The college basketball season begins in November and runs until March Madness takes center stage in the betting community for a month. College basketball generates significant betting handle over these five months, and there are so many games to choose between it’s easy to get action and attempt to find sharp bets.
Texas has several quality college basketball teams. If you live in Texas and are interested in betting on college basketball online then you’re in the right place. Below I will recommend an offshore betting site, touch on the regulatory climate of betting in Texas, explain the three most popular college basketball bets, and provide a simple three step guide you can follow to place your college hoops bets online.
Best Betting Site For Texans
Bovada.lv is our recommended betting site for Texas residents interested in betting on college basketball online.
Bovada is a popular offshore betting site that has served the US market since 2012. They’ve built a strong reputation as a trusted, secure, and fair sportsbook for Americans.
College Basketball Betting in Texas
It is not legal to operate a sportsbook within the State of Texas. Sports betting bills gained traction during the 2023 legislative session, but no bills advanced to the finish line. This year (2025) the Texas Legislative met again, but several prominent politicians stated early on in the session they would oppose any expansion of sports betting regulation, so no progress was made. The Texas Legislature only meets every two years, so 2027 is now the earliest sports betting can be legalized in the state.
That said, Texas residents can still place bets on college basketball through offshore betting sites that are licensed and regulated outside of the US, while accepting American bettors. Bovada is one such online sportsbook. They are licensed and regulated by the Union of the Comoros, while serving the US betting market (including Texas) for over a decade.
Check out our Texas sports betting section for more details about the regulatory climate for sports betting in the state.
Popular College Basketball Betting Options
There are three common college basketball bets that are featured for each game. These are the point spread, money line (to win), and total (over/under) betting markets. Below I will use a game from early this season between Texas and Duke as an example to explain each of these three popular college basketball bets.
- Point Spread – Duke is a 9.5 point favorite in the example (-9.5). A point spread bet on Duke -9.5 would win if Duke wins the game by 10 or more points. Texas is a 9.5 point underdog (+9.5). A spread bet on Texas +9.5 would win if Texas wins the game outright or loses by 9 or fewer points.
- Money Line (To Win) – Duke is a -480 favorite to win the game outright. This means every $480 risked on Duke money line would win $100 if they earned the victory. Texas is a +350 underdog, which means every $100 risked on Texas would win $350 if they pulled off the upset.
- Total (Over/Under) – The total is set at 152.5 points. Over bets would win if 153 or more points are scored in the game by both teams combined. Under bets would win if 152 or fewer points are scored.
Check out our understanding betting odds page if you don’t understand the American odds format used above.
How To Bet On College Basketball in Texas – 3 Step Guide
Complete this three step tutorial to get your college basketball bets placed online from anywhere in Texas.
Step 1. Open A Bovada.lv Account
Click the above link and fill out the overlay registration form on the Bovada website to open your account.
Bovada is the most popular offshore sportsbook serving the US market and our top rated betting site for Texans.
Step 2. Deposit
Log into your Bovada account and select ‘Deposit’ from your accounts drop down menu. Choose one of the deposit options (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Bitcoin, ETH, etc.), enter your deposit amount, and follow the instructions to complete your deposit.
You can withdraw any winnings through Bitcoin, ETH, bank transfer, or check through the mail.
Step 3. Bet On College Basketball
Click ‘Sports’ from the top menu bar, select ‘Basketball’ from the secondary sports menu, and select ‘College Basketball’ from the Trending Competitions or Basketball A-Z menus.
Select the odds of the bet you want to place to add it to your Bet Slip. Enter your risk amount on the Bet Slip and click ‘Place Bets’ to lock in the wager.
Here’s a screenshot from a previous year showing you the clicks:
That’s it. Ready to bet? Click here to visit Bovada.lv.
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