program to another great season on the main line. The Wildcats, who lost star forward Saddiq Bey to the NBA last season, have faced several big hurdles this season. Most notably, Nova dealt with a COVID-19 outbreak that affected Wright and forced the program to shut down for over three weeks.
Wright quickly led Villanova to two gritty Big East wins over Seton Hall and Providence. Led by star point guard Collin Gillespie (15.9 points per game) and forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (14.8 points per game/ 6.7 rebounds) the Wildcats have balance on both offense and defense. The ability of shooting guard Justin Moore (13.3 points per game) to penetrate the lane combined with the recent emergence of forward Jermaine Samuels on the offensive end bodes well for Villanova as we head towards March.
Villanova will look to defeat their Big East rival Seton Hall for the second time this season. The Wildcats hung on for a 76-74 win at the Finneran Pavilion back on January 19, but failed to cover as 8.5-point favorites. The matchup marked Villanova’s first game since the December 23 shutdown and the Wildcats displayed clear stamina issues in the second half. However, as Villanova typically displays under Wright’s tenure, they battled and found a way to win against a rival who always seems to play the three-time National Champions down to the wire.
The No. 3 Wildcats are 10-1 overall and 5-0 in the Big East are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games. On the other side, Seton Hall is coming off a crushing 85-81 loss to Creighton on Thursday - blowing a 16-point second half lead. The Pirates have struggled of late losing three of their last four after an impressive 6-1 SU and ATS streak. Villanova will need to play well defensively against Seton Hall’s star forward Sandro Mamukelashvili (17.8 points per game/ 6.9 rebounds) - who poured in 23 points and grabbed nine boards in the first matchup.
No. 8 Virginia at No. 20 Virginia Tech Betting Odds & Breakdown
Spread: Virginia -4.5 (-110) | Virginia Tech +4.5 (-110)
Total: 124.5– Over (-110) | Under 124.5 (-110)
Venue: Cassell Coliseum, Blacksburg, Virginia
Game Info: Saturday January 30, 2021 6:00pm EST / 3:00pm PST | ACC
Editor's Note - Odds are subject to change.
The line has ticked up slightly since its opening in favor of No. 8 Virginia (11-2 SU; 8-5 ATS) as 4-point road favorites in several shops in Las Vegas over No. 20 Virginia Tech (12-3 SU; 9-6 ATS) with the line displaying the Cavaliers as 4.5-point favorites.
NOTE: Odds for this matchup have not yet been released at DraftKings Sportsbook.
The Cavaliers have won 10 of 11, including seven in a row. They have a balanced scoring attack led by senior forward transfer Sam Hauser (15.0 points per game/ 7.8 rebounds) who leads the team with 74 three-pointers in 13 games. During their current seven-game winning streak Virginia has been profitable to back at the windows going 5-2 against the spread (ATS) during that span.
Virginia Tech heads in off an impressive 62-51 road win at South Bend over Notre Dame covering as a 1-point favorite on Wednesday. The Hokies have won eight of their last 10 games, going an impressive 7-3 ATS over that stretch. Virginia Tech is led by junior forward Keve Aluma (13.9 points per game/ 7.4 rebounds). The loss of the team’s second leading scorer Tyrece Radford (11.1), who has been suspended by the school indefinitely, is a huge blow to a Hokies team that has dropped four straight in the series against their in-state rival.
Vegas Whispers FREE Play: Virginia -4.5 (-110)