Looking to make some money gain some honor back after your Final Four of Ohio State, Duke, Kansas and Florida didn't pan out in your tournament pool? Bodog, the online sports books, is offering dozens of Final Four prop bets. You can wager on whether Bradford Burgess make his first shot attempt, the over/under on Matt Howard rebounds, the first player to score in each game, and the final margin of victory for any of the four teams. Here are a few of the most interesting props, as well as a few that didn't make the cut:
Will any game end in a buzzer beater?
10/1
How does Vegas afford $10 bets that turn into $50,000 payouts? By luring folks in with wagers like this. Final Four games tend to be forgettable (the last great one was Georgia Tech-Oklahoma State in 2004) and rarely end in a buzzer beater. The last Final Four buzzer beater was in the 1983 national championship game when N.C. State's accidental alley-oop beat Houston. ("They won it! On the dunk!) There have been 81 Final Four games since then, none of which ended with a shot as time expired.
Who will win Most Outstanding Player?
Kemba Walker, 2/1; Brandon Knight 2/1; Jamie Skeen, 10/1; Matt Howard 12/1 (among others)
Just when I think that I've fully realized the absurdity of VCU making the Final Four, I look at a list like this and see Jamie Skeen getting reasonable odds to win MOP. Why does it feel like there's not much palpable shock about VCU getting this far? Did George Mason dull our sense of wonder?
Will Brad Stevens be coaching Butler next November? Will Shaka Smart be coaching VCU next November?
Yes, 1/4
No, 5/2
These are separate bets with the same odds. That's silly. Stevens is in a good situation at Butler and there aren't any super-high-profile jobs that will interest him this offseason. He's considered so untouchable that his name isn't even popping up on the unrealistic wish lists of N.C. State and Tennessee fans. (I think I saw James Naismith on a list of candidates on a Wolfpack message board.) Smart, on the other hand, is a much better bet to bolt.
Will Charles Barkley correctly pick the last three games of the tournament? 5-1
There's a 1-in-8 chance of guessing three games correctly. Me thinks Sir Charles is getting a little too much credit. They did see his bracket, right?
Prop bets BoDog isn't offering but should be:
1. Amount of puns Clark Kellogg makes using Shaka Smart's name. (+/- 7)
2. Which image will open "One Shining Moment"? (Ball rolling, 2/1; ball being tipped, 5/2; cheerleader dancing, 6/1; mascot bobbing its head, 8/1; Jimmer, OFF)
3. How many times will Barkley mention the NBA during the pregame and halftime shows? (+/- 102)
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