March Madness: 3 Best Midwest Region Bets for the First Round

The NCAA Tournament is here.

Are you ready?

There are no shortage of ways to break down the tourney. Today, let's take a look at the Midwest Region and see which bets stand out for the first round.

All March Madness odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook's college basketball odds and may change after this article is published.

Best Bets for the Midwest Region

Akron +7.5 (-105) vs. Texas Tech

This is my favorite 12-over-5 betting angle in the bracket.

Akron is 29-5, has won 19 of its last 20 games, scores 88.4 points per game, and ranks 5th nationally in offensive rating. That is a real offense. The Zips also come in with the psychological edge of momentum after winning the MAC Tournament.

Texas Tech, meanwhile, is very good but not fully what it was before JT Toppin tore his ACL. Toppin was averaging 21.8 points and 10.8 rebounds before the season-ending injury, and the Red Raiders have dropped into a more fragile state since then, entering the tournament on a three-game losing streak.

Tech’s overall résumé remains stronger, but in the current version of this matchup, Akron +7.5 has both statistical and situational value.

Hofstra +11.5 (-102) vs. Alabama

This number may be a bit too high given Alabama’s defensive profile and the uncertainty surrounding Aden Holloway.

The Crimson Tide lead the nation in scoring at 91.7 points per game, but they also allow 83.5 points per game and sit 291st in defensive rating. That makes them one of the most volatile favorites on the board -- they can bury you with pace and shot-making, but they also leave the back door wide open.

Hofstra is exactly the type of team that can exploit that.

The Pride are 24-10, allow just 66.1 points per game, rank 40th in defensive rating, and have two high-usage guards in Cruz Davis (20.2 ppg) and Preston Edmead (15.9 ppg).

Add in the possibility that Alabama may be without Holloway — its second-leading scorer at 16.8 points per game — and this spread bet becomes much more attractive.

Santa Clara +3.5 (-120) vs. Kentucky

Santa Clara is the kind of 10-seed I like to back because the underlying team quality is higher than the brand suggests.

The Broncos are 26-8, average 82.9 points per game, and rank 29th nationally in offensive rating with a top-45 SRS.

Kentucky’s profile is more battle-tested, but the Wildcats are only 21-13 overall and have been described even by bracket analysts as a dangerous-but-inconsistent team entering this game.

This is also a pure number play. Kentucky is only -3.5, which tells you the market sees limited separation. When that’s the case, I usually side with the underdog, especially if that 'dog has the more stable season-long efficiency profile and doesn’t need star variance to score. Santa Clara checks both boxes.

Santa Clara +3.5 is my preferred play, but I think you can make a case for their moneyline.

Check out our March Madness printable bracket and March Madness upset picks.

Which March Madness odds stand out to you this year? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's latest college basketball betting odds to see the full menu of options.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.