BYU Holds the Edge at Home, But the Market Is Close
When Ohio State visits BYU on Monday, November 2 at 5:00 PM PST, the odds reflect a genuinely competitive early-season college basketball matchup. The Cougars open as modest home favorites, but the margins are tight enough that this game has appeal on both sides.
At Caesars Sportsbook and DraftKings, BYU is installed at -135 on the moneyline, implying a win probability of roughly 57.4%. Ohio State checks in at +114 to +115, implying around 46.5% to 46.7% for the Buckeyes. Those numbers exceed 100% due to the vig, but the core takeaway is clear: the market sees this as a near coin-flip with BYU holding a modest edge, likely driven by home-court advantage.
Kalshi offers a notably different look. That book has the Cougars at -112 and the Buckeyes at -122, which effectively flips the favorite. A -122 price on Ohio State at Kalshi versus +115 at DraftKings is a significant discrepancy and a potential opportunity for sharper bettors. Use our Arbitrage Calculator to check whether the gap between books creates a guaranteed-profit situation before lines converge.
Spread and Total: Ohio State Buckeyes at BYU Cougars
The Spread
The spread market reinforces how tight this game figures to be. Caesars has BYU as a 2-point favorite with both sides at -110. DraftKings shades the number slightly, listing BYU -1.5 (-115) with Ohio State getting 1.5 at -105. That half-point matters in college basketball, where a single possession can decide a cover. If you like the Buckeyes, Ohio State +1.5 at -105 on DraftKings is the more efficient line than +2 at -110 on Caesars. The 1.5-to-2-point range across books is consistent with the moneyline implying a very slim home-court edge.
The Total
The total is set at 159.5 at Caesars and 160.5 at DraftKings. Caesars prices both sides at -110, while DraftKings shades slightly toward the over at -105. Neither number suggests books are pricing in an extreme offensive or defensive environment. The full-point gap does give under bettors a marginally better number at DraftKings. Use the Odds Converter to translate American odds into win percentages and benchmark whether a price represents value relative to your own projections.
What to Watch as the Line Develops
Home-Court Factor and Program Matchup
BYU's Marriott Center is a legitimate home-court advantage in college basketball. The Cougars are now in the Big 12, giving them a higher-profile schedule context heading into this game. Ohio State brings Big Ten pedigree, and the Buckeyes traveling to Provo for a non-conference game in early November is exactly the kind of setup that can produce a closer result than expected.
Early-Season Roster Uncertainty
This game tips off in early November, meaning rosters are still stabilizing. Transfers, freshmen, and returning contributors have not yet been stress-tested in real game situations. Line movement over the next week could reflect injury news, scrimmage reports, or rotation decisions. Track how the line shifts at Line History as new information hits the market.
Sharp Action Potential
The cross-book discrepancy, particularly the inverted favorite situation at Kalshi, is likely to attract sharp attention. When sharps bet into a side, lines tend to move quickly, and the spread could shift by a point or more before tip-off. Bettors with a strong lean, especially on Ohio State given the current plus-money pricing at the major books, may want to act early rather than wait.
Totals Context
Early-season totals are historically harder to set accurately because teams have limited recent game tape. The 159.5-to-160.5 range is worth revisiting once both programs have some early-season results on record.