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Big Ten Tournament Predictions, Betting Odds & Favorites to Win 2024

Written by: Andrew Norton
Fact-checked by: James Whitelock
Updated March 8, 2024
10 min read
  • Purdue locked up No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament for the second consecutive season.

  • Northwestern, Nebraska, Michigan State, and Minnesota could be Big Ten Tournament darkhorses as they enter March with momentum.

  • Nebraska, Northwestern, and Wisconsin are fighting for the final two “double-bye” spots.

We are nearing the Big Ten Tournament and for many Big Ten teams, this will be their last chance to punch a ticket to the “Big Dance.” Will we see an unexpected champion this season, or will a favorite like Purdue or Illinois run away in the conference tournament? Find out below!

Big 10 Conference Predictions

Favorites to Win the 2024 Big Ten Conference Tournament

Check out our Big Ten Tournament favorites below, including the Purdue Boilermakers, Illinois Fighting Illini, Northwestern Wildcats, and Michigan State Spartans.

Purdue Boilermakers

It should come as no surprise that the Purdue Boilermakers, a No. 1 seed in last year’s NCAA Tournament and the nation’s No. 1 team for a large portion of the 2022-23 regular season, is a favorite to win the Big Ten Tournament.

Purdue brought back nearly every player from last season’s Big Ten championship team and snagged senior guard Lance Jones in the transfer portal. Zach Edey, a 7-foot-4 center (and reigning Wooden Award winner), was the most important piece of the puzzle for the Boilers. He juggled declaring for the NBA Draft, but opted to return for his senior season.

Edey is the best player in America and he got even better in the off-season, improving his conditioning, lateral quickness, and passing ability. The rest of the Boilermakers squad followed suit, including sophomore guards Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer. Their growth on both ends of the floor has made this team a legitimate contender. 

The most interesting aspect of Purdue’s growth from last season to this one has been its drastic improvement in three-point shooting. In fact, the Boilers rank first nationally in three-point percentage (40.6%, as of late February), which is exponentially better than the 32% they shot during their 2022-23 campaign.

On a neutral court, it is going to be close to impossible for any Big Ten team to knock off the Boilermakers. For one, they have more experience playing on neutral courts this season than any other team in the conference. Additionally, Purdue did not lose any of those neutral court games, which included bout against Tennessee, Gonzaga, and Marquette.

Join the Winning Team: Bet on Purdue Boilermakers for Big Ten Tournament Success at DraftKings!

Illinois Fighting Illini

The Illinois Fighting Illini were on cruise control for most of the beginning of the season, with losses only to Tennessee and Marquette while knocking off Florida Atlantic. The Illini belonged in the top 25, especially with the play of Terrence Shannon Jr., who, despite his age, was being slotted as a likely first-round draft pick in the upcoming 2024 NBA Draft.

Shannon was suspended for a few games after being formally charged with a crime but he has since returned to the floor. The Fighting Illini’s play hardly dropped off in his absence and picked right back to where it left off upon his return.

Illinois has plenty of offensive talent outside of Shannon, too, including Coleman Hawkins, Marcus Domask, Quincy Guerrier, Luke Goode, Dain Dainja, Justin Harmon, and Ty Rodgers. They are a tough, hard-nosed basketball team. As a matter of fact, Illinois sits at 12th in KenPom’s adjEM as of late February, boasting a top-five offense nationally. 

Believe in the Illini: Bet on Illinois Fighting Illini for Big Ten Tournament Triumph at DraftKings!

Northwestern Wildcats

There is something about Northwestern’s squad this season that is dangerous. The Wildcats sit in third place in the Big Ten standings with just four regular-season games left before the conference tournament. Northwestern has beat Purdue, Illinois, and Michigan State this season, which is quite remarkable, to say the least.

The Wildcats are much poorer defensively this season than in previous ones, but they make up for it in offense. They rank 35th in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency metric as of late February. Northwestern was the closest team to beating Purdue on its home floor, taking the Boilers to overtime. And Purdue is one of the two or three best home teams in the nation.

This team’s ability to get hot offensively is what gives them the opportunity to string together a few wins in the Big Ten Tournament. Their core of Boo Buie, the leading scorer in Northwestern’s history, Brooks Barnhizer, Ty Berry, and Ryan Langborg is a talented offensive quartet. As a matter of fact, the Wildcats rank sixth nationally in three-point percentage. While Northwestern is a non-threat inside the arc, its ability to hit tough threes makes it a tough out in a tournament environment.

Roar with the Wildcats: Bet on Wildcats to Surprise in Big Ten Tournament at DraftKings!

Michigan State Spartans

Look, this team was ranked fourth in the nation in the preseason A.P. Poll for a reason. The Spartans had a successful Sweet 16 run in the 2022-23 season and brought back a boatload of players, including Tyson Walker, A.J. Hoggard, Malik Hall, Jaden Akins, Mady Sissoko, Tre Holloman, and Carson Cooper. Freshmen Coen Carr and Jeremy Fears Jr. are serviceable backups, too. Michigan State has as much talent top-to-bottom on its roster as nearly any team in America.

The Spartans rank in the top 20 in KenPom’s adjusted efficiency margin despite having had such a brutally rough start to the 2023-24 campaign. Even still, they are barely hovering over .500 in Big Ten conference play, but like all Tom Izzo-coached teams, they will play their best basketball in the month of March. 

One concern for Michigan State, and a reason why it has had several road bumps throughout the season, is shot selection. The Spartans rank 349th (out of 362 teams) in Rim and 3 rate (per ShotQuality), which analyzes how many possessions result in a three-pointer or a layup, as those are universally accepted as the best shots in basketball. Better shot selection overall can keep this team competitive against teams like Purdue or Illinois, especially on a neutral court in a tournament setting.

Join the Spartans: Wager a bet on Michigan State at DraftKings Sportsbook!

Who Will Win the Big Ten Tournament - My Pick 

Purdue Boilermakers

Matt Painter might not have the NCAA Tournament track record yet that goes along with being an all-time great collegiate coach, but he has played some impressive chess moves this season. 

Like last year, the Boilermakers played an extremely challenging non-conference schedule, with several games located on neutral floors; Painter set something similar up this season, facing Marquette, Gonzaga, and Tennessee on a neutral court.

The Boilers won all three of those matchups between titans and, now, they have all of the confidence in the world and plenty of experience to win on neutral ground. Those games matter early in the season; it is the same reason that head coach Tom Izzo always puts together a brutally tough schedule.

The recent road win against the fully loaded, 12th-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini further solidified my confidence in this squad. Zach Edey and the rest of the Boilermakers are out for revenge after an unfulfilling March in 2023. We fully expect Purdue, who gets a double-bye for the Big Ten Tournament, to lock down its second consecutive conference tournament championship.

Use our link to wager on Purdue and claim $150 in bonus bets!

Big Ten Tournament History

The Big Ten Tournament was originated in 1998 and has been held every season since, with the exception of 2020 due to the COVID-19 virus. The Michigan Wolverines were the first Big Ten Tournament winner in 1998, with Robert Traylor winning the first Most Outstanding Player in the tournament’s history.

The United Center and Gainbridge Fieldhouse (formerly named Conseco Fieldhouse and Banker’s Life Fieldhouse) have each hosted the Big Ten Tournament 11 times, while the Verizon Center, Lucas Oil Stadium, and Madison Square Garden have held the tournament once apiece. This season (2024), the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota will be the host venue.

As a No. 8 seed, the Michigan Wolverines won the Big Ten Tournament in 2017, becoming the lowest seed to win the tournament.

Past Big Ten Tournament Winners

Below is a look at all of the past 15 Big Ten Tournament champions, beginning with the most recent winners. Take a look.

ChampionYear
Purdue Boilermakers2023
Iowa Hawkeyes2022
Illinois Fighting Illini2021
Michigan State Spartans2019
Michigan Wolverines2018
Michigan Wolverines2017
Michigan State Spartans2016
Wisconsin Badgers2015
Michigan State Spartans2014
Ohio State Buckeyes2013
Michigan State Spartans2012
Ohio State Buckeyes2011
Ohio State Buckeyes2010
Purdue Boilermakers2009
Wisconsin Badgers2008

How to Choose the Best Sportsbook for Betting on the Big Ten Tournament

It might seem like merely a decision rooted in personal preference or brand awareness but choosing the best sportsbook to sign up with can be one of the most important decisions a bettor makes. Some bettors have multiple sportsbooks so that they can shop odds between them and get the best value for their bets, but if you are a casual bettor and are only interested in one sportsbook, then this is a huge decision.

There are a number of things to consider when choosing a sportsbook, including the welcome bonus, user interface, functionality, withdrawal options and timing, and more. Check out the table below to see which sportsbook you want to bet on for the Big Ten Tournament:

BetMGMCaesarsFanDuel
Big Ten Tournament Winner OddsOdds Not AvailableOdds Not AvailableOdds Not Available
Welcome BonusBet $5, Get $158 in Bonus Bets!Up to a $1,000 First Bet on CaesarsBet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets 
Payment Options- ACH Payments Bank Transfer
- Visa
- Mastercard
- American Express
- Discover credit card
- PayPal
- Neteller
- Skrill
- ACH/ Instant Check
- Credit Cards (Visa and Mastercard)
- Debit Cards
- Online Bank Transfer
- PayPal
- Caesars Prepaid Play+ Card
- Skrill
- ACH Payments Bank Transfer
- Mastercard
- Visa
- FanDuel Prepaid Card
- Online Transfer
- Wire Transfer
- PayPal
Withdrawal TimeInstantUp to 72 hours Instant
Bet on Big Ten Tournament HereBET HEREBET HEREBET HERE

How to Read Big Ten Tournament Winner Odds

For new bettors, the display of odds can be overwhelming and confusing when they are starting out, so we will explain this concisely. If listed odds have a minus sign (-) in front of them, it means that team/player/etc… is a favorite. For instance, if Purdue is a -150 odds favorite to win the Big Ten Tournament, then you would have to bet $150 to win $100. That is the same case for any bet that has odds with a minus sign in front of them.

If a bet has a plus sign (+) in front of its odds, then it is an underdog, meaning that you have to bet $100 to win that number. For example, if the Northwestern Wildcats are +500 to win the Big Ten Tournament, then you would only have to bet $100 to win $500 because they are much less likely to win than other teams.

Big Ten Regular Season Championship FAQ

Who is favored to win the Big Ten Tournament?

When is the Big Ten Tournament?

Where is the Big Ten Tournament?

What Channel is the Big Ten Tournament on?

Who Won the Big Ten Tournament (last year)?

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AUTHOR

Andrew Norton

134 Articles

Andrew has always been an avid sports fan and followed his hoop dreams all the way to college. He’s well-versed in everything betting with multiple years of experience and is qualitatively and quantitatively knowledgeable in sports statistics and analytics.

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