March Madness 2023 – Betting suggestions for first spherical of girls’s NCAA match

The 2023 girls’s NCAA match features a large favourite within the South Carolina Gamecocks (32-0), however loads of intrigue stays for the times and weeks forward.

So which groups are price betting on within the opening rounds? Which future bets ought to have your consideration? And what different bets stand out?

Here are ESPN specialists Charlie Creme and Doug Kezirian with their finest bets.

Tournament futures

UConn +900: The Huskies are wholesome, and this model of UConn rolled up probably the most spectacular assortment of wins of any workforce within the nation in November. Even with out star Azzi Fudd within the lineup, the Huskies battled South Carolina, and now they would not need to face the Gamecocks till the nationwide title recreation. Indiana would fall into this identical class, however UConn has barely higher worth. –– Creme

Maryland +4000: The Terps must meet South Carolina within the regional ultimate however have the proper of expertise to probably pull off a shocker. If Maryland in some way ends the Gamecocks’ season in Greenville, then the Terps would basically be a good play towards any of the opposite prime seeds left within the match. — Creme

Favorite opening-round picks (Friday and Saturday)

Norfolk State vs. South Carolina beneath 112.5: Don’t count on the Spartans to decelerate South Carolina, however protection is what they do finest. Meanwhile, offense is a major problem for Norfolk State, which ranks 289th within the nation in efficient area objective proportion. How are the Spartans going to attain? The Gamecocks are the nation’s top-rated defensive workforce and held one other MEAC opponent, Howard, to 21 factors in final yr’s first spherical. South Carolina will not even attempt to rating sufficient itself to get to the quantity if the Spartans’ output is a low appropriately. — Creme

UNLV +4 over Michigan: The Rebels have reached a brand new stage, making consecutive journeys to the Big Dance. They haven’t misplaced this calendar yr, ripping by convention play. However, the Wolverines have confronted stiffer competitors and are getting more healthy. I believe UNLV is for actual and can seize the factors. –– Kezirian

Baylor +1 over Alabama: The Crimson Tide’s NET score, which presently stands at 29, was inflated all season. They have not crushed an NCAA match workforce since Jan. 15. They additionally completed the season with 4 straight losses. There is a cause Alabama is only a 10-seed. Baylor had its struggles, too, however did win at Texas two weeks in the past and was examined extra typically in a Big 12 that was higher than this yr’s SEC. Some of the analytics will favor the Crimson Tide, however a lot of these numbers have been put up towards the weaker a part of their nonconference schedule. –– Creme

Middle Tennessee State -1 over Colorado: The Blue Raiders convey stability — with 4 gamers averaging double digits — and a stable résumé, having crushed Louisville in convention play. Colorado is limping to the end line, having misplaced three of its previous 5 video games, though the Buffaloes did face stiff Pac-12 competitors. — Kezirian

Texas -20.5 over East Carolina: This would possibly seem to be a giant quantity for a Longhorns workforce that has been struggling offensively, nevertheless it ought to have the ability to slowly construct a lead and draw back from the much more offensively challenged Pirates. East Carolina lacks the scale to hold round with a Texas workforce that’s fifth within the nation in offensive rebound charge. The putbacks will pile up because the Longhorns draw back. — Creme

Toledo +10 over Iowa State: There is so much to love with the Rockets, who misplaced solely two MAC video games and likewise defeated Michigan in nonconference play. The Cyclones simply had a powerful run by the Big 12 match, however Toledo has the products to maintain this contained in the quantity. — Kezirian

Top upset picks

UNLV +3.5 over Michigan: I do not like this Lady Rebels workforce as a lot as I did final yr’s heading into the match after they lined towards Arizona within the first spherical, however there’s something amiss with this Wolverines workforce. Michigan’s solely wins down the stretch have been over Rutgers and Penn State, and star Leigha Brown missed a few video games in late February for unspecified causes. Take 31-win UNLV with the factors. — Creme

Princeton (ML) over NC State: Princeton is a five-point underdog, however to seize extra worth (+185) take it to win outright. The Tigers have a manner of taking part in up, and NC State has been one of many season’s largest disappointments. The well being of level guard Diamond Johnson continues to be a query mark. She’s going to play on her injured ankle however a restricted Johnson means a restricted Wolfpack. Getting by the Ivy League was more durable for Princeton than in previous years, however this core group received a recreation within the NCAA match final March. — Creme

Middle Tennessee (-1) over Colorado: The Blue Raiders have been my favourite “upset” decide when the bracket was first revealed, however when the road landed at Middle Tennessee -1, it did not resonate as effectively. I nonetheless like them to beat Colorado, however the cash is not there on the cash line. — Creme

Other picks that stand out

Maryland 13-1 to win Greenville Region: Cashing this ticket would require South Carolina to lose, and the Gamecocks already beat the Terps by 25 factors earlier this season. But that was very early, and Maryland is a program that won’t beat itself beneath the brilliant lights. It has the products to make this run, and the worth is just too good to cross up. –– Kezirian

Odds to win championship (as of March 15)

South Carolina at -200
($20 wager wins you $10)

UConn at +800
($10 wager wins you $80)

Stanford at +900
($10 wager wins you $90)

Indiana at +1000
($10 wager wins you $100)

Iowa and LSU at $1800
($10 wager wins you $180)

Utah at +4000
($10 wager wins you $400)

Maryland and Virginia Tech at +5000
($10 wager wins you $500)

Notre Dame and Texas at +6000
($10 wager wins you $600)

Iowa State and Duke at +7500
($10 wager wins you $750)

Tennessee at +8000
($10 wager wins you $800)

Ohio State at +9000
($10 wager wins you $900)

NC State at +10000
($10 wager wins you $1000)

Oklahoma, Louisville, Middle Tennessee, Villanova at +15000
($10 wager wins you $1500)

Gonzaga, Florida State, Creighton, Arizona, South Florida, South Dakota State at +20000
($10 wager wins you $2000)

Ole Miss at +25000
($10 wager wins you $2500)

North Carolina, Colorado, Alabama, UCLA at +30000
($10 wager wins you $3000)

Florida Gulf Coast, Marquette, Mississippi State at +40000
($10 wager wins you $4000)

Baylor, Drake, Michigan, Washington State, Illinois at +50000
($10 wager wins you $5000)

All others listed at +100000
($10 wager wins you $10,000)