Barstool Sportsbook Has NCAA Tourney Lines And It Starts Today!
Today feels like Christmas morning to college baseball fans because the NCAA Tourney starts today! A whopping 32 games are scheduled! It is almost too much action for me to even mentally handle. Before I dive into some regional picks, let’s discuss more amazing news from our friends at PENN Gaming and the Barstool Sportsbook.
Earlier this week, the Barstool Sportsbook came out with futures bets for the NCAA Tourney. They have odds to win the College World Series and each individual regionally. I had been told that lines for the College World Series in Omaha were going to happen but not until then. I woke up this Friday morning to a text that the sportsbook has lines on ALL THE GAMES today! WOOOHOOOOO! This is exactly what I have been hoping for all along to grow the great sport of college baseball. I want to extend a huge thank you to our friends at PENN for making this happen.
I placed some futures bets for both the College World Series and Regionals. Let’s break them down.
Vandy +900
Old Dominion +3300
Dallas Baptist +15000
The #1 seed Arkansas Razorbacks opened at +750 which I liked a lot but has been bet down to +500. All the value is gone so I am staying away. Instead I am taking the #4 seed and defending champion Vanderbilt Commodores at +900. Led by the dominant starting pitcher combo of Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter (potential #1 and #2 picks), Tim Corbin and the ‘Dories have a fairly easy draw to get back to Omaha. I think those pitchers can carry them them when they get there. This team also has a pretty dang good lineup and championship experience. There’s a lot to like.
I took #11 seed Old Dominion at +3300 because I love their lineup. They won a pretty strong CUSA and doubled down by winning the conference tournament in dramatic fashion 7-5 over Louisiana Tech. They also have some quality arms. The main thing I like about them is their draw to get to Omaha looks reasonable. They are the #1 seed in the Columbia, South Carolina regional then are in line to play #6 seed TCU who I feel is beatable. Dallas Baptist at 150-1 is strictly a long shot flyer and they are in the Fort Worth Regional with TCU. They can hit and are a solid program every year. I am a fan of their tourney draw as well.
I also placed a few Regionals bets:
Old Dominion +130
Wright State +2500
Texas Tech -275
Michigan +600
Dallas Baptist +500
UC Irvine +450
UCSB +600
Grand Canyon +2500 flyer
LSU +200
As I already mentioned, I like Old Dominion’s draw. They will be able to rest their top starter on Friday as they take on a 15 win Jacksonville squad that snuck into the field saving their top guys for the winner of Virginia/South Carolina who will both be throwing their aces on Friday. The Monarchs have a ton of power and I think they get it done in Columbia.
Wright State averages over 10 runs a game! They are only a slight underdog tonight against #3 seed Tennessee in Knoxville. This regional is tough as nails with Duke (ACC Tourney Champs) and Liberty but 25-1 is too good a price for the top #4 seed in the tourney.
Texas Tech is the only big favorite I took to win a regional as I hate laying huge juice. However the Red Raiders are nearly impossible to beat in Lubbock. They will easily handle Army on Friday then take on the winner of UCLA/North Carolina who both have top aces going today. The Red Raiders are the #8 national seed and move on to the Super Regionals easily.
Michigan is the #2 seed in the South Bend Regional with Notre Dame. I like them because I think this regional could get thrown into total chaos on Friday if Central Michigan upsets Notre Dame behind their ace who has a 1.20 ERA. Michigan finished national runner up in 2019 to Vandy and has tons of experience plus a great coach. +600 is too good a price to pass up here.
Dallas Baptist is the #3 seed in Fort Worth which is basically at home for them. I think TCU is a vulnerable #1 seed but they do have to get past Oregon State’s ace today which will not be easy. Once again the value at +500 is too hard to pass up.
UC-Irvine is the #2 seed in Palo Alto Regional with Stanford. The Anteaters have been known to make runs in the NCAA Tourney. They are a scrappy bunch who know how to pull out close games. I think Stanford is vulnerable as the #1 seed too.
The UCSB Gauchos are the #2 seed in Tuscon Regional yet are +600 to win it. They have the best pitching staff in this regional by far. Arizona can mash the baseball but I think they are vulnerable because of their weaker pitching. Oklahoma State and Grand Canyon are both good too so this regional is no joke. I don’t mind a flyer on Grand Canyon at +2500 as well.
LSU Coach Paul Maineiri has already announced his retirement and this is his last ride. The Tigers are the #3 seed in Eugune with Oregon and Gonzaga. LSU is known for making NCAA runs and I am feeling a similar run to what Florida State had for Mike Martin as a #3 seed could be in play. I also like them because I have faith in their ace Landon Marceaux to get it done in tonight’s matchup against Gonzaga.
Other Stuff to Watch
I will be cheering hard for #16 seed Louisiana Tech in the Ruston Regional. I have talked a lot about the Diamond Dogs this year as it is hard to not support those guys after a tornado destroyed their old stadium in 2019 forcing them to play on the road and at a high school. They broke in the new 2500 seat Love Shack by hosting the first NCAA Regional in school history and have a good chance to beat out Rider, NC State and Alabama.
Ole Miss has a helluva tough regional in Oxford with #2 seed Southern Miss and #3 seed Florida State. The Rebels decided to save ace Doug Nikhazy who was PHENOMENAL in SEC until Saturday and will take their chances with Derek Diamond against Southeast Missouri State tonight. SEMO has a good ace but I like the move by Ole Miss Coach Mike Bianco. Win or lose tonight, this gives the Rebels the best chance to win the regional.
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Nebraska Coach Will Holt is leaning towards trying to save his ace for Arkansas on Saturday in Fayetteville. The Big 10 Champs have a tough matchup with Northeastern tonight. Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn coached Holt at Nebraska. An Arkansas/Nebraska Saturday matchup would certainly be a spectacle.
The #3 seed Fairfield Stags lost their Catcher and leader Mike Caruso to a hand injury this week. The Stags (35-3) had a helluva season but I expect them to be in trouble in Austin today.
Duke and Liberty is a fantastic matchup at Noon EST to kick the tourney off in Knoxville. I like Liberty +102 as a slight underdog today. Duke is coming in red hot off the ACC Tourney win but Liberty is no such plus has a great pitcher going.
Florida State and Southern Miss is a good matchup to kick off the Oxford regional. Both teams have good starting pitching and this could go either way. Keep an eye on C Matheu Nelson of the Noles. He can absolutely mash the baseball.
McNeese State is a great story coming out of the Southland. Lake Charles got destroyed by Hurricane Laura and they did not even have batting cages this year! They have a good left handed pitcher going against #6 national seed TCU in Fort Worth today and have a pretty good shot. I am a fan of their head coach Justin Hill and the Lake Charles community deserves something positive.
Mississippi State should roll at the Dude in Starkville. They got a pretty weak regional draw although #4 seed Samford did beat Florida State in 2019 and has the same pitcher throwing tonight in Starkville. VCU is the Atlantic 10 Champ and won 21 games in a row but I still don’t trust their level of competition. VCU Campbell and Samford should be affected by the rowdy crowd in Starkville.
I think #13 seed East Carolina wins the Greenville Regional. Charlotte and Maryland is an interesting #2 vs. #3 seed matchup that I have no clue who will win. The Pirates will ride their home crowd and stud Connor Norby to the Super Regionals.
I also have no clue who will win the Gainesville regional as it feels like #1 seed Florida and #2 seed Miami are on a collision course. The rivals both have great baseball tradition and it could go either way. These will be some of the best games of the first weekend if these teams ultimately do battle in the winners bracket and for the regional.
Here are my picks for today:
Liberty +116
South Car -127
Central Michigan +215
Indiana St -106
Michigan -108
McNeese +225
Grand Canyon +200
LSU -109
Head on over to the Barstool Sportsbook app for NCAA Tourney lines! All 5 Penn properties in Mississippi (Ameristar Vicksburg, Hollywood Tunica and Gulf Coast, 1st Jackpot Tunica, and Boomtown Biloxi) will be carrying them at the sports books too!
And please do not forget to get your Barstool in Omaha shirt from the store.