NCAAB Race To X Points Betting

Author

Eric Kithinji

Updated: Dec 6, 2024

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NCAAB Race To X Points Stats

Disclaimer: Please note that the NCAAB stats table displayed on this page may not include all games due to the unavailability of certain data. We appreciate your understanding and trust in our service to provide you with reliable and up-to-date information.

Table Legend

  • GP: Games played in the current season
  • RT5: Race to 5 points record for the team
  • RT10: Race to 10 points

NCAAB Race To X Points

Got a hunch on which team is going to be the first to reach 5, 10, or 20 points? Thanks to prop betting, you can now place this type of NCAAB wager.

Since certain NCAAB teams are known for being quick off the blocks, there is plenty of value and many opportunities for those who fancy betting on a team to be the first to reach X no. of points.

Plus, if you love fast-paced wagers that are over quickly, this prop allows you to move on to other things once your bet is settled instead of having to wait until the end of the game.

If you are intrigued about placing bets in the race to X points market but don’t know where to begin, we’ve compiled an in-depth guide covering everything you need to know.

Ready? Let’s dive in!

What Is NCAAB Race To X Points Betting?

The race to X points betting market is an intriguing option, particularly for those that love fast-paced basketball wagers that are over quickly.

Essentially, you’re betting on which team will be the first to score X number of points.

For instance, if Colorado State is playing San Jose State and you think that Colorado will be the first to reach the 10-point mark in the game, you can simply head over to the prop betting market and bet that the team will do exactly that.

So if they end up being the first to score 10 points in the game, your wager will be settled as a win.

It doesn’t matter how long it takes the team to score 10+ points, just as long as they are the first to do it in the game.

Plus, the team doesn’t have to reach 10 points exactly. They could be on 9 points, score a 3-pointer to get to 12 points, and you’ll still win this race to 10 points bet.

On the other hand, a team could be trailing 9-8 and hit a three-pointer to make it 9-11. 

Although they were trailing and didn’t land on 10 points exactly, you would still win this bet if you had backed them to be the first to reach 10 points.

If you this kind of bet is something for you, check out our NBA Race To X Points stats as well!

How Does NCAAB First Team To Score X Points Betting Work?

As the name of the wager suggests, this is a race between two competing teams, and the first to hit the designated points mark will be declared the winner of the bet.

Depending on the sportsbook that you use, you’ll be given plenty of points ranges, usually starting from 5 points all the way to 25 and even higher than this sometimes.

To better explain this wager, we are going to look at the Xavier vs. Providence game, taking the lines available at DraftKings.

You can bet on a team to be the first to reach 10, 15, 20, or 25 points, and as stated, the team you pick simply has to be the first to cross the chosen threshold.

For instance, Xavier is priced at +105 to win the race to 10 points. If you back Xavier at these odds by placing a $100 wager, you will win $105.

But let’s say you pick a bet with a high no. of points, e.g., 50, and neither of the two teams manages to reach 50. What happens in that case?

Well, if it were a two-way market, the bet would be settled as a push, meaning that you’d get your stake back. But if the sportsbook offered a third alternative, i.e., neither of the teams to reach 50, your bet would be a loss in this scenario.

This is the standard grading system in most sportsbooks, but different sites may interpret this rule differently, so it’s worth keeping an eye on a site’s house rules when you join to see how such wagers are settled.

How NCAAB First Team To Score X Points Odds Work

As expected, the favorite team in the game usually has lower odds in “race to score X” wagers, while underdogs come with slightly better odds.

In two-way markets for this bet, the discrepancy between the odds isn’t usually that massive.

Here are a few examples demonstrating how such bets are typically priced:

Winning MarginXavier’s OddsProvidence’s Odds
Race to 10 Points 1st Half+105-130
Race to 15 Points 1st Half+105-130
Race to 20 Points 1st Half+110-135
Race to 25 Points 1st Half+115-145

It’s easy to tell that Providence is the favorite team here, given the lower odds compared to Xavier. Plus, the higher the points, the lower providence’s odds become, showing that they are the clear favorites in this contest.

If you think that the Friars will be the first team to cross the 10-point mark (-130) in the first half, you can place a $100 wager on them, and you’ll win $76.92 if your prediction is accurate.

On the other hand, someone else might fancy the Xavier Musketeers (+105) in this type of wager and place $100 on them. Here, if the prediction is accurate, a bettor can expect to win $105 after risking $100.

Since this is a two-way market, a push is possible. So if both teams fail to hit the 10-point mark in the first half, you won’t lose this bet, but it will instead be settled as a push, guaranteeing you a refund.

Using The BestOdds.com NCAAB Race To Score X Points Table

To make it even easier for you to source the best NCAAB race to X points wagers, we’ve created a table that turns research into a breeze.

How does it work? Well, you can use it to search data for all college basketball teams, and you’ll be able to see which side consistently performs better in this market.

You can filter by different types of races, e.g., instead of focusing on the race to 10 option, you can change this to race to 5, race to 15, race to 20, etc. After doing so, you’ll see which teams are the best to back in the specific RTX market you’ve chosen.

Aside from that, the table lets you filter by conference and even home/away record. This way, you can tell which team scores more points first at home and which one has a better scoring record on the road.

Finally, since most college basketball teams will be covered, you can also use the table for other league-wide trends and stats, thus taking your college basketball betting up a notch.

NCAAB First Team To Score X Points Betting Strategies

Instead of approaching this betting alternative blindly, you can use a couple of strategies to boost your chances of success.

If you’re eager to win more “race to X points” wagers, here are a few tips and strategies that we recommend:

  • Don’t Always Back The Favorites: This market has very different principles from the typical moneyline/spread wagers. Some teams are usually known for typically starting hot and eventually slowing down as the game progresses. In contrast, a stronger or favorite team usually performs consistently throughout all stages of the game. So if you want to err on the safer side, don’t just blindly back the favorites, but always do your research first.
  • Consider The Range of Points: Betting on a team to be the first to reach 5/10 points is different from backing a team to reach 20/30 points first. As we’ve mentioned, some teams are usually quick off the blocks but begin to tire down as the game wears on, while others tend to start slowly but regain dominance in the latter stages of a game. Again, using our table or doing your own research will expose you to such crucial factors.
  • Analyze Travel Schedules: You can use a team’s travel schedule to gain even more insight. Typically away teams are usually vulnerable to slower starts due to fatigue and other factors. So backing a home team that’s facing a favorite who’s travelled a long distance may provide some value.
  • Always Chase Value: As we’ll discuss further below, you must ensure you’re getting the best odds possible. This means you have to shop around and compare the odds each bookie offers before placing a bet.

What Are Some Variations Of This Bet?

If you’re intrigued by the race to x points wager, you’ll be glad to hear that this bet has a couple of juicy variations.

Some sportsbooks allow you to choose different point ranges, starting at 5/10/15 points and going as high as possible. Some may offer markets for the entire game, while others may choose to focus on specific halves.

For example, a bookie may offer “Race to 10 Points 1st Half.” Here, the first half is the only one that will count toward your wager.

On some sportsbooks, this bet may be called “First to X Points” instead of “Race to X Points.”

A slight variation of this bet is backing individual overs. E.g., you can bet on Baylor to score over 40 points. Here, since the race aspect isn’t included, you’ll win your bet if Baylor scores 40+ points, even if the team isn’t the first in the game to reach that mark.

Shop Around

As we’ve mentioned above, shopping around is a crucial tactic that’s implemented by sharps and shrewd sports bettors.

Basically, shopping around means keeping an eye on other sportsbooks to monitor the odds and lines that are being offered. This way, you can tell which sportsbook offers the best price for the wager you want to select.

Here’s an example that perfectly illustrates our point:

BetBetMGMDraftKingsFanDuel
Xavier Race to 10 Points-105-105+108

BetMGM and DraftKings both offer the same odds when it comes to Xavier being the first to reach the 10-point mark, but FanDuel’s odds are way more lucrative.

If you were to wager $100 on each sportsbook, you’d win $95.24 on both BetMGM and DraftKings, while the same wager would yield $108 at FanDuel.

Such a difference isn’t something to overlook, especially for those who want to milk as much value as possible from their wagers. And that’s why we’ll keep insisting and preaching about line shopping.

Looking for more stats? Check out the NCAAB First Half O/U stats for betting.

Author

About the author

Placed his first sports wager shortly after high school, and has been involved in this whirlwind of the industry since then. Fan of most of the major ...

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