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College Basketball Futures Picks: 4 Title Contenders to Back

Jon Metler

Last Updated: December 23, 2021 8:22 AM EST • 2 min 3 sec read.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 26: Head coach Mike Krzyzewski of the Duke Blue Devils speaks during a news conference after his team's 84-81 victory over the Gonzaga Bulldogs to win the Continental Tire Challenge at T-Mobile Arena on November 26, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ethan Miller/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Ethan Miller / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

Will Mike Krzyzewski win another ACC regular-season championship in his final season? We investigate several teams that are showing value in a variety of college basketball futures markets and offer our picks.

Houston and LSU lack the brand-name bias when it comes to college basketball futures betting. It’s easy to overlook these teams in favor of the blue bloods such as Kansas and Kentucky. 

Is the wrong team favored in the Atlantic 10 Conference?

We take a closer look at some programs that are currently showing value in college basketball futures markets.

College Basketball Futures Picks

ACC Regular Season Champion: Duke

NCAA NET Ranking: 9 KenPom Ranking: 6

Duke is currently +100 to win the ACC Conference Championship at DraftKings Sportsbook. This is the best number on the board, as the Blue Devils are -140 at FanDuel Sportsbook. 

Make sure when you are shopping for Duke, it is to win the ACC Regular Season Championship and not the ACC Conference Tournament. There is no value in a +100 ticket in the ACC conference tournament. We want this bet playing out over the course of an entire season and not in a one-game knockout tournament. 

If you look at the KenPom.com rankings in the ACC, Duke is the clear-cut favorite. The Blue Devils have already beaten the second-best team in the ACC in Virginia Tech and that is their only matchup of the season. 

The odds are short at +100, but I think it is justified in this scenario. Duke's odds will only continue to get shorter if the Blue Devils start to run away in the standings.

SEE ALSO: All College Basketball Picks

Atlantic 10 Regular Season Champion: Davidson

NCAA NET Ranking: 43KenPom Ranking: 55

Davidson is the highest-ranked Atlantic 10 team on KenPom and in the NCAA NET Rankings. Even with a win against a good Alabama team, the Wildcats are still +800 at DraftKings to win the Atlantic 10 Conference. 

St. Bonaventure is right behind Davidson in several statistical categories, with the keyword being right behind them. The Atlantic 10 market shouldn’t have the Bonnies as +130 favorites and the Wildcats at +800.

https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1473484931535933441

Make Final 4: LSU 

NCAA NET Ranking: 3KenPom Ranking: 10

LSU is playing at an extremely high level, but which market offers the best play? The SEC is loaded with good teams, and do you really see the Tigers winning the whole thing in March?

If you want to take advantage of a mispriced LSU team, I would look at the Tigers' odds to Make the Final 4. Depending on how the brackets play out in March, a trip to the Final 4 might be easier than winning the SEC. 

FanDuel currently has the best number of +1200 and this is good value for a team that ranks in the top 10 on KenPom and in the NET rankings.

NCAA Tournament Champion: Houston

NCAA NET Ranking: 4KenPom Ranking: 4

The only two teams in College Basketball with a top-10 offensive and defensive efficiency (KenPom) are Baylor and Houston. 

The +3000 odds to win the NCAA Tournament at FanDuel are generous for a team that grades out so high in several analytical categories. The Cougars rank higher than Gonzaga in the NCAA NET Ranking and the Bulldogs are currently trading at around +600 to win the NCAA Tournament.

SEE ALSO: All picks and odds. Be sure to check out SportsbookReview.com’s community forums and betting tools.

Written By:
Jon Metler
Jon Metler is a Sports Betting Analyst at SportsbookReview.com. Having played, coached, and officiated basketball, he immediately turned his attention to the NBA and College Basketball when he entered the sports betting space. Sports betting has been a part of his life for over 13 years, and he specializes in futures markets and player props, particularly in the NBA. In pursuit of value, he keeps a close eye on movements in the betting markets. He believes strongly in analytics and staying ahead of the curve; let the numbers do the talking. A graduate of the University of Windsor with a degree in Sports Studies, Jon enjoys spending time with his dogs when he isn't watching basketball.