College Basketball Betting: How To Bet On College Basketball in North Carolina

Fact Checked by Blake Weishaar
UNC vs Boston College Basketball

College basketball is one of the most popular sports in North Carolina, and it's proven to be one of the most popular online North Carolina sports betting markets.

I dive into everything you need to know to get started with college basketball betting in NC.

Must be 21+ to participate & present in NC. T&Cs Apply. Play Responsibly. Gambling problem? Call 877-718-5543 or visit morethanagame.nc.gov

How to Bet on College Basketball in North Carolina

Betting on college basketball will be easy once NC betting apps launch. Follow these steps:

  1. βœ… Sign up for or log into your account at your favorite sportsbook(s).
  2. βœ… Navigate to the Basketball menu under the A-Z list.
  3. βœ… Select College Basketball (M) for men's odds or College Basketball (W) for women's odds.
  4. βœ… Find the market you want to bet on. Options include game lines, parlays, props, and futures.
  5. βœ… Click on the side you want to bet on to add it to your betslip.
  6. βœ… Adjust your wager amount.
  7. βœ… Watch and wait to see if your college basketball bet wins!

🎁 MORE: NC Betting Promos

How to Read NCAAB Betting Lines: How College Basketball Moneylines Work

College basketball odds are almost always presented in the American odds or moneyline format. You'll see either a plus sign or a minus sign in front of a number. The number following a plus sign (+) is the amount you can win on a $100 bet. The number following a minus sign (-) is the amount you would need to bet to win $100.

These odds demonstrate a team's perceived chances of winning or losing. Negative odds indicate the favored basketball team; positive odds indicate the underdog. All you have to decide is which team will win.

The American odds format is used to indicate not just moneyline markets, but totals, futures, and prop bets, as well. So, if you understand how NFL moneyline odds work, you'll understand the rest of college basketball betting that much better.

Popular Types of Bets on NC College Basketball Odds

While there are many types of wagers you can make on college basketball teams, these are the three easiest that I recommend:

  • Moneyline Positive moneyline odds indicate an underdog team, who will yield a bigger payout if they win.
  • Point Spread Bet on whether or not a team will win (or lose) by the expected total amount.
  • Live Betting Bet in game as lines shift to get higher payouts on more favorable odds that follow the action.
Must be 21+ to participate & present in NC. T&Cs Apply. Play Responsibly. Gambling problem? Call 877-718-5543 or visit morethanagame.nc.gov

Can I Bet on College Basketball in North Carolina?

Yes, you can bet on college basketball in North Carolina. It's legal to bet on both men's and women's college basketball games in North Carolina. 

Where Can I Bet on College Basketball in North Carolina?

You can bet on college basketball odds at retail sportsbooks locations in the state:

There are also eight sportsbook apps available for download where you can bet on college basketball.

Best College Basketball Betting Sites in North Carolina

There will be several options for betting on college basketball. Here's what each one does best for college basketball bettors:

SportsbookStandout NCAAB Betting Features
πŸ€ FanDuel North CarolinaSpecials, Futures & Promos
πŸ€ DraftKings North CarolinaProps, Futures & Promos
πŸ€ ESPN BET NCBuzzer Beater Protection, Alternate Lines & Promos
πŸ€ bet365 North CarolinaEarly Payouts & Parlays
πŸ€ Caesars Sportsbook North CarolinaFutures, Bet Boosts, Featured Bets & Live Betting
πŸ€ Fanatics North CarolinaLocal Teams & Trending Bets
πŸ€ BetMGM North CarolinaSame-Game Parlays

It's worth noting that Underdog Sports North Carolina is just getting off the ground for sports betting, so we don't know exactly what it's college offering will look like.

NC sportsbook promos are live, just in time for conference and NCAA tournaments.

NCAA Basketball Betting: Best Bets

There are 19 D1 men's and women's college basketball programs in North Carolina. Let's take a look at the top betting contenders and events for 2024.

March Madness

The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, more commonly known as March Madness, is a single-elimination tournament to determine the NCAA national champions. 

Resources for March Madness & NCAA Tournament betting

The Selection Committee assigns each team that qualifies for the tournament a seed 1 through 16 in a given region. The highest seed still alive will always play the lowest seed still alive until there is just one team left standing.

It begins with 68 teams divided into four regions (East, South, Midwest, and West). Each conference winner earns an automatic bid to the tournament, and the committee gives them a seeding. The "First Four" round kicks off the tournament with four play-in games to determine which teams will get to compete in earnest.

Dividing the teams and matchups this way lends itself to picking brackets (aka the science of "Bracketology"). 

Final Four

The Final Four is a coveted place in March Madness. It refers to the last four teams standing in the tournament, the four teams that won their respective regions.

NIT (National Invitational Tournament)

The NCAA National Invitational Tournament is another postseason, single-elimination tournament in college basketball. From the 1930s to the 1970s, it was the premiere college basketball tournament. However, with the rise of March Madness, the NIT has become known was somewhat of a "consolation" bracket for teams that didn't make the 68 cut.

Nevertheless, some high-profile programs have won the NIT championships since 2000, including Xavier, Wichita State, Baylor, Dayton and Michigan.

University of North Carolina Tar Heels

  • πŸ“ Location: Chapel Hill, NC

The UNC Tar Heels men's team is one of the most successful programs in NCAAB history. They have won six National Championships and hold the record for most all-time NCAA tournament wins with 132.

The women's team won the National Championship in 1994 and has been to the Final Four three times total.

πŸ€ MORE: UNC basketball odds

Duke Blue Devils

  • πŸ“ Location: Durham, NC

Duke is one of the other top men's basketball programs in NCAA history. In 119 seasons, they've made 17 Final Four appearances and have 5 National Championship titles. 

The women's team has yet to win a national title, but has made four Final Fours.

πŸ€ MORE: Duke basketball odds 

Must be 21+ to participate & present in NC. T&Cs Apply. Play Responsibly. Gambling problem? Call 877-718-5543 or visit morethanagame.nc.gov

North Carolina College Basketball Betting FAQs

Author

Shannon Lane

Shannon Lane is a commercial editor and fact-checker for BetCarolina. She's spent the last decade working in sports media, including at NFL Media and as a reporter/fact-checker at Sports Illustrated. She covers everything NFL football to give North Carolina sports betters the best information on the Panthers and other NFL teams.

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