Thursday's college hoops slate may be lacking in terms of the number of games, but that doesn't mean sharps haven't been able to find value on the small schedule.
The two games attracting the most smart money also happen to be the two most intriguing matchups tonight: Maryland-Purdue (7 p.m. ET) and Iowa State-Iowa (8 p.m. ET).
Maryland @ Purdue
7 p.m. ET
Sharp angle: Purdue (moved from -6.5 to -8)
A 7-1, 23rd-ranked Maryland opened as a 6.5-point dog to unranked Purdue. Free money, right?
Most bettors do feel that way, but based on what's transpired in the betting market, sharps don't seem to be among them.
Despite 70% of bets landing on the Terps, their line has actually increased to +8, meaning wiseguys are most likely going the other way.
The 30% of bettors playing the home favorite have accounted for 48% of money wagered on the game, meaning bigger bets — the ones more likely to come from sharps — are on Purdue.
The Boilermakers have also triggered a Sports Insights Bet Signal, an indication of sudden line movement that's caused by sharp action.
Iowa State @ Iowa
8 p.m. ET
Sharp angle: Iowa State (moved from -1.5 to -2.5)
Generally, the public tends to be drawn to favorites — it's easier to stomach placing a bet on the better team. That's not the case today, however.
Once again, it's the ranked team with a plus symbol next to its name that's drawn the majority of bets, as No. 18 Iowa has attracted 60% of bettors. As was the case with the first game mentioned, though, the line hasn't responded to that public action.
After opening at +1.5, Iowa is now at +2.5 as 66% of actual dollars are behind Iowa State, providing a dead giveaway as to which side the wiseguys are playing.
