Most seed-versus-seed outcomes ought to be taken with a grain of salt (and a shot of tequila followed by a lime wedge), but there's no denying the No. 12 versus No. 5 March Madness trend. Despite the randomness, this pairing continues to for those selecting the No. 12 seed - at least versus the spread.

Since 2012, No. 5 seeds are 27-21 SU versus No. 12 seeds and 20-27-1 ATS in those opening-round matchups. Over the previous 5 Big Dances (remembering we didn't have one in 2020), No. 5 seeds are 12-8 SU and 9-11 ATS, going 2-2 SU and 1-3 ATS in the 2024 tournament Round of 64.

Don't just blindly wager on No. 12 seeds over No. 5's but treat this trend with respect - like dealing with a cobra.

Three patterns to fade

There's a surplus of shallow March Madness wagering patterns out there that you ought to never blindly route when positioning your bets or developing your bracket. Here's the suggestion of the iceberg.

Conference trends

Certain conferences will have more powerful historical ATS records in the NCAA Tournament, but the teams, opponents, gamers and spreads all vary when constructing out this bull crap. The overall strength of conferences sways every year, so do not go chasing after the SEC teams or fading ACC schools based solely on those conferences' counts against the spread.

Seed vs. Seed trends

We've singled out the No. 5-versus-No. 12 pattern, which ruined a lot of "smart" brackets with all 4 No. 5 seeds advancing in 2023. Bettors ought to tread gently with that information and more so with other patterns around seed-versus-seed. The level of parity in college basketball appears to be expanding by the season, so don't base a bet exclusively on the Selection Committee's seeding.

Point spread and Over/Under trends

Brace yourself for some doozies when it pertains to any historical NCAA Tournament trends powered by spreads and overalls. You'll get tantalizing trends around the Round of 64 underdogs in between a certain point variety and Over/Under ideas based upon previous totals from particular seeding matches.

As discussed, some patterns can lead you down the right handicapping road however much of these take you and your bankroll to a dead end. Be hesitant of these patterns and look into the past results that powered them. If you can, attempt to find a story behind them that could roll over into this year's March Madness field.

How sportsbooks deal with March Madness patterns

Perhaps the very best method to gauge how helpful March Madness wagering patterns are is to take a look at the folks setting the odds for March Madness.

If you ask an oddsmaker if they're considering the past against the spread (ATS) success of No. 15 seeds into this year's No. 2-versus-No. 15 match odds, they'll likely laugh in your face. Bookmakers mostly overlook historical patterns, particularly in college sports, as gamer and skill turnover differs greatly from year-to-year.

Oddsmakers base their numbers on current kind and information from that season instead of historic hoo-ha pulling from random groups with random players led by random coaches from random conferences dipping into random sites. You understand.

The decision on March Madness patterns

Basketball gamblers should watch out for numerous March Madness trends. While banking on them blindly is bonkers, there are lessons to be discovered from examining them and picking up on previous patterns.

Veteran handicapper Marc Lawrence has an enormous sports betting database that pumps out multiple March Madness wagering trends every year. And while he does not get on board all those with his NCAA Tournament bets, he sees the value in what he calls "expecting span".

"There is a reason that Winston Churchill said, 'Those who stop working to discover from history are destined repeat it,'" Lawrence states. "By discovering failures and successes from the past and applying abilities from today, we progress, well-rounded handicappers. Yes, groups alter, but methods and patterns are highly predictive ... By counting on previous patterns, we can much better expect span."

March Madness betting sites

March Madness is a very popular time of year for sports bettors and one of the busiest for online sportsbooks. With every betting site offering March Madness chances, it's essential to understand which are safe and secure, provide a wide variety of banking alternatives, and provide you a lots of markets for each video game. Check out the very best March Madness wagering websites in your area, examined by Covers' team of educated experts.