While college football and basketball are national passions, college baseball is just now coming into its own, and becoming an attractive wagering option for many bettors as well. The level of sophistication and competition has risen in recent years to bring university level baseball into the national limelight at last.
The season for college baseball is out of line with regular season MLB. It is set up to accommodate life on campus and still allow time for the necessary academic class work. The season starts right after the Christmas holidays and runs through mid June when the annual College World Series is played in Omaha at Ameritrade Park.
As it works out, just about the same time that a team gets to the final weeks, and the most critical games of the year, it’s also time again for final exams. That’s quite a load to carry and something that the pros don’t have to worry about. These kids are doing double duty for the glory of the university and yet Mark Emmert and the NCAA continue to hold on to their long outdated notion that paying student athletes with ruin the sport.
The student athletes who participate in baseball while still at university do so for love of the sport. In addition to playing 3-4 games a week during the entire spring semester, they must also keep up with class work, home work, term papers and final exams. It’s a pretty hectic 5 months. Those who excel stand a chance at being drafted into the MLB, probably into the minor leagues at first, but their futures will still be looking pretty bright.
Baseball facilities at many universities have been revamped and rebuilt to modern standards and as many as 12,000 boisterous fans fill the stands for each home game. Just as in college basketball, there is an excitement and spirit that exists at the university level that somehow does not always translate to the professional.
Today’s modern bookie might want to let his players know that there is another exciting sport happening right now and available for wagering, especially as we approach the conference tourneys and the World Series in June.
This applies especially to those of you who have a contending college baseball team in your area. If your local fans are passionate about football and basketball, chances are they will soon be feeling the same about college baseball as well.
The SEC Conference Tournament commences on Tuesday, May 21st and runs through the 26th, as always, in Hoover, Alabama. The other conference tourneys take place around the country at this time as well.
Directly thereafter, on Friday, May 31 the NCAA Regional Tournaments begin around the country. The NCAA Super Regionals will take place between June 7 and 10. The sites of these games will be determined by the winners of round one of the Regionals.
The NCAA College World Series will take place starting on June 15th at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska with the finals on June 26th.
College baseball is fun, exciting and could possibly turn into a good money maker for the savvy bookie.
