Gonzaga gets gamblers to bet big, and lose on NCAA Tournament action

Gonzaga beat Northwestern 79-73 on Saturday to advance to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16, but not everybody rooting for the Bulldogs came away winners.

For example, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that a bettor at the South Point casino lost $50,000 on a Gonzag-Villanova money-line parlay thanks to No. 8 seed Wisconsin’s upset of the top-seeded Wildcats.

Even those gamblers who simply bet on Gonzaga minus the points took a loss, since the Bulldogs were 10 1/2-point favorites over Northwestern but squandered a big lead to hang on by six points.

For those GU sharps looking to make a little money back, the Bulldogs are currently 3-point favorites over West Virginia, who they will face at 4:35 p.m. on Thursday in the Sweet 16. For those who are willing to risk longer odds, GU is listed as 13-to-2 to win the NCAA Championship, the same odds as No. 2 seed Arizona, a potential Elite Eight opponent of the Zags.

Kansas is considered the favorite with odds of 19-to-4 to win it all, and North Carolina is second with odds of 5-to-1.

Popular statistics site FiveThirtyEight.com gives the Bulldogs an 18-percent chance of wining their first National Title, the best chances of any team left in the field. The website also gives GU a 66-percent chance of winning on Saturday, and a 46-percent chance of advancing to the Final Four.