Mail
Print
Syracuse is picked to finish fourth by Big East writers, but oddsmakers aren't so sure. 5dimes, Bodog and BetOnline have the orange listed sixth, while TheGreek has them picked to finish seventh.
Perhaps you saw the Big East’s media poll that was released on Monday? You know, the one that made me even MORE confused about the teams in this eight-team league?
West Virginia, Pittsburgh and South Florida were, predictably, ranked first, second and third at the top. I could make an argument that USF should be second above Pitt, but I’ll let that go for now.
But the media’s rankings from No. 4 through No. 8 was all out of whack, and not even close to what I expected.
Here is the poll, as voted on by Big East media:
1. West Virginia
2. Pittsburgh
3. South Florida
4. Syracuse
5. Cincinnati
6. Connecticut
7. Louisville
8. Rutgers
Again, there’s no real surprise at the top. But if you look at Nos. 4 through 8 and compare them to oddsmakers’ numbers, you’ll see a world of difference. In fact, even oddsmakers can’t agree, as there are no unanimous selections outside of the first three slots.
Here is a comparison of Big East odds from four major offshore sportsbooks:
| TEAM | 5Dimes | TheGreek | Bodog | BetOnline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | +180 | +250 | +180 | +200 |
| South Florida | +275 | +250 | +250 | +250 |
| Pittsburgh | +360 | +350 | +350 | +350 |
| Cincinnati | +950 | +500 | +700 | +550 |
| Louisville | +1150 | +800 | +1000 | +500 |
| Syracuse | +1700 | +1300 | +1500 | +800 |
| Connecticut | +2300 | +1800 | +2200 | +2000 |
| Rutgers | +2400 | +1200 | +2000 | +1000 |
Notice that Syracuse, picked to finish fourth by Big East writers, is listed sixth by three sportsbooks — Bodog, BetOnline and 5Dimes — and seventh by TheGreek. You can get Syracuse at +800 at BetOnline or at +1700 at 5Dimes.
Though the writers picked Pitt to finish second in the league, three sportsbooks have USF listed second and another has them in a tie for first at +250 with West Virginia.
Other notable differences?
- BetOnline lists Rutgers at +1000, while 5Dimes (+2400) and Bodog (+2000) offer a payoff that’s at least twice as high.
- Cincinnati, which is picked to finish fourth at three of four books, can be had from anywhere between +500 (TheGreek) and +950 (5Dimes).
- Louisville is priced anywhere between +500 and +1100 at the four books, and one book, BetOnline, has given them the fourth-best odds to win the conference.
