Who's the best team? Who shouldn't have made the tournament? Which lower seed is favored? Who are the Sharps backing?

Las Vegas, Nevada (March 16, 2009) - If understood properly, Las Vegas odds offer compelling insight into the NCAA Basketball Tournament. RJ Bell of Pregame.com provided the following tidbits:

According to Las Vegas, the worst at-large team in the tournament is Dayton, which would be an underdog on a neutral floor against San Diego State, Penn State, St. Mary's, Virginia Tech, Creighton, Florida, and Notre Dame - all teams that did not make the tournament.

Wisconsin, questioned by many as a tournament team, would likely be favored against any team not in the tournament.
 
North Carolina would be favored against any team in the country. Pitt would be favored against any team except the Tar Heels.

Three lower seeded teams are favored over higher seeded teams: #12 Arizona is a 1-point favorite over #5 Utah; #10 USC is a 2-point favorite over #7 Boston College; #9 Tennessee is a 2-point favorite over Oklahoma State.

North Carolina is the biggest first-round favorite at 27 points over Radford. Duke is the biggest favorite that is not a #1 seed, 22 points over Binghamton.

Two teams have received heavy action from the Sharps: UCLA opened as a 10-point favorite over VCU, but heavy underdog action has moved the line to 7. Illinois opened as a 6 point favorite over W. Kentucky, but heavy underdog action has moved the line to 4.

Pregame.com is a news organization which consults experts inside and outside of Las Vegas. Licensed Nevada oddsmakers and gaming executives are unable to communicate with complete candor due to political considerations. Unrestricted by such limitations, Pregame.com provides the clearest estimate of the true sports betting market.

For all of RJ Bell's unique March Madness reporting, visit: /blogstore/rj-bell/default.aspx

MEDIA NOTE: Print, radio, TV, and Internet media should feel free to quote any information above. Please attribute: RJ Bell of Pregame.com. For follow-up questions, or media appearances - email: rjbell@pregame.com

RJ Bell of Pregame.com is the only sports bettor on Forbes' recent list of Gambling Gurus and has been called "a true insider" by ESPN, "incredibly astute" by AOL and a "point-spread maven" by USA Today. Mr. Bell has been featured on CBS News with Katie Couric, ABC News with Charles Gibson, Nightline, Sportscenter, Outside the Lines (ESPN), First Take (ESPN2), Mike & Mike, Colin Cowherd, Jim Rome, Dan Patrick, ESPN.com, FoxSports.com, Yahoo, CNN.com and in the Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, LA Times, Newsweek.com, Bloomberg, Maxim, and Sports Illustrated. Pregame.com is the largest sports betting news website compliant with US Law.

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