Big Ten Tournament Odds: Wisconsin vs Illinois in Title Game

Patrick Everson Sports Betting Expert

2 minute read

Big Ten Tournament odds and are on the board for Sunday's final. And No. 1 seed Purdue is not part of the equation.

Rather, No. 5 seed Wisconsin meets No. 2 seed Illinois, with the winner getting an automatic NCAA Tournament bid.

Here’s everything you need to know about Big Ten Tournament championship odds: opening lines, spreads and betting trends for the final, as multiple oddsmakers provide insights on odds and action. And if you're a college hoops bettor in North Carolina, registration is now available, as all the top North Carolina sportsbooks are live.

Big Ten Tournament Odds for Semifinals

Wisconsin vs Illinois Odds

• Opening point spread: Illinois -3.5
• Opening moneyline: Illinois -166/Wisconsin +138
• Opening total: Over/Under 150.5 points scored
• Time: 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday (CBS)

UPDATE 2:30 P.M. ET SUNDAY: Sixty minutes before tipoff, Illinois is a 4-point favorite on The SuperBook's Big Ten Tourney odds board. The Fighting Illini bounced between Saturday night's -3 opener and -3.5 a couple times, then went to -4 in the past 30 minutes.

"A lot of Illinois action – 2.5/1 in terms of tickets, a lot more money, and lots of parlays. It's all Illinois," SuperBook senior risk supervisor Casey Degnon said.

The total opened at 150, dropped to 149.5/149 Saturday night, then this morning dipped to 148.5/148. It's still at 148.

"Not much to the total. Ticket count is even, slightly more money on the Under," Degnon said.

UPDATE 10:45 P.M. ET SATURDAY: Wisconsin (22-12 SU/15-17-2 ATS) scored late baskets in regulation and overtime to upset Purdue 76-75 in Saturday's semifinals. The Badgers got a Chucky Hepburn layup with one second left to tie the game at 66 and force OT. Then in the extra frame, a Max Klesmit jumper with eight seconds left provided the winning margin.

Wisconsin cashed as a 5.5-point 'dog. The Badgers are 3-0 SU and ATS in the Big Ten Tourney and have cashed in five straight games overall.

Illinois (25-8 SU/18-12-2 ATS) found itself in a 51-40 halftime hole vs. No. 3 seed Nebraska. But the Fighting Illini flipped the script in the second half, putting up 58 points to win 98-87. Illinois covered as a 4.5-point favorite.

The Illini are 6-1 SU in their last seven, including a 91-83 regular-season win catching 3 points at Wisconsin.

FanDuel Sportsbook opened Illinois -3.5 tonight in the Big Ten Tournament odds market. Within 10 minutes, the Illini were bet down to -2.5 (-120). The total was also on the move early, from 150.5 to 149.5 within 15 minutes. The number then dropped to 148.5 (Over -115) later this evening.

Check back Sunday for a pregame odds and action update.

Patrick Everson

Patrick Everson is a senior reporter for VegasInsider. Based in Las Vegas since 1994, he's worked in the sports betting journalism/content space for more than a decade. He's most known for his deep roster of contacts behind sportsbook counters, providing readers and viewers with the ins-and-outs of how events are being bet. He's also a thought leader in the sports betting space, often appearing on or moderating panels at national conferences. More from Patrick Everson