Vegas lines: Thursday’s games | Friday’s games

Top seeds may have not lost a game in the Big Dance yet, but it is important for bettors to know they went just 2-6 against the spread in this round the previous two years. In addition, No. 12 seeds have gone 3-1 straight-up against No. 5 seeds each of the past two NCAA Tournaments and 10-5-1 ATS over the last four seasons. And while No. 4 seeds are a solid 8-4 ATS combined the past three years, a No. 13 seed has managed to pull off a SU upset in 11 of the last 14 NCAA Tournaments.

Following are more than a dozen additional betting trends covering three games in each region….

Midwest Region

No. 8 Cincinnati vs. No. 9 Purdue – The Boilermakers have won their first game of the tournament 12 straight times, going 9-3 ATS.

No. 6 Butler vs. No. 11 Texas – The Bulldogs won and covered the spread against No. 11 seeds in 2011 and 2013, and they are riding a six-game winning streak as the higher seed to go along with a 5-1 ATS mark.

No. 3 Notre Dame vs. No. 14 Northeastern – The Huskies are 8-1 ATS as double-digit underdogs since 2012, while the Fighting Irish have gone just 1-8 ATS in their last nine games in the Big Dance.

West Region

No. 7 VCU vs. No. 10 Ohio State – This is only the fifth time since 2008 that a No. 10 seed has been favored over a No. 7 seed, and the Rams are an impressive 12-3 ATS in their past 15 NCAA Tournament games.

No. 5 Arkansas vs. No. 12 Wofford – The Razorbacks have been upset in the Round of 64 the last two times they have been favored and are 1-6 SU and ATS in their past seven NCAA Tournament games.

No. 1 Wisconsin vs. No. 16 Coastal Carolina – The Badgers are 7-1-1 ATS in their last nine NCAA Tournament games but 2-8-1 ATS in their past 11 as double-digit favorites overall.

East Region

No. 8 North Carolina State vs. No. 9 LSU – The Tigers were 7-1 ATS as underdogs this season.

No. 2 Virginia vs. No. 15 Belmont – The Bruins are 1-5 ATS in losing their previous six NCAA Tournament games.

No. 1 Villanova vs. No. 16 Lafayette – The Wildcats are just 2-6 ATS in this round since 2006 and 1-6 ATS in their last seven NCAA Tournament games overall, including 1-3 SU in their past four when favored. They are 2-3 ATS this season when favored by 20 points or more.

South Region

No. 6 SMU vs. No. 11 UCLA – The Bruins have covered five straight games as underdogs.

No. 5 Utah vs. No. 12 Stephen F. Austin – The Utes were upset by Arizona as a No. 5 seed back in 2008 and have gone 2-5 ATS in their last seven games as a favorite, losing four times.

No. 3 Iowa State vs. No. 14 UAB – The Blazers have covered eight games in a row as underdogs, winning five of their past six SU under that scenario.

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