Motivation For Xavier/A10 tournament odds

[MarvAlbert]

According to Bovada.lv-

VCU 9/5
St. Louis 2/1
Temple 13/2
LaSalle 15/2
Butler 8/1
dayton 25/1
Richmond 25/1
St. Joe's 25/1
Xavier 30/1
UMass 30/1
George Washington 75/1
Charlotte 150/1

[GetUp5]

Can any rational person explain that? I mean, seriously...

[GoMuskies]

Dayton has some rich, stupid fans who like to gamble?

[X-band '01]

And drag down their odds doing so?

#idontunderstandhowgamblingworks

[powerofX]

Can any rational person explain that? I mean, seriously...

We play vcu second. Playing the top odds hurts ours

[MarvAlbert]

And drag down their odds doing so?

#idontunderstandhowgamblingworks

The more a team is bet on, the lower the odds get. Say most bettors are betting on Xavier +1 vs. SJ, the line would decrease to +0.5, to -0, to -0.5, to -1, etc until the bet $$$ is evenly spread between Xavier and St. Joe's. The reason they want both sides bet evenly is because most bets are at -110 odds (bet $110 to win $100). So if there is $22,000 in total bets on Xavier and $22,000 in bets on St. Joe's, the house makes $2,000 regardless.

In this scenario, if large bets were placed on Xavier at 30/1, the odds would shrink to 25/1, 20/1, or something in that area. The odds would shrink, so bettors wouldn't see as much value in a wager on Xavier and they might place a different wager. Vegas isn't concerned with who wins, just as long as the money is spread out, so they make money no matter what.

[danaandvictory]

Can any rational person explain that? I mean, seriously...

Pomeroy rankings. X has been barely in the Top 100 all year. Dayton has been comfortably ahead most of the time.

[chico]

The more a team is bet on, the lower the odds get. Say most bettors are betting on Xavier +1 vs. SJ, the line would decrease to +0.5, to -0, to -0.5, to -1, etc until the bet $$$ is evenly spread between Xavier and St. Joe's. The reason they want both sides bet evenly is because most bets are at -110 odds (bet $110 to win $100). So if there is $22,000 in total bets on Xavier and $22,000 in bets on St. Joe's, the house makes $2,000 regardless.

In this scenario, if large bets were placed on Xavier at 30/1, the odds would shrink to 25/1, 20/1, or something in that area. The odds would shrink, so bettors wouldn't see as much value in a wager on Xavier and they might place a different wager. Vegas isn't concerned with who wins, just as long as the money is spread out, so they make money no matter what.

This is not always the case, as Nigel - our resident expert on all things betting - has explained before.