All eyes on Mike Krzyzewski, Duke as bookmakers size up Final Four liabilities
Brave bettors took leaps of faith on Duke and Kansas. The payout would be worth millions.
That “Rock Chalk, Jayhawk” chorus has added some prominent voices as the Final Four nears.
With a few exceptions, the nation’s online bookmakers’ most fervent rooting interest in the Final Four is that lone surviving No. 1 seed, Kansas.
“We would be thrilled with Kansas,” said WynnBET spokesman Jake Meister, whose shop is sweating out a Virginia bettor’s $2,000 November wager on Villanova to win the tournament at 15/1 odds.
The Jayhawks and South region No. 2 Villanova open the Saturday action. Kansas stands as a 4.5-point favorite in a 6:09 p.m. ET game, followed on TBS by the heavyweight tilt of Duke (-4.5) versus rival North Carolina — the latter a first in tournament history.
Duke hobbled into the tournament off a blowout loss to the Tar Heels in retiring coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final home game and another defeat to Virginia Tech in the ACC tournament.
The sentimental storybook ride that some bettors latched onto is unfolding and the Blue Devils are favorites to be the tournament’s last team standing.
Duke entered the tournament as a 20/1 longshot to present Krzyzewski, 75, with the ultimate going-away gift of a sixth NCAA championship.
One New Jersey bettor at FanDuel Sportsbook took a March 15 leap on Coach K, investing a $300,000 bet on Duke that will net $5.1 million in winnings if the Blue Devils cut down the nets in New Orleans.
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FanDuel Sportsbook spokesman Kevin Hennessy said another of the largest wagers ever made at the book also occurred that day in New Jersey with a bettor placing $200,000 on Kansas at 11/1 to win $2.2 million.
For that reason, and the fact the Jayhawks were drawing 75% of the money bet on their point spread against Villanova, FanDuel is one of the few shops exposed by Kansas.
Elsewhere, there’s deeper bookmaker concerns linked to North Carolina, which has advanced as a No. 8 seed under coach Hubert Davis to conquer top-seeded defending champion Baylor, returning Final Four entrant UCLA and this year’s Cinderella, Saint Peter’s.
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Tipico Sportsbook previously accepted “several” future bets on UNC to win the tournament at 20/1 odds, including a $2,000 wager, spokesman Sunny Gupta said.
Jay Kornegay of the Las Vegas Superbook agreed. In his Superbook locations outside Nevada, the Tar Heels are the greatest liability. In Las Vegas, interestingly, it’s Duke.
So, Kornegay will take delight in whoever loses Saturday’s seminal showdown.
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