Rutgers vs Illinois Prediction, Picks & Odds | 08 Jan 2026

College Basketball Betting Preview: Rutgers vs Illinois

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights go up against the Illinois Fighting Illini, with tip-off scheduled for 20:30 on Thursday, January 8.

Illinois at -21.5 on the spread really stand out. We are prepared to wager at odds of -120 and expect them to cover this line against Rutgers.

Riding with our spread recommendation? Grab the new BetMGM promo code and read our in-depth review of the platform before locking in your pick.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights previous game saw them claim a 88-85 (OT) home win over Oregon Ducks.

Illinois Fighting Illini won last time out by a 73-65 scoreline. It was on the road against Penn State Nittany Lions.

Head-to-Head Statistics

Rutgers beat Illini when the teams last met. It was a 82-73 scoreline. The past 10 games between the teams have seen Illini win six times.

NCAAB	Overall	PF	PA	N. Pts	Home	Away	Strk
Illinois	11-3	1220	955	265	8-3	3-0	3W
Rutgers	8-7	1054	1088	-34	8-3	0-4	1W

View Full Standings

Rutgers vs Illinois Prediction & Picks

Explore our top Rutgers vs Illinois betting tips, including an expert match prediction, correct score forecast and a bet builder ready to use. Each section below offers expert insight into the key betting angles.

Game Prediction

Illinois can finish well clear in this college game and that means we’re going for them against the spread. There is -120 on offer that the favorites are able to cover a -21.5 line.

Injuries can influence the outcome and our college basketball handicappers factor that in alongside the latest form guide. We apply the same approach to the stats to build the clearest picture of how the game might unfold.

Key Rutgers vs Illinois stats:

• The -21.5 line has been covered by Illinois in 2 consecutive games at home.
• The +21.5 line hasn’t been covered by Rutgers in 4 of their last 5 games on the road.
• The +21.5 line hasn’t been covered by Rutgers in 2 consecutive games on the road.

Illini -21.5 Probability

If you go by the top sportsbooks, our pick has a 54.6% chance of winning. Our experts think there’s a stronger chance of success and calculate the probability to be closer to 60%. It's therefore regarded as a value wager.

If you want bigger odds, then you can move the line by selling points. Choose how many to sell until you are happy with the juice available.

Getting ready to bet? Don’t miss out on the latest betting offers! Check out our in-depth guide packed with the best welcome bonuses just for you.

Our Game Prediction

Illinois -21.5 @ -120 Bet Now

BetMGM Promo Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Get Bonus T&C apply. Gamble responsibly 18+

Gamble responsibly 18+. All odds are correct at time of publishing and are subject to change. To use the Bookmaker Live Streaming services you will need to be logged in and have a funded account or to have placed a bet in the last 24 hours. Geo-restrictions apply.

Correct Score Prediction

Rutgers 64 - 88 Illinois

Should you want a bet that can land a monster return, then look no further than the correct score lines. Back the Illini to win 88-64 and leverage a huge payout if this happens.

Rutgers vs Illinois Odds

The odds and lines are updated on a frequent basis. You might therefore find that they are different to the ones listed for the above betting predictions.

You might not get rich backing Illinois at -10000. However, the sportsbooks’ betting odds imply a 99% chance of winning this college game. At +2400, Rutgers are regarded as having a lower probability of winning.

The spread is 23.5 and the total points line is currently 149.5. Basketball fans regularly enjoy the opportunity to bet on the Totals. The Over 149.5 selection is available to back at -106.

You’ll find a broad selection of team props and game lines for most college contests, with the best basketball betting sites offering plenty of options. Be sure to review both the pre-game and in-game markets before placing your bets.

Moneyline

Rutgers

+2400

Illinois

-10000

Point Spread

Rutgers +23.5

-110

Illinois -23.5

-110

Total Points

Under 149.5

-114

Over 149.5

-106

You shouldn’t overlook the player props when it comes to betting on individual games. Many gambling sites will give you the chance to get with or bet against a specific player when it comes to number of Points, Assists, Steals and Blocks.

Micro betting provides a rollercoaster ride for college basketball bettors. It can be great to enjoy the live lines, with the opportunity to bet on the Next Field Goal. Watch the live action before deciding which way to go.

Latest regular season and playoff games stats.

Rutgers Stats

Illinois Stats

Moneyline

• 4 wins and 6 defeats in the last 10 games
• 2 wins and 8 defeats in the last 10 games on the road

Moneyline

• 7 wins and 3 defeats in the last 10 games
• 7 wins and 3 defeats in the last 10 home games

Point Spread

• +21.5 Betting Line: Have covered the spread in 7 of the last 10 games
• +21.5 Betting Line on the Road: Have covered the spread in 6 of the last 10 games on the road

Point Spread

• -21.5 Betting Line: Have covered the spread in 3 of the last 10 games
• -21.5 Betting Line at Home: Have covered the spread in 4 of the last 10 home games

Total Points

• Game Totals: An average of 144.80 pts in the previous 10 games
• Game Totals on the Road: An average of 154.20 pts in the previous 10 games on the road
• Over 146.5: Covered in 3 of the previous 10 games
• Over 146.5 on the Road: Covered in 6 of the previous 10 games on the road
• Team Totals: Have scored an average of 68.30 pts and allowed 76.50 pts in the last 10 games
• Team Totals on the Road: Have scored an average of 70.10 pts and allowed 84.10 pts in the last 10 games on the road

Total Points

• Game Totals: An average of 151.70 pts in the previous 10 games
• Game Totals at Home: An average of 156.40 pts in the previous 10 home games
• Over 146.5: Covered in 5 of the previous 10 games
• Over 146.5 at Home: Covered in 7 of the previous 10 home games
• Team Totals: Have scored an average of 82.90 pts and allowed 68.80 pts in the last 10 games
• Team Totals at Home: Have scored an average of 87.10 pts and allowed 69.30 pts in the last 10 home games

NCAAB Table Select Season 2025/20262024/20252023/20242022/20232021/20222020/20212019/2020

Big Ten	Overall	PF	PA	N. Pts	Home	Away	Strk
Michigan	14-0	1331	936	395	10-0	4-0	14W
Nebraska	15-0	1216	986	230	13-0	2-0	15W
Purdue	14-1	1290	1004	286	11-1	3-0	6W
Michigan State	13-2	1186	966	220	10-1	3-1	1W
Indiana	12-3	1275	1005	270	11-1	1-2	4W
Iowa	12-3	1197	912	285	11-0	1-3	1L
USC	12-3	1279	1155	124	8-1	4-2	2L
Illinois	11-3	1220	955	265	8-3	3-0	3W
Ohio State	10-4	1184	1008	176	7-3	3-1	1L
Minnesota	10-5	1099	987	112	9-3	1-2	5W
UCLA	10-5	1195	1050	145	9-1	1-4	2L
Wisconsin	10-5	1238	1112	126	9-1	1-4	1W
Washington	9-6	1226	1096	130	6-1	3-5	2L
Penn State	9-6	1165	1113	52	8-5	1-1	2L
Northwestern	8-6	1125	986	139	7-4	1-2	1L
Oregon	8-7	1165	1100	65	7-3	1-4	1L
Rutgers	8-7	1054	1088	-34	8-3	0-4	1W
Maryland	7-8	1119	1172	-53	6-4	1-4	2L

• Overall = Overall Wins-Losses
• PF = Total Points For
• PA = Total Points Against
• N. Pts = Point Differential
• Home = Home Record
• Away = Away Record
• Strk = Current Streak

Top Basketball Pages