Read below for betting insights from BetMGM for Connecticut vs. Illinois in Saturday’s Elite 8 matchup.
Connecticut men’s basketball has trailed for just over 20 seconds all NCAA Tournament while showing no signs of letting up in its title defense.
The betting public shows no signs of fading them, either.
According to betting data released by BetMGM on Saturday, the majority of bettors are once again backing Dan Hurley’s team to run away from Illinois and into the Final Four.
Before seeing the public betting data, remember time is running out on March Madness betting promos. Take advantage of these exclusive offers and claim bonus bets before it’s too late.
Connecticut vs. Illinois Predictions & Odds | Elite 8
The betting odds at BetMGM have UConn listed as 8.5-point favorites against Illinois on Saturday (live NCAAB odds). It’s not enough for anyone to bet Illinois as 69% of total bets are on the favorites, with 74% of total dollars also backing UConn.
It’s no surprise, as the Huskies covered in nine of their last 10 games. They’ve been at least a 9-point favorite in 9 of those 10 games.
The Illini are on a roll over their own — admittedly, most teams get to the Elite 8 by covering, right? Illinois covered five straight games, including the outright win as an underdog against Iowa State in the Sweet 16. This will be just the 8th time all year Illinois is an underdog. The Illini are 5-1-1 the other seven times when getting points.
Is the public on the right side? Our college basketball expert Matt Gajewski doesn’t think so.
In Gajewski’s Elite 8 betting predictions, he explains why he likes the Illini.
Connecticut vs. Illinois Prediction: Illinois +8.5
