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2021 National Championship Game Betting: Baylor Bears vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs Odds, Analysis and Picks

2021 National Championship Game Betting: Baylor Bears vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs

At the onset of the season, the Gonzaga Bulldogs and Baylor Bears were top futures picks for the Final Four.  Last year the pandemic was all that could stop Baylor or Gonzaga from cutting down the nets.  Concurrently, this year each program has proved the worth of their respective programs.  Neither school is a traditional March Madness betting national power.  But both have emerged as consistent championship contenders.  Gonzaga has better brand recognition with casual fans.  However, Baylor is quickly changing their national perception.  

Baylor Bears vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs Betting Information

Date: Monday, April 5, 2021
Time: 9:20 p.m. ET
Location: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
TV Coverage: CBS

Baylor Bears vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs Betting Odds

Team SP/RL TOTAL ML
Baylor +4½ (-110) 159½ (-110) +178
Gonzaga -4½ (-110) 159½ (-110) -215
Place Bets

Gonzaga is an undefeated freight train that is easy for casual gamblers to understand.  For fans that ignore regular-season college basketball, Gonzaga makes it easy.  Cause by the fact that they’ve been ranked number one in the country all season.  Having not lost a game makes the Bulldogs a thoughtless best sportsbook online wager.

For wise guys, Baylor is an attractive alternative.  Consider the rarity of getting a power program at plus money.  Baylor dominated the much more competitive Big 12 Conference.  There is a myth about college basketball Cinderella teams in March Madness.  But the truth is another matter.  In the later rounds, the cream consistently rises to the top.  And in Baylor and Gonzaga, we get a pair of bona fide elite programs.

Gonzaga on the Cusp of Completing Climb

Once upon a time, Gonzaga was a Cinderella darling with gamblers and fans.  The Bulldogs were famous for early-round March Madness upsets.  But the Zags lacked the staying power to make it to the Final Four.  Head coach Mark Few has changed all of that.  Few used those early years to gain this small school located in Washington State greater notoriety.  Specifically, recruits began to take notice of the Zags.  And that transformed them into a 2021 March Madness Betting

national power.  In like manner, Gonzaga is similar to another small Catholic program, Villanova.

Baylor Emerges from Ashes

Meanwhile, Baylor is a private Baptist school from Waco, Texas.  Further, they operated in the heart of college football country.  Head coach Scott Drew has transformed Baylor into a bet on NCAA basketball national power.  All of which makes for one of the best national championship game matchups in years.

Baylor Bears vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs CashBet Free Pick

Overall, Gonzaga and Baylor are “new money” college basketball powers.  In a sport dominated by blue-bloods, Baylor and Gonzaga are new to the party.  But with coaches Mark Few (Gonzaga) and Scott Drew (Baylor), they will be threats for the national title for years to come.   While college football has seen the same powers dominate, college basketball offers new blood.  To show, the 2021 March Madness betting action has seen a passing of the baton.

To be exact, “old money” powers such as North Carolina, Kansas, Duke, and Kentucky were not serious factors.  Casual money flowed on those teams.  But that was money based on the past.  Old narratives and attitudes busted a lot of bankrolls for 2021.

Certainly, Gonzaga has been on the national radar for several years.  But the Bulldogs still lack that national title that will legitimize them with the masses.  Last year, Baylor emerged as a favorite team of sharps.  Kansas is the blue-blood power of the Big 12.  However, the Bears have taken that mantle away from the Jayhawks.  Baylor has often shown better gambling value than the name-brand programs.

On the whole, sharps are going to prefer a powerful Baylor team at plus points.  Counter to that is an undefeated Gonzaga program that the public will pound. As a result, this makes for a classic national championship game matchup.  In turn, the betting handle is already at all-time highs.  Accordingly, live betting will generate more activity than ever before too!

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