March Madness Betting Advice: How Far Will You Bet Saint Peter’s to Advance?

Our experts reveal whether they are willing to bet on Saint Peter’s advancing any further in the NCAA tournament.

SI Editorial | Mar 22, 2022

In this story:

Saint Peter’s may have entered the tournament as a No. 15 seed, but it has now punched their ticket to the Sweet Sixteen.

This year’s Cinderella story has rewarded backers not once but twice.

First, the Peacocks upset No. 1 Kentucky as +1400 underdogs, and again Saturday when they defeated No. 7 Murray State as +275 underdogs.

Saint Peter’s, the MAAC champion, entered the tournament with +25000 odds to both make the Final Four and win the East Region.

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Saint Peter’s win over Kentucky marked just the tenth time a 15-seed has ousted a 2-seed, and the Peacocks are just the third 15-seed to make the Sweet 16.

It’s safe to say the Peacocks have busted brackets everywhere. Can they give us a Hollywood ending?

Here are the current odds at SI Sportsbook:

Sweet 16 vs. Purdue: +600; 12.5-point underdogs
To make the Final Four: +2500
To win the national title: +35000

I asked SI’s betting team if they would bet on St. Peter’s moving forward.

SI College Basketball’s Kevin Sweeney:

If Saint Peter’s could have stayed in Indianapolis and played again Monday or Tuesday, I might think there’s some value here. But four days back home being treated like celebrities in Jersey City is a real challenge. Plus, Sweet 16 matchup Purdue is about as tricky an opponent as possible for the Peacocks. SPU’s defense is predicated on packing the paint, but

Purdue

is one of the best three-point shooting teams in the sport. As much as it would be fun to see the run continue, I think the Boilermakers roll and end the Peacocks’ Cinderella story.

BET: No

SI Betting’s Matt Ehalt:

A 15-seed has never advanced to the Elite 8. Seven of the previous nine lost in the round of 32, and two lost in the Sweet 16 (Florida Gulf Coast, Oral Roberts). Saint Peter’s plays good defense. The Peacocks handled the No. 5 and No. 36 offenses, per

KenPom

. I’m not willing to bet on them to win the region, but I’ll take a bet at +600 they can beat

Purdue

on Friday. Have you watched the Big Ten in this tournament? Let’s not pretend Purdue, which is known for failing in big spots, is a lock. The Peacocks can give the Boilermakers issues. What concerns me the most is the few days now where these players are the kings of the world and big men on campus. As anyone who watched Rocky III knows:

You can’t lose that eye of the tiger

. But let’s take a shot at 6-1 on the moneyline.

BET: Yes; moneyline vs. Purdue (+600)

SI Betting and Fantasy’s Jen Piacenti:

Of course! WHY NOT? It’s madness, after all! With +35000 odds, what do you have to lose? A $20 bet yields $7,000. If the Peacocks beat the Boilermakers, you can bet you won’t still be able to get +35000 odds. I’m putting $20 on each of these bets. If they win Friday, I make double the $60 I invested. If they keep winning, I’m taking a vacation! That’s worth the $60 price of admission.

BET: Yes; All of the above bets

SI Betting’s Frank Taddeo

What an amazing run by the Peacocks! Saint Peter’s Cinderella story may be one of the greatest runs we have ever witnessed in the NCAA tournament and now they get a virtual home game in the Sweet 16! Saint Peter’s campus in Jersey City is only 92 miles from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. We know the Peacocks will have the crowd support, but Shaheen Holloway’s club will not have an answer for Jaden Ivey. Ivey, Trevion Williams and Zach Edey will be matchup problems for the Peacocks. It has been an amazing ride, upsetting both No. 2 Kentucky and No. 7 Murray State, but Matt Painter will have four days to prepare. It is tempting to grab the Peacocks at odds of +600 but that is likely Fool’s Gold. No 15-seed has ever advanced to the Elite Eight and it’s hard to lay hard-earned cash on Saint Peter’s becoming the first. Now, grabbing the double-digit points, that is something I could perhaps get behind.

BET: No

SI.com’s Dan Lyons:

Realistically, Saint Peter’s is not a good bet. Few Cinderella’s make it past the Sweet 16, and there is a lot of talent in their way, starting with Purdue on Friday. Even so, it’s hard to totally resist riding the wave of a run like this, so if I’m going to take any of these, it might as well be a few bucks on the true lottery ticket at +35000—fully acknowledging that the run probably ends with Jaden Ivey, Zach Edey and company across the court in Philadelphia.

BET: Yes; National championship futures +35000

SI Betting and Fantasy’s Kyle Wood:

The Saint Peter’s hype is real and the temptation—especially with those massive plus-odds—is as well. But I’m going to have to pass on the Peacocks, who have already proven me wrong—twice. Purdue has the height and star power to end this run. At guard is Jaden Ivey, a lottery pick to-be who hit a pair of dagger three-pointers to sink Texas in the round of 32, and inside the Boilermakers have 7’4” Zach Edey and 6’10” Trevion Williams. Saint Peter’s got by Kentucky, which has one of the best big men in the country in Oscar Tshiebwe, but the Peacocks didn’t do much to contain him—he finished with 30 points and 16 rebounds. Purdue can win the track meet that Saint Peter’s has proven it can get into with top teams.

BET: No

SI Betting and Fantasy’s Bill Enright:

Bet on the Peacocks to become the first ever No. 15 seed to make the Elite 8 at 6-1 odds? Where can I sign up to bet that? Oh, that’s right, I can’t because like Saint. Peter’s I’m in New Jersey and people in New Jersey can’t bet on college teams from the Garden State. What kind of fugazi law is that? What is this 2017?

BET: Yes; Moneyline vs. Purdue (+600)

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Published Mar 22, 2022

SI EDITORIAL