The Kansas Jayhawks are at the head of the class in the Midwest Region. The top-seeded Jayhawks and 15 rivals will get going Thursday in a bracket that lays out as more top-heavy than the others as far as money-line pricing to win the Midwest and get to the Final Four.
Below, we look at the NCAA Tournament Midwest Region futures odds and and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
Profitable betting angles for this region feature a mix of chalk and underdogs. And while Kansas is a terrific team, it is a bit overpriced in current futures wagering. The likable chalk picks do no include Rock Chalk Jayhawk.
See also: Ferris Mowers Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports
Midwest Region futures odds
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Tuesday at 12:10 a.m. ET.
1 seed: Kansas Jayhawks +162 (bet $100 to win $162)
2 seed: Auburn Tigers +220 (bet $100 to win $220)
3 seed: Wisconsin Badgers +900 (bet $100 to win $900)
4 seed: Providence Friars +1300 (bet $100 to win $1,300)
5 seed: Iowa Hawkeyes +350 (bet $100 to win $350)
6 seed: LSU Tigers +1200 (bet $100 to win $1,200)
7 seed: USC Trojans +2000 (bet $100 to win $2,000)
8 seed: San Diego State +1300 (bet $100 to win $1,300)
9 seed: Creighton Bluejays +2000 (bet $100 to win $2,000)
10 seed: Miami Hurricanes +2000 (bet $100 to win $2,000)
11 seed: Iowa State Cyclones +2000 (bet $100 to win $2,000)
12 seed: Richmond Spiders +5000 (bet $100 to win $5,000)
13 seed: South Dakota State Jackrabbits +6000 (bet $100 to win $6,000)
14 seed: Colgate Raiders +8000 (bet $100 to win $8,000)
15 seed: Jacksonville State Gamecocks +10000 (bet $100 to win $10,000)
16 seed: Texas Southern +10000 or Texas A&M-Corpus Christi +10000
[tipico]
Midwest Region expert pick and prediction
Auburn Tigers (+220)
Auburn is coming off a clunker in the SEC title game, but the Tigers have played at a high level all season. AU has a decent path to the Elite Eight, and it will be defense that gets it there and beyond.
The Tigers have one of the best 2-point defenses in the nation. Auburn also plays at the quickest pace in this region, but is still takes care of the rock and sports a strong offensive rebounding game. That all makes for some value at the current tag.
Midwest Region contenders
Iowa Hawkeyes (+350)
The No. 3 seed is another fast team, but unlike Auburn is more of an offense-first squad. Iowa went on an impressive four-game run to win the Big Ten tourney. That the launch-a-lot Hawkeyes won despite shooting under 32% from 3-point range in two of those games speaks to how well they are performing in other areas.
Iowa’s defense has been a bit better of late, but the margins the team plays with because of turnover and rebounding plusses is where the Hawkeyes can make inroads in this bracket. Its play fast and make fewer mistakes than your opponent.
LSU Tigers (+1200)
Louisiana State hasn’t been to the Final Four since 2006, but head coach Will Wade took these Tigers to a regional semifinal in 2019. This team, like that one three years ago, excels on the offensive boards.
LSU is just 7-10 over its last 17 games, so detractors are not hard to find. But the way the young, athletic Tigers can pressure teams into mistakes, LSU can pull off an upset or two and get back to the Elite Eight. And maybe beyond.
Midwest Region long shot
San Diego State Aztecs (+1300)
The defensive slow-down game of the Aztecs is an outlier in this region. SDSU has grinded foes down to a 39.8% mark from the floor in going 11-2 since Feb. 6. And San Diego State defends just about every kind of shot on its side of the half-court logo. Opponents have found tough sledding in and around the paint, on mid-range jumpers, and from 3-point-land.
The road from the No. 8 slot is a bumpy one. The payoff is a just reward.
Bet legally online with a trusted partner: Tipico Sportsbook, Sportsbook Wire’s official sportsbook partner in CO, NJ and soon IA. Bet now!
If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Please gamble responsibly.
Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:
Alabama / Arkansas / Auburn / Colorado / Florida / Georgia / Iowa / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / North Carolina / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Rutgers / Tennessee / Texas / USC / Wisconsin / College Football News
Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1622]