March may already be turning mad for a few smaller conferences today, but for the Big 12, the madness will have to wait another week. That's not to say that it will have any trouble attracting bettors, however, as games like tonight's Texas vs. Oklahoma and West Virginia vs. Iowa State matchups should still pull in solid handles.
The latter has also presented an interesting betting market story, one that suggests it's a prime target for sharp bettors.
Odds as of Tuesday at 9:45 a.m. ET and via FanDuel. In West Virginia? Get up to a $500 risk-free bet at FanDuel today or see more offers and reviews for the best online sportsbooks.
West Virginia vs. Iowa State Sharp Betting Pick
9 p.m. ET | ESPNU
At most books, West Virginia opened as a 5-point road favorite over the Cyclones, and some — the earlier ones to market — had this game at -4.5.
And with both teams sporting losing conference records entering this game, most bettors have offered to take the home side getting a few points tacked on. As of Tuesday morning, 70% of spread bettors have landed on Iowa State.
The line however, has increased up to -6.5. The reason? Sixty percent of actual money hitting the spread is landing on the Mountaineers.
Of course, that creates a small monetary liability, but 60% really isn't enough to change a line so drastically on its own. When paired with a 30% betting percentage, though, it reveals that bigger bettors — the ones more likely to be sharps — are playing the favorites, which is (probably) what the books are responding to.
Sharp angle: West Virginia (moved from -5 to -6.5)
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