Wisconsin opened with the best odds of a No. 5 vs. No. 12 seed at 12.5. All the talk was about how Wisconsin got a bad draw to go up against the No. 12 High Point Panthers. Considering they are the fourth-best offensive scoring team in the nation at 90 points per game. However, Vegas didn't think so; they originally had the line nice for the Badgers.
However, with the national narrative and betters coming in, it slowly moved towards 10.5 according to FanDuel. That might be due to national analysts like Clark Kellogg on the CBS Selection Show putting the Badgers on upset alert immediately.
No matter how the betters move the line, Vegas giving Wisconsin the best odds for a No. 5 seed to open the line should shut up the doubters. While there are many penciling in High Point as the fun upsets in the tournament, Vegas doesn't think so, and neither should you.
Vegas opened with Wisconsin having the best odds for a No. 5 vs. No. 12 seed
Related: Why Wisconsin’s NCAA Tournament draw is better than Badger fans think
Sure, the Panthers score a lot, but Wisconsin loves that pace of play and is a better team on paper. So, the pace will play right into the hands of the Badgers. If anything is bad news for Wisconsin, it's the fact that the No. 5 seed line may be cursed for the team.
They've been a No. 5 seed five times and have only advanced out of it once. That's not ideal, but if any team can break that streak, it's this team. A team that loves to be underrated and overlooked. They will derive juice from the fact that bettors are putting money down on High Point and national analysts are saying pencil High Point into the next round.
Don't doubt this team, Vegas isn't, and neither should you. Wisconsin is a safe bet for advancing on to take on the winner of Arkansas and Hawaii.