The 2026-27 college basketball season began this week, and Wednesday features a slate with prominent programs such as Auburn, Butler, and Saint Mary's all installed as significant favorites. The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every game 10,000 times, supports each of these teams to cover their respective point spreads as part of its Wednesday best bets.
Butler (-27.5) vs. Fairleigh Dickinson
Butler opened the season with a 96-60 win over Lafayette, holding the Leopards to 37% shooting and 17% from three-point range, with all five starters scoring in double figures. Fairleigh Dickinson went 11-21 last season, 8-10 in the Northeast Conference, and lost its opener 120-45 to Illinois. The Knights were 2-8 against the spread in non-conference games a year ago. The model projects Butler to cover in 63% of simulations.
Auburn (-29.5) vs. SE Louisiana
Auburn holds a 5-0 all-time record against SE Louisiana and owns the nation's longest active non-conference home winning streak at 67 games. SE Louisiana finished 9-22 last season, 6-16 in the Southland Conference, and has lost 35 consecutive games against SEC opponents, including a 30-point loss to Ole Miss to open last year. The Tigers return second-leading scorer Tahaad Pettiford, and three of Auburn's first four victories last season came by at least 30 points. The model projects Auburn to cover in 56% of simulations.
Saint Mary's (-13.5) vs. North Dakota State
Saint Mary's is coming off its fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance and a 27-6 record as co-West Coast Conference regular-season champions. Head coach Randy Bennett departed for Arizona State, but the Gaels opened with a 90-85 win over Illinois State under new head coach Mickey McConnell, a former player and associate head coach under Bennett. North Dakota State won the Summit League title and reached the NCAA Tournament but lost all five of its leading scorers from last season. The model projects Saint Mary's to cover in 65% of simulations.
Combining the three picks into a parlay would yield a payout of +601 (risk $100 to win $601). The SportsLine Projection Model enters the season on an 11-1 run on top-rated over/under picks dating back to 2025 and a 28-22 run on top-rated side picks. Various sportsbook promotions are available, including bonus codes from Kalshi, BetMGM, DraftKings, Fanatics Sportsbook, and bet365.
