The 2022 NCAA Tournament begins in earnest Thursday with a full-slate of 16 first-round contests. The all-day action tips off at 12:15 p.m. ET with Colorado State vs. Michigan, and concludes with Kansas facing Texas Southern. There are plenty of wagers for bettors to consider, including a number of March Madness player props.
Not every state allows betting on college player props or in-state collegiate teams. It’s helpful for bettors to familiarize themselves with the gambling laws that govern their particular state.
Thursday’s March Madness Player Props
While it’s great to watch teams, from favorites to Cinderellas, find a groove over a run of games, the NCAA Tournament serves as a grand stage on which individual players can shine. DraftKings Sportsbook and FanDuel Sportsbook are offering 2022 March Madness player props, beginning with Thursday’s contests.
Here are a few on our radar:
Hunter Dickinson Over/Under 8.5 rebounds (+105/-140, DraftKings)
No. 6 Colorado State vs. No. 11 Michigan (-2.5), 12:15 pm, CBS
Dickinson is averaging 8.3 boards on the season and has corralled nine-plus in four of his last five games. Michigan is the short betting favorite at sportsbooks despite drawing the lower seed. Dickinson stands 7-foot-1, 260 pounds and looks like a matchup nightmare for a Colorado State team that lacks size. Dischon Thomas, 6-9, 232, is the biggest rotation player the Rams have at their disposal, but he averages only 15.8 minutes per contest.
Jalen Duren Over/Under 13.5 points (+105/-140, DraftKings)
No. 8 Boise State vs. No. 9 Memphis (-2.5), 1:45 pm, TNT
Duren is a 6-foot-10, 250-pound interior force, whose frame and developing offensive game conjure memories of a young Dwight Howard. Duren’s game is unrefined, but he’s averaging 12.2 points as a freshman. He’s shown enough flashes as a post-up player and face-up shooter for bettors to be optimistic about him against the undersized Broncos. Bettors have options when it comes to Duren. FanDuel is setting the O/U at -12.5 points (-113 both ways).
Jeremy Sochan Over/Under 9.5 points (+110/-145, DraftKings)
No. 1 Baylor (-20.5) vs. No. 16 Norfolk State, 2:00 pm, TBS
Baylor’s Sochan is a freshman forward considered a potential lottery pick. As with many “projectable” prospects, Sochan has done more teasing than producing in his first tour of college ball. However, he’s turning tools into tangible results more frequently of late. With the Bears heavily favored, it’s reasonable to lean toward the Over. He’s received 30-plus minutes of run on six occasions and scored 10-plus points in five of them. Even in the game he failed to do so, he still attempted 11 shots. Presumptions are risky — even for a 16 vs. 1 — but a blowout is firmly in the cards. And if that’s the case, another 30-plus minutes will be attainable for Sochan.
Keegan Murray Over/Under 24.5 points (-130/+100, DraftKings)
No. 5 Iowa (-10.5) vs. No. 12 Richmond, 3:10 pm, truTV
Keegan Murray is a highly touted NBA prospect. He’s averaging 23.6 points per game, so DraftKings is pushing the envelope a little bit. He’s been hot though, along with his Hawkeye teammates. He averaged 25.8 points over Iowa’s four-game streak to the Big Ten title. Bettors can also wager on Murray scoring 25-plus points for -108 at FanDuel, a better proposition for ‘over’ bettors.
Chet Holmgren Records Double-Double In Gonzaga Win (+130, FanDuel)
No. 1 Gonzaga (-23.5) vs. No. 16 Georgia State, 4:15 pm, TNT
Holmgren, another of March Madness’ top NBA prospects, averages 14.2 points and 9.6 rebounds on the season. He’s recorded 11 double-doubles, and based on talent, it’s far from a stretch to imagine another on Thursday. While we no longer take the 1 vs. 16 matchups for granted, Gonzaga securing the victory feels like a safe bet. The primary — perhaps even obvious — concern is Holmgren being rested down the stretch of a potential blowout. It’s also worth considering Georgia State has some rugged bodies on the interior who could provide enough physical resistance to slow Holmgren to a degree.
Also read: March Madness upset alert | March Madness bracket tips | March Madness sportsbook bonuses | Six-figure bets at DraftKings | Vegas bookmaker Kornegay talks shop | NCAA Tournament first-round betting lines | Futures odds for all 68 teams | Women’s tourney odds | How to read March Madness odds | Biggest upsets in March Madness history
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