March Madness Matchups: 8 vs 9 Betting History & Trends
You would think the No. 8 vs No. 9 March Madness matchup would be the most even betting situation in the bracket. But over the last two tournaments, it’s been dominated by the No. 9 seed, going 7-1 SU and ATS in eight opening-round games.
There was an anomaly during the 2016 bracket, as all four No. 8 seeds closed as pups against No. 9. Though none of those lines got any higher than 3.5 points, it was interesting to see the supposedly better team as an underdog in each outing. As one might expect, all of those outings were close with three victories coming by seven points or less. Ultimately, it didn’t matter as every winner of this matchup got bounced in the second round against a No. 1 seed.
In 2015, all four No. 8 seeds won, but only Oregon and San Diego State covered the closing spread. Only NC State managed to get past the second round, but the Wolfpack got bounced just one round later than their eighth-seeded counterparts.
Going back a few years, No. 8 Butler made it all the way to the national championship game in 2011, one of four times that has ever happened. In 2014, Kentucky got that far as well and closed as a 2.5-point favorite against No. 7 seed Connecticut in a 60-54 loss. In 1980, UCLA was a No. 8 seed and lost to No. 2 Louisville. And the 1985 Villanova team upset No. 1 Georgetown to win it all, becoming the lowest seed to ever win the NCAA title, which is still the case today.
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Should you be betting the No. 8 or No. 9 seed?
In the history of the NCAA Tournament, seven No. 8 seeds have advanced to the Final Four overall, including a record two in 2000 (North Carolina and Wisconsin), neither of which made it to the national title game. Only two No. 9 seeds have ever reached the Final Four – Pennsylvania in 1979 and Wichita State in 2013 – but similarly, neither went on to play for the championship.
Seed vs Seed Stats: 1 vs 16 | 2 vs 15 | 3 vs 14 | 4 vs 13 | 5 vs 12 | 6 vs 11 | 7 vs 10 | 8 vs 9
| #8 Seed | Score | #9 Seed | Score | Date | ATS Win | Win Seed | ATS Seed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VCU | 58 | UCF | 73 | 2019-03-22 | UCF | 9 | 9 |
| Syracuse | 69 | Baylor | 78 | 2019-03-21 | Baylor | 9 | 9 |
| Ole Miss | 72 | Oklahoma | 95 | 2019-03-22 | Oklahoma | 9 | 9 |
| Utah State | 61 | Washington | 78 | 2019-03-21 | Washington | 9 | 9 |
| Seton Hall | 94 | NC State | 83 | 2018-03-15 | Seton Hall | 8 | 8 |
| Virginia Tech | 83 | Alabama | 86 | 2018-03-15 | Alabama | 9 | 9 |
| Creighton | 59 | Kansas State | 69 | 2018-03-16 | Kansas State | 9 | 9 |
| Missouri | 54 | Florida State | 67 | 2018-03-16 | Florida State | 9 | 9 |
| Wisconsin | 84 | Virginia Tech | 74 | 2017-03-16 | Wisconsin | 8 | 9 |
| Miami (FL) | 58 | Michigan State | 78 | 2017-03-17 | Michigan State | 9 | 9 |
| Northwestern | 68 | Vanderbilt | 66 | 2017-03-16 | Northwestern | 8 | 8 |
| Arkansas | 77 | Seton Hall | 71 | 2017-03-17 | Arkansas | 8 | 8 |
| Texas Tech | 61 | Butler | 71 | 2016-03-17 | Butler | 9 | 9 |
| Saint Joseph’s | 78 | Cincinnati | 76 | 2016-03-18 | Saint Joseph’s | 8 | 8 |
| USC | 69 | Providence | 70 | 2016-03-17 | USC | 9 | 8 |
| Colorado | 67 | UConn | 74 | 2016-03-17 | UConn | 9 | 9 |
| San Diego State | 76 | St. John’s | 64 | 2015-03-20 | San Diego State | 8 | 8 |
| Oregon | 79 | Oklahoma State | 73 | 2015-03-20 | Oregon | 8 | 8 |
| NC State | 66 | LSU | 65 | 2015-03-19 | LSU | 8 | 9 |
| Cincinnati | 66 | Purdue | 65 | 2015-03-19 | Purdue | 8 | 9 |
| Kentucky | 56 | Kansas State | 49 | 2014-03-21 | Kentucky | 8 | 8 |
| Memphis | 71 | George Washington | 66 | 2014-03-21 | Memphis | 8 | 8 |
| Gonzaga | 85 | Oklahoma State | 77 | 2014-03-21 | Gonzaga | 8 | 8 |
| Colorado | 48 | Pittsburgh | 77 | 2014-03-20 | Pittsburgh | 9 | 9 |
| North Carolina | 78 | Villanova | 71 | 2013-03-22 | North Carolina | 8 | 8 |
| North Carolina State | 72 | Temple | 76 | 2013-03-22 | Temple | 9 | 9 |
| Colorado State | 84 | Missouri | 72 | 2013-03-21 | Colorado State | 8 | 8 |
| Pittsburgh | 55 | Wichita State | 73 | 2013-03-21 | Wichita State | 9 | 9 |
| Memphis | 54 | Saint Louis | 61 | 2012-03-16 | Saint Louis | 9 | 9 |
| Creighton | 58 | Alabama | 57 | 2012-03-16 | Creighton | 8 | 8 |
| Iowa State | 77 | Connecticut | 64 | 2012-03-15 | Iowa State | 8 | 8 |
| Kansas State | 70 | Southern Miss | 64 | 2012-03-15 | Kansas State | 8 | 8 |
| UNLV | 62 | Illinois | 73 | 2011-03-18 | Illinois | 9 | 9 |
| George Mason | 61 | Villanova | 57 | 2011-03-18 | George Mason | 8 | 8 |
| Michigan | 75 | Tennessee | 45 | 2011-03-18 | Michigan | 8 | 8 |
| Butler | 60 | Old Dominion | 58 | 2011-03-17 | Butler | 8 | 8 |
| California | 77 | Louisville | 62 | 2010-03-19 | California | 8 | 8 |
| Gonzaga | 67 | Florida State | 60 | 2010-03-19 | Gonzaga | 8 | 8 |
| Texas | 80 | Wake Forest | 81 | 2010-03-18 | Wake Forest | 9 | 9 |
| UNLV | 66 | Northern Iowa | 69 | 2010-03-18 | Northern Iowa | 9 | 9 |
| Ohio State | 72 | Siena | 74 | 2009-03-20 | Siena | 9 | 9 |
| Oklahoma State | 77 | Tennessee | 75 | 2009-03-20 | Oklahoma State | 8 | 8 |
| BYU | 66 | Texas A&M | 79 | 2009-03-19 | Texas A&M | 9 | 9 |
| LSU | 75 | Butler | 71 | 2009-03-19 | LSU | 8 | 8 |
| Indiana | 72 | Arkansas | 86 | 2008-03-21 | Arkansas | 9 | 9 |
| Mississippi State | 76 | Oregon | 69 | 2008-03-21 | Mississippi State | 8 | 8 |
| BYU | 62 | Texas A&M | 67 | 2008-03-20 | Texas A&M | 9 | 9 |
| UNLV | 71 | Kent State | 58 | 2008-03-20 | UNLV | 8 | 8 |
| Kentucky | 67 | Villanova | 58 | 2007-03-16 | Kentucky | 8 | 8 |
| Arizona | 63 | Purdue | 72 | 2007-03-16 | Purdue | 9 | 9 |
| BYU | 77 | Xavier | 79 | 2007-03-15 | PUSH | 9 | |
| Marquette | 49 | Michigan State | 61 | 2007-03-15 | Michigan State | 9 | 9 |
| Kentucky | 69 | UAB | 64 | 2006-03-17 | Kentucky | 8 | 8 |
| Arkansas | 55 | Bucknell | 59 | 2006-03-17 | Bucknell | 9 | 9 |
| Arizona | 94 | Wisconsin | 75 | 2006-03-17 | Arizona | 8 | 8 |
| George Washington | 88 | UNC Wilmington | 85 | 2006-03-16 | PUSH | 8 | |
| Stanford | 70 | Mississippi State | 93 | 2005-03-18 | Mississippi State | 9 | 9 |
| Minnesota | 53 | Iowa State | 64 | 2005-03-18 | Iowa State | 9 | 9 |
| Texas | 57 | Nevada | 61 | 2005-03-17 | Nevada | 9 | 9 |
| Pacific | 79 | Pittsburgh | 71 | 2005-03-17 | Pacific | 8 | 8 |
| Washington | 100 | UAB | 102 | 2004-03-19 | UAB | 9 | 9 |
| Seton Hall | 80 | Arizona | 76 | 2004-03-18 | Seton Hall | 8 | 8 |
| Alabama | 65 | Southern Illinois | 64 | 2004-03-18 | Southern Illinois | 8 | 9 |
| Texas Tech | 76 | Charlotte | 73 | 2004-03-18 | Texas Tech | 8 | 8 |
| Oregon | 58 | Utah | 60 | 2003-03-21 | Utah | 9 | 9 |
| LSU | 56 | Purdue | 80 | 2003-03-21 | Purdue | 9 | 9 |
| California | 76 | NC State | 74 | 2003-03-20 | California | 8 | 8 |
| Cincinnati | 69 | Gonzaga | 74 | 2003-03-20 | Gonzaga | 9 | 9 |
| UCLA | 80 | Mississippi | 58 | 2002-03-15 | UCLA | 8 | 8 |
| Wisconsin | 80 | St. John’s | 70 | 2002-03-15 | Wisconsin | 8 | 8 |
| Stanford | 84 | Western Kentucky | 68 | 2002-03-14 | Stanford | 8 | 8 |
| Notre Dame | 82 | Charlotte | 63 | 2002-03-14 | Notre Dame | 8 | 8 |
| Tennessee | 63 | Charlotte | 70 | 2001-03-16 | Charlotte | 9 | 9 |
| California | 70 | Fresno State | 82 | 2001-03-16 | Fresno State | 9 | 9 |
| Georgia Tech | 62 | Saint Joseph’s | 66 | 2001-03-15 | Saint Joseph’s | 9 | 9 |
| Missouri | 70 | Georgia | 68 | 2001-03-15 | Missouri | 8 | 8 |
| Kansas | 81 | DePaul | 77 | 2000-03-17 | Kansas | 8 | 8 |
| North Carolina | 84 | Missouri | 70 | 2000-03-17 | North Carolina | 8 | 8 |
| Utah | 48 | Saint Louis | 45 | 2000-03-16 | Saint Louis | 8 | 9 |
| Wisconsin | 66 | Fresno State | 56 | 2000-03-16 | Wisconsin | 8 | 8 |
| College of Charleston | 53 | Tulsa | 62 | 1999-03-12 | Tulsa | 9 | 9 |
| Villanova | 70 | Mississippi | 72 | 1999-03-12 | Villanova | 9 | 8 |
| Syracuse | 61 | Oklahoma State | 69 | 1999-03-11 | Oklahoma State | 9 | 9 |
| Missouri | 59 | New Mexico | 61 | 1999-03-11 | New Mexico | 9 | 9 |
| Rhode Island | 97 | Murray State | 74 | 1998-03-13 | Rhode Island | 8 | 8 |
| Oklahoma State | 74 | George Washington | 59 | 1998-03-13 | Oklahoma State | 8 | 8 |
| Charlotte | 77 | Illinois-Chicago | 62 | 1998-03-12 | Charlotte | 8 | 8 |
| Tennessee | 81 | Illinois State | 82 | 1998-03-12 | PUSH | 9 | |
| Mississippi | 40 | Temple | 62 | 1997-03-14 | Temple | 9 | 9 |
| Iowa | 73 | Virginia | 60 | 1997-03-13 | PUSH | 8 | |
| Purdue | 83 | Rhode Island | 76 | 1997-03-13 | Purdue | 8 | 8 |
| Indiana | 62 | Colorado | 80 | 1997-03-13 | Colorado | 9 | 9 |
| Duke | 60 | Eastern Michigan | 75 | 1996-03-14 | Eastern Michigan | 9 | 9 |
| Bradley | 58 | Stanford | 66 | 1996-03-14 | Stanford | 9 | 9 |
| Wisc-Green Bay | 49 | Virginia Tech | 61 | 1996-03-14 | Virginia Tech | 9 | 9 |
| Georgia | 81 | Clemson | 74 | 1996-03-14 | Georgia | 8 | 8 |
Comments
March Madness 8 vs 9 Betting History FAQ
Where can I bet on the 8 vs 9 seed March Madness game?
You can bet on the 8 vs 9 seed March Madness game online at the best March Madness betting sites. Our Division 1 Men's Tournament best books page provides the top sites to bet on March Madness. Every NCAAB sportsbook listed as the best place to bet on March Madness is ranked and rated through our expert reviews.
How do I know what kind of bets I can make on the 8 vs 9 seed game for March Madness?
The bets you can make on the 8 vs 9 seed game for March Madness can easily be found on our how to bet on March Madness page. Our NCAA Tournament betting guide consists of March Madness betting strategy and March Madness betting tips. Sort through the betting options to figure out the best way to place bets on March Madness 8 vs 9 seed games.
When was the last time an 8 seed beat a 9 seed in March Madness?
The last time an 8 seed beat a 9 seed in March Madness was on March 15, 2018 when the 8th seeded Seton Hall Pirates beat the 9th seeded North Carolina State Wolfpack by a final score of 94-83. It’s worth noting that all four 8 vs 9 matchups in 2019 were “upsets”.
