North Carolina online sports betting is not yet available, but bettors still want to get the best UNC basketball odds.
With six national championships to their credit, the North Carolina Tar Heels are among the most storied basketball programs in the country and one of the game’s “blue-bloods.”
Legal online sports betting continues to make its paces toward a launch in North Carolina. If it succeeds, then UNC basketball betting will become easier than ever.
At least for now, fans of the blue and white will have to place their UNC bets at one of North Carolina’s retail sportsbooks.
UNC Basketball Odds At The Best Sportsbooks
| Sportsbook | NCAA Odds |
|---|---|
| DraftKings Sportsbook North Carolina | N/A |
| FanDuel Sportsbook North Carolina | N/A |
| BetMGM Sportsbook North Carolina | N/A |
UNC’s odds to win the 2023 National Championship are not indicative of the historical dominance they’ve enjoyed over the decades.
Even some of the game’s best programs go through peaks and valleys, and while it’s probably inaccurate to call this stretch a “valley” for the Tar Heels, they’re certainly not at the top of their game.
UNC missed the March Madness cut in 2023, but don’t expect that to become a habit for the university.
Where Can You Bet On UNC Basketball?
Right now, there are three in-person Las Vegas-style retail sportsbooks in North Carolina. Sports fans can find these located within the state’s casinos.
If you live in North Carolina, then you can travel to these locations to place your bets on UNC Basketball:
- Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort
- Catawba Two Kings Casino
- Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River
Online Sportsbooks In NC
There is optimism that legalized sports betting will launch in North Carolina sooner than later. The bill is working its way through the legislative process and appears to be inching methodically to the finish line. If and when that happens, the North Carolina Lottery Commission will be responsible for issuing up to 12 licenses. Some of those will likely be online sportsbooks a bettor can access via its mobile app.
UNC Schedule 2023
Once the calendar flips to the new year, college basketball teams are steeped in conference play. While some exceptions do exist, most of the rivalry games occur within the conference schedule. The conference schedule leads into the ACC Tournament which leads into the NCAA Tournament.
The Tar Heels are not currently considered a lock to earn a ticket to the NCAA Tournament, so it will be important for them to continue to collect wins in conference play and deliver a strong showing in the ACC Tournament.
UNC plays its arch-rivals, Duke and North Carolina State, twice apiece each season, and they often line up against them for a third time during the conference tournament. These are some of the most discussed matchups on the sports calendar in North Carolina, not just the basketball calendar.
How UNC Basketball Betting Odds Are Calculated
Perhaps the most common odds in the US are referred to as “money line” odds, and they involve a bettor picking a winner. They’re the simplest odds to understand — generally speaking — and a good way for a prospective North Carolina bettor to dip a toe into the industry.
In a money line wager, the favorite is represented by a minus (-) sign while the underdog is represented by a plus (+) sign. For instance, in a game in which the UNC Tar Heels are favored to win, their moneyline odds may be -130. In this case, a bettor will be required to put up $130 for the chance to net $100 in the event of a Heels victory. If the Tar Heels are the underdog in a particular matchup, their odds may be +120. In this scenario, a bettor would put up $100 for the opportunity to net $120 for a UNC upset victory.
Oddsmakers come up with the lines after conducting in-depth research on both the numerical side of a matchup, but also intangible factors that can’t be measured as easily. It’s a complex process that even exceeds the capabilities of hardcore fans, and that’s why they’re employed by the industry’s best sportsbooks.
After the lines are released, they will be adjusted in relation to the wagers being made on a particular side — both the quality and quantity. The books want to balance their risk and ensure they’re in a position to win, and winning is what they typically do. The amount of money on a side plays a role in how the book will respond. But even more important is where/who that money is coming from. A “sharp” bettor carries more weight than the “public.”
Point spread betting is another popular form of sports wagering that North Carolina’s figure to enjoy. Point spread betting isn’t dissimilar from a money line wager, it just requires bettors to consider more than whether a side will simply win or lose. The bettor will have to decide if a side will win or lose by a particular amount.
For example, if the Tar Heels’ line is set at -5.5 — remember, the minus indicates that they’re favored — they will need to win their game by a margin greater than 5.5 points. Practically, this means they need to win by 6. Conversely, if UNC’s line is +5.5, they’ll need to lose by no more than 5 points in order to cover. Another detail new bettors should know regarding betting vernacular is that a favorite is said to be “laying” points. Meanwhile, an underdog is “getting” points.
(Click the link for more information about how UNC Football Odds are calculated.)
UNC Basketball Futures Odds
Sportsbook NCAA Odds Final Four ACC Odds
DraftKings Sportsbook N/A N/A N/A
FanDuel Sportsbook N/A N/A N/A
BetMGM Sportsbook N/A N/A N/A
The North Carolina Tar Heels need to secure their place among the 68-team NCAA Tournament field before bettors can consider them among dark horse teams to cut down the nets. Winning the ACC Tournament would earn an automatic trip into the postseason spectacle. (Note: The ACC odds listed in the table above are for the Tar Heels to finish atop the conference in the regular season. Their odds to win the ACC Basketball Tournament are created separately once that tournament is set.)
UNC Basketball Prop Bets
A proposition — or simply “prop” — bet involves wagering on the odds of particular events or accomplishments that may occur during a game or a season. These events aren’t directly related to the winner or loser of a game. Prop bets are often tied to an individual player — will Player X score Over/Under a certain amount of points, for example. They can be team focused as well.
Prop bets allow bettors a way to sink themselves deeper into the action of a game, and to become invested in results beyond the final score.
Live Betting On UNC Basketball In North Carolina
Live, in-game betting is a feature more mobile sportsbook apps are offering to bettors. This type of bet can be made after a game has tipped off and opens the door for more wagering opportunities. Imagine UNC enters a matchup as 10-point favorites — large spreads aren’t uncommon in college sports as the talent discrepancy can be significant — and fall into a 10-point deficit early on. The live odds may change to UNC -4, for example. A shrewd bettor who still believes the Tar Heels are vastly superior may opt to lay the new line (-4) with the expectation that they will hit their stride in the second half and proceed to record a comfortable victory.
FanDuel and DraftKings Sportsbook both offer live, in-game betting. That’s not an exhaustive list, but those two books are great mobile apps for bettors to keep in their rotation thanks to their odds and features — including live betting.
How To Bet On The NCAA Tournament In North Carolina
Those willing to make the trip to one of North Carolina’s three retail sportsbooks can bet on the NCAA Tournament. However, since we’re focusing on legal sports betting throughout the entire state — with an added focus on wagering through mobile sportsbook apps — the reality for North Carolinians is that they may have to opt for betting in a different state. Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington DC are relatively nearby and have each legalized sports gambling.
UNC Basketball Arena
The UNC Tar Heels play their home games at the Dean E. Smith Center which is located at 300 Skipper Bowles Drive in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. With a capacity of 21,750, the “Dean Dome”, as it’s affectionately nicknamed, is one of the largest arenas in the nation. Under state law, the Smith Center would be eligible to host a sportsbook. However, since it’s a college arena, it’s questionable whether a sportsbook will open onsite.
UNC Basketball Odds FAQs
Oddsmakers take into account a number of factors, both tangible and intangible, in order to arrive at a set of lines or odds for teams. Those factors include but are not limited to current form, injuries, and home/road splits.
Yes. FanDuel offers odds and lines on UNC Basketball games and futures. FanDuel also provides its users with live/in-game betting.
There isn’t one set book that has the “best” odds on any given team or event. Bettors should keep multiple books in rotation. While odds and lines will ultimately wind up in a very similar range, bettors can find value in the lead-up to the event. As little as half a point of difference in a line can provide a bettor with worthwhile value.
At the moment, only retail sportsbooks are legal in North Carolina. Bettors can find these books within the state’s three tribal casinos.
North Carolinians can bet at one of the three in-person sportsbooks located in the state’s casinos. However, beyond that, residents in the Tar Heel State don’t have online options through which to place legal wagers.
The North Carolina Tar Heels are arguably, perhaps probably, the most popular basketball team — professional or collegiate — in the state. As a national brand that has produced a number of iconic professional players, such as Michael Jordan, Vince Carter, and Jerry Stackhouse, they possess national appeal as well.
There are also plenty of fans who consider themselves “ABC” fans — “Anyone But Carolina.” A program that has a segment of the fanbase that is passionately against it often suggests that it moves the needle quite significantly on the popularity scale.
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