Pinnacle   +9½ -110     BET365  +9½ -110    Sportsinteraction  +9½ -110   888port  +9½ -110

Posted at 8:00 AM ET. Odds are subject to change

Texas +9½ over Duke (Neutral Site Game)

Spectrum Center – Charlotte, NC

Dick Vitale Invitational

8:45 PM ET. Duke is like the Yankees in October—brand power baked straight into the number. When you back the Blue Devils, you’re not just betting the roster in front of you; you’re paying a Duke tax, a markup tied to banners, NBA pipeline, and national perception. The market treats the Blue Devils like a luxury label—walk into Gucci, and the tag isn’t about the leather; it’s about the logo. Same story here.

That alone would make Duke fade-worthy on principle, but the narrative push only amplifies it. The Devils are a consensus top-five team in the preseason coaches poll, they have continuity, and they carry the kind of reputation that makes casual bettors gravitate in their direction. Add in the fact, they are playing this game in their home state and that premium swells further. Texas, meanwhile, sits unranked in the shadows. The Longhorns have been good—very good at times—with March potential every season. But they haven’t delivered that signature leap, that deep tourney run that cements national trust. That perception lingers, and perception shapes prices.

Here’s the thing: seasons flip scripts quickly. While everyone talks about defending champ Florida, Kentucky on schedule, or Auburn’s Final Four pedigree, Texas strolls into this matchup largely overlooked. That’s where we want them, especially with points in our back pocket we know are more than they should be.

Duke will be talented—of course they will. But early-season chemistry, premium pricing, and public adoration collide here. Texas arrives with nothing to lose, physicality to disrupt rhythm, and the wherewithal to hang wire-to-wire. Wrong time to lay a premium; right time to take it. Grab the points with the Burnt Orange.

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Here is a wager we were paid out early on that would eventually lose. 

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