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March Madness Prop Bets 2024: What to Know About the Best Player Props for the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16

Rob Paul

Last Updated: September 10, 2024 4:12 PM EDT • 5 min 17 sec read.

Kansas Jayhawks center Hunter Dickinson rebounds as we look at the March Madness prop bets
Kansas Jayhawks center Hunter Dickinson rebounds. Photo Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images.

With the 2024 NCAA Tournament here, we're making our favorite March Madness prop bets based on the best college basketball odds from our best March Madness betting sites.

As the 2024 NCAA Tournament advances to the Sweet 16, and the March Madness odds continue to shift with each passing game, we're diving into our favorite prop bets in every matchup based on the odds from our best sports betting sites. 

As part of our March Madness predictions and picks, we'll be making March Madness prop bets on each game up to the national championship. 

Our top 2024 March Madness Sweet 16 prop bets by region

East Region prop bets 

  • San Diego State (5) vs. UConn (1): Donovan Clingan Over 1.5 blocks (+125 via DraftKings)
  • Illinois (3) vs. Iowa State (2): Tamin Lipsey Over 1.5 made 3-pointers (+160 via bet365)

South Region prop bets 

West Region prop bets 

Midwest Region prop bets 

Our favorite 2024 March Madness prop bets: Sweet 16

Donovan Clingan Over 1.5 blocks (+125 via DraftKings)

Leading the March Madness MVP odds, UConn's Donovan Clingan has lived up to his nickname of Cling Kong so far during the NCAA Tournament. The 7-foot-2 center has been a force for the Huskies through the first two rounds of the tournament and is coming off an 8-block game against Northwestern.

Now in the Sweet 16, he'll have a chance to bolster UConn's Final Four odds even further against San Diego State, in a rematch of last year's national championship game. Clingan is one of the best rim protectors in the country - averaging 2.4 blocks per game - which is why we love the value with these odds at DraftKings. 

The Aztecs don't have a player in their rotation over 6-foot-9, and run the majority of their offense through Jaedon LeDee inside the arc. That should provide plenty of opportunity for Clingan to swat shots down low. He's blocked at least two shots in 22 of 31 games this season (70.9%). At +125 odds, a $10 bet would result in a $12.50 profit, if he hits the Over.

Tamin Lipsey Over 1.5 made 3-pointers (+160 via bet365)

The Sweet 16 matchup between the No. 3 seed Illinois Fighting Illini and No. 2 seed Iowa State Cyclones is a clash of styles. The Illini are ranked first in the country in adjusted offensive efficiency, according to KenPom, while the Cyclones are second in adjusted defensive efficiency.

Illinois' offense against Iowa State's defense is the reason to tune into this game, but the Cyclones' offense could be the difference behind guard Tamin Lipsey. He averages just 1.3 made 3-pointers per game, which is why these odds via bet365 are so long. But Lipsey has hit at least two in each of Iowa State's first two NCAA Tournament contests.

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Lipsey is shooting 39.3% from behind the arc and can take advantage of an Illini defense that's 93rd in adjusted efficiency. Illinois ranked second last in Big Ten play in 3-point percentage allowed (38.8%) during 2023-24.

The +152 odds at FanDuel imply a 39.68% probability Lipsey makes at least two 3-pointers. But the +160 odds at bet365 lead to a $16 profit on a $10 wager if he hits the Over.

Dalton Knecht Over 19.5 points (-114 via FanDuel)

The Volunteers have been known for their defense throughout Rick Barnes' tenure at Tennessee, and the 2023-24 season has been no different. However, Barnes has injected one of the best scorers in the country into his lineup this season in Northern Colorado transfer Dalton Knecht. The 2023-24 SEC Player of the Year is averaging 21.1 points per game, and he's poised to push Creighton to its limit during the Sweet 16.

Few players in the country are as versatile as Knecht when it comes to scoring, with the senior shooting 51% from two and 39.1% from three. His mid-range game should come in handy against a Bluejays defense allowing the fifth-most 2-pointers per game this season (21.9). To make matters tougher on Greg McDermott's team, it allowed Big East squads to shoot 34.3% from 3-point range in conference play. 

If Tennessee beats Creighton and advances to the Elite Eight, it will be because Knecht carried the offense, like he has all season. He's scored at least 20 points in 17 of 34 games. With the odds at -114 via FanDuel - our only best sports betting app offering a line on Knecht at this point - there's a 53.27% implied probability he'll hit the Over.

What to know about March Madness prop bets

Now that our best sports betting sites have released their full March Madness odds offerings, we're preparing you for the NCAA Tournament with everything you'll need to know.

Check back to this page following each round, when we'll be updating with our best prop bets from each new matchup.

Types of March Madness prop bets

March Madness prop bets offer exciting wagering options beyond traditional game outcomes. One popular type of prop bet is Over/Under betting, where bettors predict whether a certain statistic or event will surpass a predetermined threshold. For March Madness, this could include Over/Under bets on the total number of three-pointers made by a team or player, or the total rebounds grabbed.

Another common type of March Madness prop bet is player performance betting, which involves wagering on individual player performances or achievements. This could include bets on which player will score the most points in a game, which player will record the most rebounds or assists, or whether a specific player will reach a certain milestone, such as scoring a double-double or triple-double.

Additionally, March Madness prop bets may include bets on specific game events or occurrences, such as the first team to score, the first player to commit a turnover, or whether a game will go into overtime. These types of prop bets allow bettors to wager on the unpredictable and exciting moments that can unfold during March Madness games, making the tournament even more thrilling to watch.

How do March Madness prop bet odds work?

March Madness prop bet odds operate similarly to traditional betting odds but focus on specific events within the NCAA Tournament. These bets offer diverse options beyond game outcomes, allowing bettors to wager on player performances, game events, or statistical benchmarks. Odds are presented in formats like fractional, decimal, or American, reflecting the likelihood of specific outcomes determined by sportsbook oddsmakers.

Bettors assess probabilities based on factors like team and player statistics, comparing odds across platforms to identify value opportunities and make informed wagers during the tournament.

The odds are typically set in a way to draw equal action on either side of the betting line for the sportsbook. Most often, a player point total of 17.5 would carry odds of -110 on both the Over and the Under. The -110 odds represent a 52.38% implied probability on either side, with a $110 bet on the Over or Under returning a profit of $100.

Should one side of the line draw more action from the betting public than the other, the sportsbooks would lower the odds on that more popular side (and raise them on the other side) before potentially raising or lowering the betting line.

March Madness betting odds pages

March Madness OddsMarch Madness PicksFinal Four OddsMarch Madness MVP Odds
March Madness Prop BetsMarch Madness Upset PicksMarch Madness Bracket GuideMarch Madness Bracket Predictions
March Madness Bracket ChallengeMarch Madness betting promos

Here are our best March Madness betting sites:

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Written By:
Rob Paul
Rob is a Publishing Editor at Sportsbook Review. He’s been with the team since early 2024, with this being his first full-time role in the sports betting industry. Before joining SportsbookReview.com, he contributed to various sports outlets, including FanSided and Pro Football Network. During that period, he spent five years working full-time as a local community journalist, after attending Durham College for journalism and Wilfrid Laurier University for history. He previously hosted an NFL draft and college football-focused podcast where he had the opportunity to interact with future NFL players such as Maxx Crosby and Quinn Meinerz. Rob has spent multiple years working as a freelance podcast producer for numerous sports-related podcasts while making guest appearances on several college football shows. He’s also made guest appearances on SportsTalk Mississippi on several occasions to talk all things NFL draft. Rob values the way sports betting acts as a catalyst for telling stories and growing interest in certain sports, particularly FCS football, WNBA, and mid-major college basketball. He’s always been drawn to the more obscure teams and conferences in major college sports, but most of all, Rob loves using stats to find the best player props to back.