March Madness First Round: Three Underdog Picks With High Betting Value
Three compelling March Madness first-round underdogs offer significant betting value in the 2025 NCAA Tournament:
Drake (+5.5) vs Missouri
- Drake's elite defense (8th best in last three games) matches well against Missouri's 5th-ranked offense
- Line opened higher than expected at +5.5, suggesting potential value
- Drake has legitimate upset potential beyond just covering the spread
Yale (+7.5) vs Texas A&M
- Yale's strong 37% three-point shooting matches up well against A&M's poor perimeter defense
- Slow-paced game style favors Yale keeping it close
- Texas A&M's favorite status appears overvalued at -7.5
Liberty (+5.5) vs Oregon
- Liberty leads nation in effective field goal percentage
- Their slow-paced, unconventional offense will disrupt Oregon's preferred 76 points per game scoring
- Strong potential for straight-up victory makes +5.5 particularly valuable
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Best Available Odds:
- Drake +5.5 (-102) at DraftKings
- Yale +7.5 (-110) at FanDuel
- Liberty +5.5 (-110) at DraftKings
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