Okay. Did Monday feel weird to any of you? After a solid four days of March Madness betting and general college basketball insanity - I know more than a few of us were happy for the invention of TiVo - yesterday there was just…nothing. Nothing but silence and the chance to reflect on the results of the first weekend of MM.

Then again, what wasn’t weird was the results of the tourney’s kickoff rounds. We’re now down to the “Sweet 16″ in the March Madness odds, and they’re pretty much the usual suspects: big teams like Pittsburgh, Louisville and Connecticut. If things keep up like this, it looks like we may just have four No. 1 seeds as the Final Four, appropriately enough. Win big or go home, boys.

So what have we got on our immediate radar for March Madness betting? Taking a look at the stacked Midwest region, it’s difficult to ignore the matchup between Louisville and Arizona. This is going to be a gong show through and through, and though sportsbook odds will definitely have Louisville on track for victory, it’ll be a game worth watching if only to see the fight Arizona puts up. They’ve worked hard to get where they are, and I don’t think they’ll go quietly. (But go they will, trust me. The Cardinals are my pick to win the thing, after all.)

The other half of the Midwest features No. 3 Kansas versus No. 2 Michigan State. As much as my heart tells me Michigan will take this match, this here is another good example of a show to tune in for just to see the game the Jayhawks bring. They’re young and slightly inexperienced, sure, but they’re adjusting to the MM pressure at a scary rate, and Cole Aldrich is carrying them along. A safe bet is Michigan; a skilled bet is Kansas. Choices, choices…

…And so we begin the epic three-week stretch of glory, excitement and intensity that is March Madness betting! The sun is out, the birds are singing, the sportsbooks are ready, and any good bettor worth their salt is throwing out picks and doing their best to cap this difficult tourney. Let’s take a look at what we’ve got for you in the immediate March Madness odds future (unfortunately, hotness factor of various teams and how cool their mascots are have no bearing on their odds):

No. 5 Illinois VERSUS No. 12 Western Kentucky - Thursday at 9:55 PM EST

This one ought to be today’s no-brainer. Apparently it’s NCAAB tradition for a No. 12 seed to overthrow a No. 5 seed, and Illinois vs. Western Kentucky odds should be good evidence of that. It doesn’t take a genius to see that the Illini have been slumping, as solid a team as they’ve been in the past, and although Western Kentucky hasn’t faced many opponents of that caliber, they landed the Sun Belt Championship and a winning streak to close out their season. How are these kids considered underdogs? Bet on the Hilltoppers tonight, peeps.

No. 5 Utah VERSUS No. 12 Arizona - Friday at 7:10 PM EST

Well, look at what we have here. Remember what I said earlier about Arizona? Self-fulfilling prophecy right in this matchup. As good as Arizona was to make it this far, I predicted before that they’ll fall against Utah, and I’m sure that’s exactly what’s gonna happen tomorrow night. Utah is on a roll right now - no basketball pun intended - and although Arizona is more experienced against higher-level teams, they’re too shaky right now to be trusted (much like many team in the March Madness lines). Pick Utah for the win here.

More madness to come, kids! Keep checking back with your girl Alice for top NCAAB picks…(and no, I won’t wear a cheerleader outfit for you, sorry)

After a seemingly very long February (how is that month only 28 days?!), it’s finally time to get March Madness betting in gear — it’s Selection Sunday in only a few days, and right now we’re at the epicenter of the Pac 10 tournament, which is a great preview of the NCAAB teams lucky - and talented - enough to go from here to the big tourney.

Pac 10 this weekend is tricky, especially when you’ve got March Madness odds to consider. Personally, I think the safest bet here is either UCLA or Washington. The Bruins have won in two of the last three years, and so it’s obvious that they’ll be a favorite at the offshore sportsbooks; Washington, conversely, are ready to defend their constant regular-season domination.

However, it’s hard to overlook the Arizona Wildcats who, although they’re on the bubble, have made it into March Madness the last 25 times running.

These kids are scrappy and don’t like backing down without a fight, so look for them to make some noise against Arizona State. Although they’ve lost the last two matchups with their state rival this season, there’s a lot more on the line right now — including a possible match with Washington, against whom Arizona is 1-1. If the Wildcats can pull it together, they’ll be serious contenders in the Pac 10 Tournament lines; if all else fails, though, stick with UCLA. March Madness is just around the corner…

Hey. Readership. Check your calendar. It’s February 27th. We’ve only got today and tomorrow left in this ghastly month, and then we roll into March, and with it — March Madness! (aka the only reason to look forward to March, if you’re not going on spring break to Florida or anything. Does anybody still go to Florida for spring break?)

Ye gods, this is a sprawling tournament. Absolutely huge. So, from an online sports betting standpoint, where does one begin? It may sound like simplistic advice, but within the crowds of teams all vying for the NCAAB crown, it’s best to stick with the tried-and-true champions. This is definitely reflected by the glut of teams at +3000 in the March Madness betting lines — among them Missouri, Villanova, Michigan State and Arizona State. Are any of them worth putting down the cash? Let’s see…

Villanova, not so much. They’ve been flying low under the radar and they can really nut up against the big teams, but their struggles seem to come too easily, so I wouldn’t want to put a bet on them. Missouri is the same type of shaky bet — they look strong offensively, but their defense tends to suffer for it. Michigan State is a little more solid - thanks to coach Tom Izzo - and they’re coming up fast, so I’d take a good hard look at the Spartans when considering sportsbook bets.

Your best pick, in my opinion, is Arizona State. These kids are just deadly on the court, coming up right behind Washington in the Pac-10, and they’ve got a roster worthy of the NBA’s next stars. They’ve got the defense that Mizzou lacks, and soph guard James Harden is a reigning player. Look for the Sun Devils to take it all the way to the top.