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<p>Betting on today's Bison and Wolverines game? Catch the action at Pete Hanna Center in Homewood, AL, as the Wolverines hosts this showdown at 3:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under for this game is set at 143.5 points, and Utah Valley is favored by -6.5 against North Dakota State in a non-conference matchup.</p><h3>NORTH DAKOTA STATE BISON VS UTAH VALLEY WOLVERINES BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Utah Valley Wolverines -6.5</p><p>This game will be played at Pete Hanna Center at 3:00 ET on Thursday, November 28th.</p><h3>WHY BET THE UTAH VALLEY WOLVERINES:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 78-70 in favor of the Wolverines.</li><li>Not only will Utah Valley pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -6.5.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 143.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 148 points.</li></ul><h3>Will North Dakota State Make it Happen on the Road?</h3><p>North Dakota State picked up a 73-61 road win over West Georgia on Wednesday, November 27th. The Bison, who were -7.5 favorites, covered the spread, while the game’s total points (134) fell just short of the 138-point O/U line.</p> <p>Leading 33-32 at halftime, North Dakota State’s defense stepped up in the 2nd half, holding West Georgia to 29 points while scoring 40 of their own.</p><p>North Dakota State's offense put up 73 points in their last game, shooting 44% from the field and hitting 15 threes at a 40.5% clip. Their effective field goal percentage was 60%, and they were strong from the free-throw line, making 14 of 16 attempts (87.5%).</p> <p>Noah Feddersen was a key contributor, hitting 3 of 4 threes and finishing with 17 points and 9 rebounds. Masen Miller also connected on 5 threes, scoring 15 points, while Shelton Williams-Dryden led the team with 19 points and 8 rebounds.</p><p>North Dakota State's defense was strong, holding their opponent to just 61 points on 36% shooting from the field. They limited damage from beyond the arc, allowing only 3 three-pointers on 20 attempts, a 15% shooting performance.</p> <p>Inside the arc, the opposition shot 45%, making 22 of 48 two-point attempts. From the free-throw line, they went 11/16, shooting 68%. The Bison also gave up 10 offensive rebounds.</p><h3>Taking a Look at the Wolverines Chances at Home</h3><p>Utah Valley dropped to 0-3 on the season with an 84-76 road loss to Samford on Wednesday. Entering the game as +6 point underdogs, the Wolverines not only lost but also failed to cover the spread. The game’s total points hit 160, surpassing the O/U line of 157.5.</p> <p>Utah Valley led 43-38 at halftime but struggled in the 2nd half, scoring just 33 points while allowing 46. Defensive lapses and offensive inefficiency contributed to their inability to close out the game.</p><p>Utah Valley put up 76 points in their last game, shooting 48.3% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 53.3%. They connected on 57.1% of their two-point attempts, but struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 27.8% of their threes.</p> <p>Jaden Brownell led the way with 22 points, shooting 66.7% from the field. Dominick Nelson added 21 points, and Rylan Jones chipped in 18, hitting 4 of 6 threes. Trevan Leonhardt was perfect from the field, going 4 for 4, and added 7 assists.</p><p>Utah Valley's defense struggled, giving up 84 points on 47% shooting from the field. They allowed 34 made baskets on 71 attempts.</p> <p>Inside the arc, Utah Valley gave up 24 two-point baskets on 43 attempts, a 55% shooting rate. From three-point range, they allowed 10 threes on 28 attempts, a 35% success rate. The opposing team also went 6/10 from the free-throw line.</p>

North Dakota State Bison vs Utah Valley Wolverines NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 11/28/24

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There are a lot of strategies when it comes to betting on sports. Some people take a high-volume approach because they feel like a lot of small edges add up to a much bigger advantage. Others bet a small number of games but a larger amount of money because they believe that one big edge is a better situation than a lot of small edges. Some people like to “chase the steam” and immediately follow along with the “sharp side”, based on line movement or the opinions of some of the industry’s most respected bettors. Others like to “fade the public”, which means that they will bet against the “consensus” opinion because the public loses over the long-term.

<a href="http://bangthebook.com/sports-betting-what-is-public-money/"><strong>Fading the public</strong></a> is also called contrarian betting. Technically, it doesn’t just have to be fading the public, because the public and the sharp side can sometimes be the same. It’s akin to playing the “Don’t Pass” line on a craps table. If you break down the house edges in craps, it’s actually better to play the “Don’t Pass” line rather than the “Pass” line. But, it’s hard to do that. Craps has a community feel. When everybody wins, everybody wins on the “Pass” line. Everybody is having fun. Who wants to be that guy that plays the small advantage to go against everybody?

It’s different with <strong>contrarian betting</strong> because you don’t have to look anybody in the eye when you are deliberately doing the opposite. The motto for a contrarian bettor would be, “It looks too good to be true”. Do this long enough and you’re bound to hear the phrase “public dog”. What this means is that the public, a group that collectively bets more favorites than underdogs, has found a team it loves that isn’t supposed to win the game. One of the best examples we’ve seen of this recently was the Green Bay Packers against the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship. The Packers were a five-point underdog most of the week, even though they had won eight straight games and Aaron Rodgers looked like a guy ready for a bust in Canton at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. As we know, the Falcons crushed the Packers and Atlanta wound up being the sharp side in that game. They also closed -6.5.

When too many people climb on board a team or an athlete in an individual sport, alarm bells start going off. Think about it. If you’re in a room with a lot of people, isn’t it a weird feeling when everybody agrees? Say you’re doing a group project at work or school and there are no dissenting opinions. Everybody is on the same page. Isn’t there that voice in the back of your mind that knocks on your skull and says, “Aren’t you missing something?”

Contrarian betting basically has the same type of mindset. The team that nobody wants to bet on is the team that the contrarian player is dying to bet on. There is a method to this madness. For starters, perception of these teams or individuals is very low. Because of this, oddsmakers often shade the lines a little bit on the team or player that everybody likes. It may be subtle, just an adjustment of the vig or a half-point here or there, but there’s already value built into the line on that undesirable betting option. For another thing, there’s probably going to be even more value on that side as betting action increases. The more action, the more the bookmakers need to adjust the lines. The more the lines adjust, the more value there is on the side that nobody wants to play.

Understanding bias is such an important part of being a handicapper. If the Milwaukee Brewers have lost seven straight games and were just beaten 11-2 by the Chicago Cubs, who is going to bet on them in the next game? The models for that game may have the Cubs listed as a -275 favorite, but oddsmakers open the game -300. The Brewers are playing the reigning World Series champions, have lost seven straight, and just lost by nine runs. Who wants to play them the next day? Throughout the day, the line climbs up to -340. Mr. Contrarian strolls up, dashing and debonair with his coiffed hair and designer suit, and plops a couple dimes on the counter on the Milwaukee Brewers.

Some people look at him and question his intellect. They’ll wonder whether or not he even cares about that $2,000, considering it’s less than his suit cost. But, Mr. Contrarian walks away knowing that he got 65 cents of value that should not have been there because nobody wanted to bet on the Brewers. The Brewers may win. They may not win. The one thing we cannot debate, however, is that Mr. Contrarian got the best of the number and that has proven to win more often than not over the long-term.

These are decisions that you are forced to make as a handicapper. It’s no fun losing and it’s no fun being an island, but it’s also not fun losing with everybody else. A lot of deep-pocketed professionals will subscribe to contrarian betting theories. It’s all about line value. It’s nearly impossible to get more line value than to bet on a team that nobody wants to bet on.

In this industry, we look for “buy points”. You try to buy low. You try to buy stock in a team that nobody wants to buy. Whether it’s simple variance or regression to the mean, those teams are generally going to improve. It’s harder to envision with a money line sport like baseball, but the Phoenix Suns aren’t going to get beat by 15 or more points every game over the course of a season. String together three or four of those losses and everybody throws that team away. Some bettors believe that is the time to buy.

The nice thing about sports betting is that there are a lot of approaches and a lot of ways to make money. Maybe contrarian betting doesn’t work for you. Maybe you don’t want to have to root for that bad team. Unders are usually the preferred total bets for professional handicappers. Why? Joe Public on his couch with a PBR tall boy and a bag of pork rinds is rooting for points. Oddsmakers and bookmakers know that Joe Public is rooting for points. It’s more fun to watch points. The percentage of <a href="http://bangthebook.com/sports-betting-what-is-sharp-money/"><strong>sharp players</strong></a> that oddsmakers and bookmakers are worried about is a lot smaller than the large percentage of public players that come in on the game no matter what. In a way, betting the under and the underdog are the simplest ways to be contrarian.

That’s not always the case. Sometimes the public will back an under or an underdog, in which case, sharp players generally go contrarian the other way. Sometimes, everybody is on the same page and a contrarian bettor will wait until close to kickoff, tip-off, or first pitch to get involved.

There’s no right or wrong way to handicap games, but there’s a wrong way to handicap the industry and that’s to not be aware of all of these different approaches and strategies. This is just one more for you to consider as you look to improve as a bettor and look to bang the books.

Sports Betting: What is Contrarian Betting?

<p>Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Fighting Hawks versus the Fighting Irish? Tip off is at at 7:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ACC. The game will be played at Purcell Pavilion in South Bend, IN. The odds for this non-conference game currently have Notre Dame as the -19 favorite, with the over/under line sitting at 147.5 points.</p><h3>NORTH DAKOTA FIGHTING HAWKS VS NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: North Dakota Fighting Hawks +19</p><p>This game will be played at Purcell Pavilion at 7:00 ET on Tuesday, November 19th.</p><h3>WHY BET THE NORTH DAKOTA FIGHTING HAWKS:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-70 in favor of the Fighting Irish.</li><li>Even though we have Notre Dame winning straight-up, we like North Dakota at +19.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 147.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 147 points.</li></ul><h3>Can The Fighting Hawks Secure a Road Victory?</h3><p>North Dakota picked up a 77-71 win over Utah Valley on Thursday, November 14th. The Fighting Hawks were +5.5 point underdogs at home but not only won the game, they also covered the spread.</p> <p>After trailing 34-33 at halftime, North Dakota turned things around by scoring 44 points in the 2nd half while allowing 37. The game’s total points of 148 went over the pre-game O/U line of 144.5.</p><p>Treysen Eaglestaff led the way for North Dakota, scoring 31 points and hitting 3 of 6 from beyond the arc in their last game. Ethan Potter was nearly perfect from the field, shooting 10 of 11 and adding 8 rebounds, while Amar Kuljuhovic contributed 17 points on 6 of 7 shooting.</p> <p>As a team, the Fighting Hawks shot 43.3% from the field, with an effective field goal percentage of 46.7%. They struggled from three-point range, hitting just 5 of 18 attempts (27.8%), but made 20 of 28 free throws (71.4%) and grabbed 15 offensive rebounds.</p><p>North Dakota's defense gave up 71 points in their last game, with opponents shooting 43% from the field on 26 of 60 attempts. Inside the arc, they allowed 21 of 42 shooting, a 50% success rate.</p> <p>From three-point range, North Dakota held their opponents to 5 of 18 shooting, or 27%. They also sent them to the free-throw line 28 times, where they hit 20 for 71%. North Dakota gave up 15 offensive rebounds.</p><h3>Can the Fighting Irish Offense Score Enough at Home?</h3><h3>Notre Dame Fighting Irish Recent Game/Games</h3> 

<p>Notre Dame picked up an 84-63 win over Georgetown on Saturday, November 16th, in an away game. The Fighting Irish entered the game as -2.5 favorites and covered the spread with the 21-point victory.</p> 

<p>Notre Dame led 44-29 at halftime and continued their strong play in the 2nd half, scoring 40 points while allowing 34. The total points for the game were 147, going over the pre-game O/U line of 143.5.</p><p>Notre Dame's offense was clicking in their last game, putting up 84 points while shooting 59.3% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 66.7%, thanks to 69.7% shooting on two-pointers and 42.9% from beyond the arc.</p> <p>Matt Allocco led the way with 17 points, hitting 4 of 8 from deep and dishing out 7 assists. Tae Davis was efficient as well, going 5 for 6 from the field and grabbing 8 rebounds in just 20 minutes of action.</p><p>Notre Dame's defense put on a strong performance, holding their opponent to just 63 points on 31% shooting from the field. The Fighting Irish were particularly effective inside, limiting their opponent to 36% shooting on two-point attempts, where they went 14/38.</p> <p>From beyond the arc, Notre Dame's defense kept their opponent in check, allowing just 8 threes on 32 attempts, a 25% shooting rate. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 16 times, where they made 11, shooting 68%.</p>

North Dakota Fighting Hawks vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 11/19/24

<p>Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Bulldogs versus the Blazers? Tip off is at at 7:30 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at Bartow Arena in Birmingham, AL. The odds for this non-conference game currently have UAB as the -21.5 favorite, with the over/under line sitting at 159.5 points.</p><h3>ALABAMA A&M BULLDOGS VS UAB BLAZERS BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Alabama A&M Bulldogs +21.5</p><p>This game will be played at Bartow Arena at 7:30 ET on Wednesday, December 18th.</p><h3>WHY BET THE ALABAMA A&M BULLDOGS:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 79-68 in favor of the Blazers.</li><li>Even though we have UAB winning straight-up, we like Alabama A&M at +21.5.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 159.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 147 points.</li></ul><h3>Will the Bulldogs Come Through as Road Underdogs?</h3><h3>Alabama A&M Bulldogs Recent Game/Games</h3> 

<p>Alabama A&M’s season struggles continued with an 85-63 loss to Chattanooga on Sunday, dropping their record to 1-6. The Bulldogs entered the game as +16.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game ended at 148, just under the O/U line of 151.</p> 

<p>Trailing 40-26 at halftime, Alabama A&M couldn’t close the gap in the second half, scoring 37 points while allowing 45.</p><p>Alabama A&M's offense put up 63 points in their last game, shooting 43.6% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 54.5%, thanks to hitting 52.4% from beyond the arc, connecting on 11 of 21 threes. However, they struggled inside, shooting just 38.2% on two-point attempts, and had a rough night at the free-throw line, making only 4 of 13 attempts (30.8%).</p> <p>Honor Huff led the way with 24 points, hitting 6 threes at a 54.5% clip. Trey Bonham added 21 points, shooting 66.7% overall and 50% from deep. AC Bryant contributed 19 points, knocking down 4 of 6 threes (66.7%), while Darius Ford hit 3 of 4 from downtown, finishing with 11 points.</p><p>Alabama A&M struggled defensively, giving up 85 points on 51% shooting. They allowed 14 threes on 32 attempts, a 43% rate.</p> <p>The Bulldogs also sent their opponent to the line 24 times, where they converted 21 free throws, shooting 87%.</p><h3>Is It the Blazers Game to Lose at Home?</h3><h3>UAB Blazers Recent Game/Games</h3> <p>UAB fell to 4-6 on the season after a 98-89 loss to Arkansas State on Sunday. The Blazers, who were -3.5 favorites, not only lost the game but also failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 187, surpassing the O/U line of 159.5.</p> <p>UAB seemed in control at halftime, leading 53-28, but things fell apart in the second half. They managed only 31 points while allowing 56 to the Red Wolves, leading to a disappointing home loss.</p><p>UAB's offense put up 89 points in their last game, shooting 40.8% from the field and 31.2% from beyond the arc. They hit 10 threes, with an effective field goal percentage of 47.4%, and connected on 70.8% of their free throws.</p> <p>Taryn Todd led the way with 31 points, hitting 4 of 9 threes, while Kobe Julien added 25 points on 9 of 14 shooting. Tyren Moore knocked down 6 threes, finishing with 22 points, and Yaxel Lendeborg also contributed 22 points and 12 rebounds.</p><p>Even with UAB holding their opponent to 40% shooting, the Blazers couldn't keep them from putting up 98 points. UAB allowed 21 two-pointers on 47% shooting from inside the arc.</p> <p>From three-point range, UAB's defense gave up 10 threes on 31% shooting. They also sent their opponent to the line 24 times, where they hit 17 free throws at a 70% clip.</p>

Alabama A&M Bulldogs vs UAB Blazers NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/18/24

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