The NCAA Tournament makes its triumphant return this week. Before we get into the meat of the bracket with first-round games on Friday and Saturday, the First Four will take center stage on Thursday night. But there’s no need to wait to lock in some March Madness best bets. Among the First Four action is a highly anticipated showdown with a whole lot of midwestern flavor as 11 seeds Drake and Wichita State battle to earn their place in the main portion of the West Region bracket.
The following article looks at the best available odds and offers a March Madness best bets prediction for the Drake – Wichita State matchup on Thursday evening.
March Madness Best Bets | Drake vs. Wichita State
Drake vs. Wichita State Game InfoÂ
Drake Bulldogs (25-4, 15-3 Missouri Valley) vs. Wichita State Shockers (16-5, 11-2 American)
Date: Thursday, Mar. 18, 2021
Start Time: 6:30 p.m. EST
Venue: Mackey Arena — West Lafayette, Ind.
Bracket: West Region
Coverage: TBS
Even with their impressive record, Drake was left to sweat out their NCAA tournament fate after losing to Loyola Chicago in the Missouri Valley Championship Game. The Bulldogs squeaked into the field of 68 nonetheless and will now look to prove their worth in the First Four. Drake finished the season 45th in the College Basketball Net. They went 1-2 in their three games against Quad 1 opposition, with all three coming against Loyola. On the season, Drake went 20-6-1 against the spread and 17-10 to the over.
Wichita State suffered an upset loss in the semifinals of the American Tournament to Cincinnati. This not only wiped away their hopes of earning the AAC automatic bid, but left them to sweat out whether they’d make the field at all. By the skin of their teeth, Wichita State is in and will now look to ride their talented backcourt duo of Tyson Etienne and Alterique Gilbert. The Shockers went 2-3 against Quad 1 opponents and finished the year ranked No. 72 in the Net. In terms of betting stats, Wichita State went 9-9-1 against the spread and 9-10 to the over.Â
Click on the IMAGE BELOW to start Odds Shopping!
Drake vs. Wichita State March Madness Best Bets + Odds Shopping
For those looking to bet on the Drake – Wichita State First Four game, shopping the March Madness odds at various sportsbooks is key to getting the best value possible. Whether you wish to back the favored Bulldogs or underdog Shockers, discrepancies in the lines and odds throughout the college basketball betting market make odds shopping a necessity. With its side-by-side comparison of the March Madness betting odds for Drake – Wichita State, the Awesemo OddsShopper Tool is the best resource to help with this process.
The Latest Sports Betting Content from Stokastic Odds
- BetMGM North Carolina Pre-Registration: $200 in Bonus Bets Awaiting You When Sports Betting Launches
- Bet365 North Carolina Pre-Registration: Get $100 in Bonus Bets Before March 11
- DraftKings North Carolina Pre-Registration: Up to $300 in Bonus Bets for NC Launch on March 11!
- FanDuel North Carolina Pre-Registration: Grab $300 in Bonus Bets Between Now and March 11!
- Bet365 Louisiana Bonus Code: Bet $1, Get $365 in Bonus Bets!
- Stokastic DFS on Youtube
As seen in the accompanying image above, Drake is a slim favorite in this First Four game. Bettors interested in backing the Bulldogs can find a slight value advantage by betting the moneyline at FanDuel where the -124 odds are lower than the rest of the market. For those who are inclined to take Wichita State as one of their March Madness best bets, FanDuel also has the best price on the Shockers ahead of this matchup. It’s rare that the same sportsbook will be the preferred shop for both sides of a bet, but that is exactly what we see with FanDuel’s +126 moneyline comeback odds on Wichita State.
Click on the IMAGE BELOW to start Odds Shopping!
Drake vs. Wichita State March Madness Best Bets | Total
The total for the Drake – Wichita State First Four game sits at 141 across the college basketball betting market. However, variations in the odds attached to this number still make it worthwhile for bettors to shop around. For those looking to play over the total, BetRivers and DraftKings are both offering optimal pricing at -109 odds. On the contrary, any of FanDuel, PointsBet or William Hill are offering -110 odds on the under.Â
[MARCHMADNESS]
Drake vs. Wichita State March Madness Prediction
Ben’s Take: This is a tough game to pick a side on, as Drake hasn’t been tested much and Wichita State hasn’t shown much form late in the season. Both teams are fortunate to just be in the tournament, and this game figures to be competitive. My favorite lean is under 141 points, as both teams play at a slower pace and possessions could be at a premium in this opening round game.
Follow us on all of our social channels! Check out our Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for more great Awesemo content.
Check out the AwesemoOdds home page for more sports betting content, including West Region March Madness picks and predictions for the NCAA Tournament.
