Which Teams are College Basketball ATS Mirages?
The Oregon Ducks are a team that has already revealed themselves as a betting mirage. They are 18-1 and perched at the top of the tough Pac-10, so the casual bettor might think that they are a good bet. At the start of the season they were. The public wasn't believing in them yet, so they started out 7-3 against the spread. Since conference play started the team is a very respectable 7-1, but they are just 2-5 ATS. They are winning and looking good, but they are costing loyal bettors a fortune. They are a mirage. Here's a look at four more teams that could be worth a fade:
Washington State - The Cougars are a team on the rise. They are playing in a conference that's getting a lot of respect, and they are climbing up the rankings. They stomped their bitter rivals at Washington in December and that really set the ball rolling. After a rough 3-5 start ATS, the team reeled off seven straight covers. It was during that time that the team started getting more press and rising in the polls. They have won two of their last three games, but covered in just one of them. They, were, however, close to the spread in both ATS losses. That means that the public shift in opinion probably caused the line to move enough that any possible value evaporated. If they keep winning, expect the public to continue to drive lines up, creating possibilities for a play on their opponent.
Indiana State - The Sycamores have been a betting dream this year. They are a brilliant 12-4 ATS. The problem is, though, that two of the games in which they haven't covered have come in the last four games. That's indicative of a much bigger problem for Larry Bird's alma mater - conference play has not been kind to them. They fattened up early in the year with impressive wins over Creighton, Butler, Wichita State and Purdue, but the weak early losses to Middle Tennessee State and a pretty dismal Ball State team were perhaps more telling of what the future held in store. They have lost their last four games in a row, including a blowout loss to Bradley that they really should have won. If that's a sign of things to come then a team that has been a joy to bet on will lose all of its fun.
Illinois - The Fighting Illini, at 15-7, are playing decent basketball, though they still haven't found another killer set of guards to replace the brilliant ones that led them during their recent glory days. Against the spread, however, the team has been an unmitigated disaster. At 4-13 ATS they are the second least profitable team in the entire country. To make matters worse, they covered their first two games, and then went on a dismal 0-12 streak. There is a light flickering at the end of the tunnel, though, even if it isn't a bright spotlight yet - they've covered two of their last three. There are still signs that the team is held in higher regard than they probably should be - they were only 1.5-point underdogs against a very good Wisconsin team on Saturday, and the Badgers beat them fairly easily. The Illini are heading into a relatively easy stretch for the next few games, so they stand a fairly good chance of turning their betting record around and finally rewarding bettors who want to believe in the ball that they are playing.
West Virginia - The ATS shine has already dimmed a bit for the Pittsnogle-less Mountaineers, but there's a pretty good chance that the ATS decline that they have started on could continue. John Beilein's team started the season at 13-1, and rewarded bettors with an 8-1 ATS record during that time. Since then, though, they've lost three of their last five in the conference, and they have just one cover in their last four games. In two of the three games they haven't covered, they haven't even been close. A bad overtime loss to Cincinnati, far from the class of the Big East, was a good sign that things might not be going well in Morgantown. The public still has some leftover love for this team because of the last couple of years, and that love was reinforced and rewarded by how the team started. Therefore, it's very likely that the public would be slow to react to a prolonged downturn by the team. That would mean that a team that has been a good bet would turn into a pretty bad one. They'd become a mirage.
Related Tags: college basketball
Check Doc's Sports site for daily sports betting articles, College Basketball Lines, NBA Odds, and NBA gambling picks.
Your Article Search Directory : Find in ArticlesRecent articles in this category:
- Oklahoma City Thunder With a Bad Starting
The triumphs and achievements obtain by the Seattle Supersonics are left behind now they finished t - Los Angles Lakers Tickets
Los Angeles Lakers Los Angeles Lakers is one of the most successful teams in the entire history of - Nba - Shaquille O'neal Still Has Something to Offer to the Nba
The "Big Diesel" of 36 years-old and four-time NBA champion, Shaquille O'Neal still has something t - Nba - Rudy Fernandez Could be the Surprise for the Blazers and the Nba Season
The Spaniard superstar of 23 years old, Rudy Fernandez, could be the surprise for this NBA season a - Basketball Training Made Easy
Basketball season is around the corner and thousands of players coming back to the court need a ref - Basketball Basics
Basketball Basics Below is some basic information about basketballs to give you an idea of what's o - What's the Score?
It's easy to understand that portable electronic scoreboards are an integral part of many sports. - Nba - Warriors Suspended Ellis for 30 Games
The star player of the Golden State Warriors of 22 years old Monta Ellis, will be suspended for at - Dallas Mavericks Stomp the Washington Wizards
The Mavericks are looking as dominate as ever as they closed out the Washington Wizards last night. - Basketball Game Courts and Putting Greens Come Home
For years now the idea of having a realistic synthetic putting green or a basketball court in your
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Joakim Noah - Is it See Ya Later Alligator?
As the Florida Gators sailed to their second consecutive NCAA championship on April 2, 2007, those o - Jump Higher-Improve Vertical Jump
To start off with, I get people all the time complementing me on how much higher I can jump than I u - 10 Tips For Getting Your Basketball Team Focused Motivated And Playing Hard
"Coaches who can outline plays on a blackboard are a dime a dozen. The ones who win get inside thei - The 30 Minute Practice Test - Would You Pass or Fail?
The incredible thing about being a basketball coach is the unlimited supply of information and resou - The Key To Defensive Success - Mastering Screens
Screening is a major offensive weapon in today's game. Teams that are able to stretch defenses with - Where Have All the Gym Rats Gone?
With the advent of technological advances in our world, our lives have become easier and more comfor - The American Basketball Association Becomes a Publicly Traded Company
It wasn't too long ago when basketball was a genuine sport, great players that projected positive im - West Dominates NBA
The Western Conference is looking like titans already in 2006-07. The Eastern Conference teams are b - 5 Coaching Tips for Successful Basketball Drills
Tip #1 - Make The Drill More Competitive.Many players thrive on competition and it's a great way to - Four Secrets Of Great Post Play
Search any library, bookstore, or the internet on the topic of basketball and you will find thousand