Here's why betting on the UConn women to win the national title wasn't worth the risk

Published Apr. 5, 2016 7:00 p.m. ET

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Andrew Lynch

You better be very confident if you want to wager straight-up on the Connecticut Huskies women beating Syracuse in the NCAA women's basketball national championship game on Tuesday night.

That's not to say we're expecting the Orange, who are a heavy underdog, to pull off the upset. In fact, we'd be shocked if the Huskies don't run Syracuse off the court.

But a bet on the UConn money line doesn't pay -- if you can even find it in the first place.

According to sports betting website SportBet.com, the Huskies are -7000 just to win, with no point spread. For those who aren't gambling degenerates, that means you have to wager $7,000 for a return of $100 (and a total payout of $7,100 -- your $100 winnings plus your original $7000 bet).

$7,000 to win $100. Yes, it's worth repeating. Where's the value in that? After all, are you really confident that Syracuse can't win this game more than one out of every 70 times? Strange things happen, and the Orange are ostensibly the second-best team in the tournament. Imagine, dear reader, that you chose to put a few bucks on the moneyline, because you're a casual gambler and you figure it's a safe bet. If the game is close late, you're going to be sweating bullets for the sake of a few nickels. That doesn't sound like the greatest fan experience, unless you're absolutely in love with high-level anxiety.

If for whatever reason you still feel the need to support UConn with your wallet, you'll be glad to know that at the time of this writing, Bovada.com listed the Huskies as 26-and-a-half-point favorites. 

At least a bet on the spread might offer you a little bit of entertainment value. Better yet, keep your money in your pocket, kick back and enjoy watching Connecticut's seniors end their college careers with a perfect 24-0 record across four tournaments.

Of course, if you're a fan of the underdog, the line goes the other way, too. Syracuse is +3000 on the moneyline, meaning a $100 bet wins you an additional $3,000. We're just saying.

UPDATE (9:30 PM ET): Okay, yes, UConn jumped out to a 27-point halftime lead and is clearly the dominant force. We knew that was going to happen. And yes, if you had bet $700 on the moneyline, you would now be well on your way to being $10 richer.

UPDATE (10:40 PM ET): Collect your winnings if you had the Huskies moneyline, because UConn has won its 11th women's basketball national championship and fourth in a row. Thanks to some stellar defense down the stretch, UConn won the game by 31 points, too. 

Hey, you can't argue with results.

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