The unbeaten Kentucky Wildcats are 8-1-2 ATS in their last 11 games at the NCAA Tournament and finished this past season on an 8-1-1 ATS run for their supporters on the college basketball odds at the sportsbooks despite the huge spreads they were facing. Here's a look at the complete March Madness betting trends for the Midwest Region of the 2015 tournament bracket.
Also be sure to check out the OddsShark Computer Picks for each game of the NCAA Tournament.
2015 NCAA Tournament Midwest Region Betting Trends
Midwest - Hampton (16) vs Kentucky (1)
Biggest March Madness point spread since 2004
Hampton won and covered five straight to end the season
Kentucky 8-1-1 ATS past 10 games of season
Kentucky 8-0-1 ATS past nine games as double-digit chalk
Kentucky 8-1-2 ATS past 11 tournament games
Kentucky averaged 96 PPG in Round of 64 in the six seasons they earned a top seed (4-2 ATS)
Kentucky covered both other times they were favored by 30 or more in tournament (96-97)
Midwest - New Mexico State (15) vs Kansas (2)
Kansas just 5-4 SU to end the season, 2-7 ATS
Aggies won 13 straight SU to close the season
Kansas 1-7 ATS past eight games as favorites
Kansas 1-5 ATS past six tournament games
Kansas 1-4 ATS past five Round of 64 games
Kansas failed to cover vs No. 15 Eastern Kentucky last year
Midwest - Northeastern (14) vs Notre Dame (3)
Notre Dame 7-1 ATS to end the season
Notre Dame just 5-10 ATS since 2000 in tournament
Northeastern ended year on 6-1 SU, 5-2 ATS run
Northeastern 5-2 ATS past seven games as underdogs
Northeastern 8-1 ATS as double-digit dog since 2012
Notre Dame is 1-8 ATS in tournament since March 27, 2003
Three seeds 19-11 ATS vs 14 seeds since 2007
Midwest - Valparaiso (13) vs Maryland (4)
Valpo played seven straight UNDERs to end the season
Maryland 5-0-1 ATS to end the season
Maryland 18-1 SU as favorites this season
Maryland won 10 straight Round of 64 games (just 6-4 ATS)
Maryland 4-0 vs 13 seeds since 1996 (3-1 ATS)
Midwest - Buffalo (12) vs West Virginia (5)
Buffalo won eight in a row to close the season (6-2 ATS)
Buffalo just 2-6 SU this season as an underdog
West Virginia 16-3 SU as favorite this season
West Virginia 6-2 ATS in Round of 64 games since 1998
Midwest - Texas (11) vs Butler (6)
Texas ended year with six straight UNDERs
Texas 6-1 SU past seven games as favorites
Butler played eight straight UNDERs to end the season
Butler 7-2 SU, 8-1 ATS in past nine Round of 64 games
Texas 0-3-1 ATS in past four Round of 64 games
Butler won and covered vs 11 seeds in 2011 and 2013
Butler is 6-0 SU, 5-1 ATS as higher seed since 2008
Midwest - Indiana (10) vs Wichita State (7)
Wichita State 6-2-1 ATS to end the season but upset by Illinois State in MVC
Indiana limps into the tournament on 2-5 SU and ATS streaks
Indiana lost six straight as underdog (covered spread just twice)
Wichita State is 8-3 ATS past 11 tournament games
Indiana 0-5 ATS past five tournament games
Midwest - Purdue (9) vs Cincinnati (8)
Purdue won seven straight SU as favorite
Cincy ended year on 5-1 SU and ATS runs
Cincy bounced past two Round of 64 games
Purdue is 12-0, 9-3 ATS in Round of 64 since 1996
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The nation's only unbeaten team in 2014 is the top seed in the Midwest and there are lots of positive trends to go with the hype when it comes to betting on Wichita State. They hit the tournament having cashed 17 of 21 tickets, including eight in a row when they were favored by double digits. The Shockers are also 7-2 ATS in tournament games since 2006. Good luck to the Sportsbook of the Cal Poly-Texas Southern play-in game, because they will need it. So will bettors.
Wofford may not be a threat to defeat No. 2 Michigan, but they are a threat to cover the spread if recent history means anything. They are winless in the tournament (0-2) but perfect at the betting wondow (2-0 ATS). Wofford is also 11-2-1 ATS in its past 14 games and has won two of its past three games as underdogs. Duke limps into the tournament on a 1-6-1 ATS run and the Blue Devils are just 3-6 ATS in their past nine first-round games.
Louisville boasts plenty of positive trends and they are heating up for a repeat run at the Final Four. But they face a Manhattan team that has been one of the best underdog bets since the New Year (15-2 ATS past 17 games as underdogs). A pair of play-in games will shape this region better. Bettors are cheering for Xavier to beat NC State since the Musketeers are by far the best Madness team to bet on over the years (19-2-1 ATS past 22 Madness games).
2014 Midwest Region Betting Trends
1 vs 16
Wichita State vs Cal Poly/Texas Southern Sportsbook
Wichita State 17-4 ATS run past 21 games
WSU favored by 12 or more points past eight games, covered every spread
WSU 14-3 ATS past 17 games as double-digit chalk
WSU 7-2 ATS in tournament games since 2006
2 vs 15
Michigan vs Wofford
Six of final eight UM games played OVER the total
Seven-game MU win streak snapped by Spartans in Big Ten final
Michigan 7-2 ATS past nine tournament games
Wofford 0-2 SU, 2-0 ATS in two recent trips to March Madness
Wofford 11-2-1 ATS past 14 games
Wofford won two of past three games as underdogs
3 vs 14
Duke vs Mercer
Duke 1-6-1 ATS past eight games
Duke 3-6 ATS past nine first-round games
Mercer 21-4 SU run this season
Mercer scored wins over Seton Hall, Ole Miss this season
4 vs 13
Louisville vs Manhattan
Louisville won and covered five straight to end the season
Louisville 16-2 SU past 18 games
Louisville 11-1 SU, 9-3 ATS past 12 games as favorites
Louisville 8-2-1 ATS past 11 tournament games
UNDER is 5-1 past 6 Louisville first-round games
Manhattan 11-1 SU past 12 games
Manhattan 15-2 ATS past 17 games as underdogs
5 vs 12
Saint Louis vs NC State/Xavier Sportsbook
Saint Louis 1-8 ATS past nine games
NC State riding 10-2 ATS streak past dozen games
OVER is 8-1 past nine NC State games
UNDER is 8-1 past nine NC State tournament games
Xavier 19-2-1 ATS past 22 tournament games
6 vs 11
UMass vs Tennessee/Iowa Sportsbook
UMass ended year on 0-6 ATS run
First tournament for UMass since 1998
Iowa 1-6 SU, 0-7 ATS past seven games
OVER is 9-2 past 11 Iowa games
7 vs 10
Texas vs Arizona State
Texas 2-6 ATS past eight games
Texas 14-2 SU this season when favored
Texas 0-4 ATS past four tournament games
Arizona State is 2-8-1 ATS past 11 games as underdogs
8 vs 9
Kentucky vs Kansas State
UNDER is 8-3 past 11 games when KU is favored
Kentucky 7-1-1 ATS past 10 tournament games
Kansas State ended year on 2-6 ATS run
Kansas State 2-8 SU past 10 games as underdogs
Kansas State is 4-1 ATS past five first-round games
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The Midwest Region is considered the toughest bracket in the 2013 college basketball tournament and one team is riding the hottest betting streak in years. Saint Louis may be the No. 4 seed, but they arrive at the party on a 15-1 ATS run in 16 games! Put them in the favorite position – which they are against No. 13 New Mexico State – and they are 17-3 ATS the past 20 games in that role.
Louisville is the top seed and they were terrific last year in making the Final Four. They were 4-0-1 ATS in five games. The Play in game to decide Louisville’s first-round opponent also features small schools on a roll. Both Liberty and North Carolina A&T are perfect on the few occasions betting was made available on their games.
2013 Midwest Region Betting Trends
Preview: Computer Prediction: 79-65 Louisville
NC A&T 7-1 ATS this season in lined games
Louisville 4-0-1 ATS last year in Madness
Preview: Computer Prediction: 82-80 Colorado State
Colorado State 2-8-1 ATS past 11 games
Colorado State OVER 6-0-1 past 7 games
Missouri OVER is 12-2-1 past 15 tournament games
Missouri 1-4 ATS past 5 tournament games
Preview: Computer Prediction: 77-76 Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State UNDER is 9-3 past 12 tournament games
Oregon is 3-8 ATS in tournament since 2000
Oklahoma State 17-2 SU past 19 games as favorite
Oregon played 7 straight UNDERs when underdog
Preview: Computer Prediction: 75-70 Saint Louis
Saint Louis is 15-1 ATS past 16 games
Saint Louis 17-3 ATS past 20 games as favorites
New Mexico State OVER 7-0-1 past 8 games away from home
Saint Louis 4-1 ATS in tournament since 1998
New Mexico State lost 6 straight tournament games since 1993
Preview: Computer Prediction: 82-81 Saint Marys
Saint Mary’s 17-3 SU past 20 games
Saint Mary’s 18-1 SU past 19 games as favorite
Memphis 24-1 SU past 25 games
Memphis OVER is 10-2 past 12 tournament games
Memphis 1-4 ATS past 5 first-round games
Preview: Computer Prediction: 75-74 Valpo!!!!
Michigan State – no trends of note
Valparaiso 16-2 SU past 18 games
Valpo is 0-4 SU & ATS since 1999, losing by average 77-53
Preview: Computer Prediction: 78-74 Creighton
Creighton UNDER 12-4 past 16 games
UNDER is 9-1 past 10 Jays road games
Creighton won 7 in row as favorite
Cincinnati 1-7 ATS past 8 games
UNDER is 13-1 past 14 Bearcats games
Creighton 2-7 ATS past 9 tournament games
Cincinnati 5-2 ATS in first round since 2002
Preview: Computer Prediction: 80-71 Duke
Duke – no real trends of note
Albany – no real trends of note, but beware – Duke lost to the No. 15 last year (Lehigh)
