Between spreads, over/unders, moneylines, futures, bracket pools and player props, there's no shortage of ways to bet on the NCAA Tournament.
But there's one other way to dive into the madness: tournament specials.
There are currently numerous special props being offered on both DraftKings and FanDuel, including "Team to Advance Further" wagers.
With that in mind, Kody Malstrom found two selections that he liked the most from the "Team to Advance Further" props.
So, if you're looking to find another way to keep the madness of March going, tail Malstrom's picks and check out the other tournament specials.
Gonzaga (-200) or Arizona (+160) to Advance Further (DraftKings)
I still can't believe Drew Timme’s performance vs. Memphis in the second round. We potentially witnessed one of the best performances of his career, as he willed the Zags to a win over Memphis.
The Tigers were more than capable of beating the Zags thanks to their athletic guards and long bigs, but Timme had another ideas.
That just shows how good the Zags really are.
If Arkansas wants to shock the nation, the defense will need to be locked in. Timme is a poor mans Tim Duncan with his footwork, and Chet Holmgren is a problem for any opponent.
While everyone knows Gonzaga for its offense, its defense is nearly just as elite. The Zags have a stylistic advantage against the Razorbacks' pedestrian offense.
One of the streakiest units in the nation, Arkansas’ offense can go into lulls. The Razorbacks emphasize attacking the rim and chipping away at the free throw line, but Gonzaga neutralizes that as the best rim-protecting team in the nation.
If the Zags can avoid foul trouble, this should be an easy win.
Arizona, on the other hand, will have a lot more on its plate after dealing with TCU. Houston has been my dark horse to make a run, and I still continue to believe in it.
After comfortably handling Illinois, Houston comes in as a near pick'em against Arizona. Houston outclassed the Illini by limiting turnovers and crashing the boards.
The Cougars will need to do the exact same thing against Arizona. The Wildcats struggled with TCU’s relentless offensive rebounding, so Houston could create some issues in this matchup.
The Cougars will look to dictate the tempo. They are one of the slowest units in the nation in tempo (333rd, per KenPom), and will need to limit explosive Arizona offensive possessions.
If the Wildcats once again struggle to rebound, they will see less opportunities offensively, which puts them in more danger.
Houston's offense brings in dynamic scoring from all over, with four players averaging double figures in points.
I never like taking juicy plays, but Gonzaga -200 is looking good because I think this bet ends in the Sweet 16.
Even if both win, I still love Gonzaga’s Elite Eight matchup against either Duke or Texas Tech moreso than Arizona’s matchup against an uber-efficient Villanova squad.
Pick: Gonzaga -200, 1u
Duke (+135), UNC (+230) or Same Round Draw (+145) (FanDuel)
Unlike DraftKings, FanDuel throws in a twist by adding "Draw" as an option. While both losing in the same round would be a push at DraftKings, we now have an increased chance of losing by the same criteria.
UNC's performance vs. Baylor was beautiful until everything took a turn when Brady Manek was ejected. Despite showing a lack of depth, the Tar Heels squeaked out a win after an impressive overtime performance.
While a break was much needed after a grind like that, this only gives Mick Cronin and UCLA more time to scheme for the Tar Heels.
Tyger Campbell will be the key in this matchup, as he has little to fear against UNC’s near-dead last ranking in turnover rate.
UNC will struggle to contain the mid-range, forcing Armando Bacot to uncomfortably leave the rim.
UCLA also has the edge in every defensive category, as well, so this doesn’t bode well for the shooting-dependent Tar Heels.
While Texas Tech has been the popular bet to beat Duke, I lean the other way.
While Duke struggles on defense, it faces a pedestrian offense to even the playing field. Texas Tech is coming off of a poor 3-point shooting performance, hitting just 26.7% from deep vs. Notre Dame.
Texas Tech is the best defensive unit in basketball, as it plays a physical, grind-it-out style that beats up opposing offenses until they are worn thin. Duke brings one of the most dynamic offenses to the table, though.
Look for Duke to constantly attack the Red Raiders at the rim behind Paolo Banchero’s improved ball handling and decision making. That will get Mark Adams' unit into foul trouble early and open the perimeter.
Pick: Duke +135 1u
