🗞️ Bandit Betting Newsletter: March Madness is Here

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Welcome back to the Bandit Betting Newsletter, where we deliver the top stories in sports and gambling directly to your inbox, every Sunday.

In today's email:

• NBA and NCAAB: multi-million dollar point shaving scheme exposed.

• Lucky bettor: turns $5 into $348k at Kansas Star Casino.

• Watch List: welcome to March Madness NCAA basketball.

• Expert Sports Picks: get today’s expert picks for NCAA and NBA.

Let's gamble...

SCHEME STILL ALIVE

If you had any doubt - point shaving betting schemes are still alive and well.

Federal agents have arrested Shane Hennen, the alleged mastermind behind what could be the largest point-shaving scandal in American sports history.

A scheme that spanned both professional and college basketball over two years and led to millions in profits.

The investigation began with suspicious betting activity surrounding former Raptors forward Jontay Porter, who was found to have purposely underperformed to hit player prop “under” bets during the 2023-24 NBA season.

Porter has since been banned for life by the NBA.

While Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was also investigated, the NBA found no violations on his part, though federal authorities are still reviewing his involvement.

Hennen, who is currently negotiating a plea deal, is expected to face charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.

His past criminal record paints a troubling picture — including prior arrests for aggravated assault, drug trafficking, and multiple gambling-related offenses.

With the scandal shaking the sports world, some leagues and sportsbooks are considering banning player prop "under" bets entirely to prevent future manipulation.

The fallout may also extend into college basketball, with Fresno State recently suspending two players amid a separate gambling probe.

As more details emerge, Hennen’s plea deal could expose additional players, games, and schemes.

More to follow on this story…

MONSTER JACKPOT

This jackpot winner luckily wasn’t told ‘machine malfunction”.

Former A Wichita gambler turned a casual night at the Kansas Star Casino into a life-changing payday, winning the biggest jackpot in the casino’s history — a staggering $348,247.

The record-setting win happened on Saturday, February 22, when a player named Seng hit the progressive jackpot while playing Ultimate Texas Hold’em.

The winning hand?

A royal flush in hearts, the rarest and strongest hand in poker. Even more incredible — Seng had only placed a $5 side bet to qualify for the jackpot.

Boyd Gaming, which operates Kansas Star, confirmed the win and celebrated it as the largest ever at the Mulvane casino.

Proof that sometimes, all it takes is one hand to change everything.

IT’S SHOWTIME

March Madness is just around the corner, let’s break down the top 16 from February and angles to consider.

We already got a glimpse of how the Selection Committee is thinking with the in-season top 16 reveal back on February 15.

At that point, Auburn held the No. 1 overall seed, but if history tells us anything, these early seeds rarely hold — and savvy bettors know this is where you can find overhyped teams and undervalued sleepers.

The committee’s early top 16 almost always shifts by Selection Sunday.

Recent years have seen several teams crash out of the top 4 seeds or plummet down the bracket, especially if they stumble in their conference tournaments.

In 2024, Kansas opened as a 2-seed in the reveal, ended up as a 4-seed, and got bounced in the second round. On the flip side, UConn was outside the top 16 in 2023, climbed to a 4-seed, and won the national title.

For bettors, the real value lies with late risers — teams heating up in March that oddsmakers are slow to respect.

Look for programs with elite coaching (think Arkansas, Michigan State, Houston) and experienced backcourts, as these factors consistently outperform seed expectations in March Madness.

On the other hand, teams sliding down the bracket — especially those with injuries, poor defensive metrics, or bad road splits — are often early upset candidates.

As of today, Auburn (+650) still leads futures boards, followed by Purdue (+850), Tennessee (+900), and Arizona (+1200).

However, top seeds rarely offer value in early rounds, where they’re often overpriced against the spread (ATS).

A balanced betting strategy should split exposure between elite seeds with proven coaching and surging mid-majors or power conference teams peaking in March.

Some sleeper futures getting attention include Iowa State (+6000), St. John’s (+8000), and San Diego State (+7500) — all defensively strong with battle-tested rosters and tournament-experienced coaches.

With conference tournaments kicking off, now’s the time to track teams peaking at the right moment — and identify which hyped teams are cooling off when it matters most.

Top Contenders (Current Odds):

Auburn +650
Purdue +850
Tennessee +900
Arizona +1200
Kansas +1400
UConn +1500
Duke +1600
Houston +1700
Marquette +1800
North Carolina +2000
Creighton +2800
Alabama +3000
Texas +4000
Iowa State +6000
San Diego State +7500
St. John’s +8000

MEME

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