College basketball 2022-23 Big Ten betting guide

For the last couple of seasons, the Big Ten has definitely been in the running for the best conference in America. Unfortunately, they have not had a lot of NCAA Tournament success so the media has been piling on the league at the end of each year.

This season, Indiana looks good, but there is not one team that truly stands out nationally and we can expect to see some pretty good parity with six programs at less than +1000 to win the league this season. All have a pretty good chance too. 

This is being touted as the Year of the Big Man in college hoops and that is probably the case in the Big Ten, where players like Trayce Jackson-Davis, Hunter Dickinson, and Zach Edey all loom large.

I like a wide-open league for betting purposes, especially when going game to game. Let's have a closer look and see where these teams stand right now. 

Big Ten Regular Season Futures

Indiana Hoosiers +290

A lot of people have TJD as the best player in the league this season. I am not so sure. He and Xavier Johnson are the veteran players every team would like to have, but if the Hoosiers are going to be special Jalen Hood-Schiano has to be one of the best freshmen in the country. Indiana might be good enough to win the league. That price is saying they are no sure thing though.

Michigan Wolverines +380

Dickinson has been a monster ever since he set foot in Ann Arbor. I don't expect that to change even if the players around him seem to do so every season. Michigan is bringing in another talented freshman class and will need to get more out of them than the last group to be elite. Perhaps having the coach's son as part of that group will help. 

Illinois Fighting Illini +470

Illinois never had postseason success with the dominant Kofi Cockburn inside. This season they are going to be a lot more balanced and that could lead to more success. The combination of transfers Terrence Shannon Jr. and Matthew Mayer are a nice way to restock the program. Guard Skyy Clark gets the keys to the program with the hope he does more with it than the departed, and mercurial, Andre Curbelo. 

Iowa Hawkeyes +650

With one Murray brother off to the NBA, the Hawkeyes are hoping the other can shine this season. If Kris Murray plays his way into the lottery too then this team gets a lot more interesting. Murray is part of an experienced lineup that could show some growth but they are going to need it across the board to be good enough in the Big Ten. 

Ohio State Buckeyes +800

Ohio State has to replace its top scorers from a year ago but I like that they have found players who should be able to fit with ease in the transfer portal. The "key" is whether Zed Key can be as effective in a more primary role with EJ Liddell gone. He has the shoulders but not the size of a lot of the bigs in the league. This group will compete. 

Purdue Boilermakers +800

Purdue fell short last season, at times they looked like the best team in the country. Jaden Ivey is now a Detroit Piston and Trevion Williams is gone too so the focus will be on big man Edey. He is bigger than big and also quite skilled. If Purdue can find strong guard play then there is no reason for them to fall off much this season. 

Michigan State Spartans +1100

The Spartans can never be counted out in the Big Ten but this might be the least talented team that coach Tom Izzo has had in a while and he does not have the size to do what Michigan usually does best - own the boards. Joey Hauser has one last chance to prove he can be a reliable player. The Spartans always give great effort but they are very limited.

Wisconsin Badgers +2200

Wisconsin is generally sneaky good but Johnny Davis is in the NBA now and it is not clear they are going to develop another player like that. Davis and Bennett Davison were one of the most productive backcourts in the country last season and if you don't have effective guard play it is hard to win in any conference. The Badgers have enough size to not get pushed around but it is not elite.

Penn State Nittany Lions +5000

We get another big gap in the odds here. John Harrar averaged 10ppg/10rpg last year as a true big, and they are going to miss him big time this season. There is not a player on the roster over 6'8" that is not a freshman this season. Harrar was a bully in the best way and I fear that PSU is going to get pushed around a lot this season.

Maryland Terrapins +6000

Kevin Willard had some success at Seton Hall but those teams never quite met expectations. Now he is at Maryland where he won't be able to hide for long. I like the forward duo of Donta Scott and Hakim Hart. If they can shoot it better than they have in the past the Terps might have some upward mobility but not all the way to the top. 

Minnesota Golden Gophers +25000

Another big jump in the odds table as we work our way down the list. This team might be underrated right now as Dawson Garcia could be a major coup from the transfer portal. He and Jamison Battle could be a very productive duo and perhaps raise the ceiling to mid-conference from the bottom for coach Ben Johnson.

Nebraska Cornhuskers +25000

The Cornhuskers won just 4 games in the Big Ten last season and that was with an NBA player on the roster.  They do not have one of those this season and are hoping an all-transfer backcourt is going help dig them out of the basement. It is hard to have much confidence in this program right now and Fred Hoiberg is on the hot seat as a result. 

Best Bet - Illinois - A different team than last year but I like the roster construction. I would have them even with Indiana but the price is better.

Best Sleeper - Purdue - I like Edey could be the POY in the Big Ten this season and keep Purdue right at the top of the league.