Alabama vs. Virginia Tech First Round Betting Odds, Trends & Picks

US sportsbook players are enthralled to finally be able to sink their teeth into the March Madness betting action. With the tournament officially kicking off this Tuesday, bettors know the best time of the year is finally here. The First Round of action officially commences this Thursday. One matchup worth taking a look at is the pairing between Alabama and Virginia Tech. Take a look.

Betting Alabama

Avery Johnson joined Alabama just three seasons ago. And while his first two were mildly unsuccessful, Johnson has now been able to lead the program to an NCAA Tournament berth. To get here, the Crimson Tide turned in a 19-15 record. While that may not be all that impressive, it’s good enough to get them to this Thursday’s matchup. Unfortunately, for Bama, it looks like the US sportsbook odds are siding against them.

Betting Virginia Tech

The Hokies come in with a more experienced head coach in Buzz Williams. Although Williams has only been with Virginia Tech for 4 short seasons, he has been in 14 March Madness pairings. Granted, his counterpart was an NBA player who found plenty of success in the pros. But when it comes to leading his team to an NCAA Tournament victory, there’s no doubt Williams is the more experienced of the two. Not only that, the Hokies come in with a better roster. Specifically, Virginia Tech has a total of 5 different players averaging double-digit figures. For comparison; the Tide only has 3. Is that enough to convince US sportsbook player to take Virginia Tech in this First Round matchup?

NCAA Tournament – First Round – 9 Alabama Crimson Tide vs. 8 Virginia Tech Hokies

• Date & Time: Thursday, March 15^th || 8:20 pm ET
• Venue: PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• TV Broadcast: TNT
• Online Stream: Drama on TNT
• Best US Sportsbook Betting Lines:
  • Alabama Crimson Tide +2 (-110) 141½ (-110)    +112
  • Virginia Tech Hokies -2 (-110) 141½ (-110)    -132

The above listed odds hail from Intertops sportsbook. When it comes to March Madness betting, there’s no doubt Intertops is a fan favorite. With some of the most competitive lines on the internet, and an easy to navigate site, it’s easy to understand why Intertops is so popular amongst NCAA betting players. Feel free to check out our online sportsbook review to get an in depth look at this industry leader. Alternatively, you can hop on their site to begin the sign up process immediately!

9 Alabama Crimson Tide vs. 8 Virginia Tech Hokies || March Madness Betting Picks

Betting Trends:

• ALA is 4-6 STRAIGHT UP in their last 10
• ALA is 5-5 vs. the SPREAD in their last 10
• ALA is 5-4-1 vs. TOTALS in their last 10
• VATEC is 5-5 STRAIGHT UP in their last 10
• VATEC is 6-4 vs. the SPREAD in their last 10
• VATEC is 1-9 vs. the TOTALS in their last 10

Best Online Sportsbook Pick: 74-72 Virginia Tech. The Hokies wield much more talent than the Crimson Tide. Therefore, sportsbook players should bank on Virginia Tech advancing to the next round.

Best Online Sportsbook Bet to Make: All things considered, it’s looking like taking the Hokies on the money line is the best option. The odds aren’t titled in their favor all that heavily and they have enough advantage to get the job done.