Over the course of the many sharp reports we've pushed out at The Action Network, we've often stressed the point that sharps don't really care what games they're betting; they care if the game has value.
While recreational bettors will often pick the game they want to bet before picking the actual bet they're going to make, sharps graze the board as a whole and pick out the bets they like — whichever games they happen to land on.
Well, tonight is one of those nights that should make all parties happy. Of the five most heavily bet games on the college hoops slate, four are drawing significant action from sharp bettors, including Maryland vs. Penn State and Texas Tech vs. Louisville.
Odds as of Tuesday at 1:15 p.m. ET. Check out DraftKings, where Action Network users get a risk-free bet up to $500.
Maryland vs. Penn State
7 p.m. ET | ESPN2
The No. 4 team in the country laying nothing against an unranked opponent should almost immediately give away how bettors are going to approach this matchup.
Sixty-four percent have taken the fourth-ranked Terps on the road against Penn State, but as you might expect, sharps are going the other way. The 36% of bets on the Nittany Lions have generated 47% of actual money, meaning bigger bettors — ones more likely to be sharps — are taking the home team.
Sports Insights' Bet Signals confirm that to be the case, as they've triggered five moves on Penn State to just one on Maryland.
Sharp angle: Penn State (moved from +1.5 to PK)
Louisville vs. Texas Tech
7 p.m. ET (game being playing in New York) | ESPN
I mentioned up top that this sharp report would make all parties happy … which I'm now realizing was a mistake. Sure, sharps and public bettors are taking the same games tonight, but once again they're on opposite sides, and this time it's a bit more extreme.
Louisville has been the most popular college hoops ticket of the day, drawing 83% of bettors in the second-most heavily bet game. Those bettors have accounted for just 52% of actual money, though.
Another three SI Bet Signals on Texas Tech confirm sharps to be taking last year's runner-up with the points.
Sharp angle: Texas Tech (moved from +7 to +6)
St. Joseph's vs. Temple
7 p.m. ET | ESPNU
Of the four games on tonight's sharp card, there is one that has pros and Joes in agreement. Perhaps because of the nature of rivalry games, 64% of bettors thought the opening line of Temple -15 was too high, even on the Owls' home floor.
Those bettors have made up for 82% of actual money, and the Hawks have drawn three Bet Signals of their own, dropping all the way down to +11 as a result.
Sharp angle: St. Joseph's (moved from +15 to +11)
UConn vs. Indiana
9:30 p.m. ET (game being played in New York) | ESPN
Taking the Madison Square Garden court immediately following the conclusion of Louisville-Texas Tech will be Indiana and UConn, and sharps and squares will be right back on opposite sides.
Perhaps a result of their worse record, the 6-2 Huskies have attracted just 39% of bets against the Hoosiers (8-1), but those bets have totaled almost half the money on the spread (47%).
With two Bet Signals on its side, UConn has come down from +3.5 to just a 1.5-point underdog.
Sharp angle: UConn (moved from +3.5 to +1.5)
