The men’s March Madness bracket is set and the No. 1 overall seed and defending national champion UConn Huskies (+400) stand atop the field as the favorites to cut down the nets in April.
Fellow No. 1 seeds Houston (+600) and Purdue (+700) are close behind UConn in the betting market, while North Carolina (+1600), the top team in the West Region, is tied for the fifth-best odds to win its seventh national title. No. 2 Arizona (+1500) has better odds than the Tar Heels and No. 2 Tennessee (+1600) is tied with UNC. Seven of the last 10 teams to win it all have been No. 1s. The lone exceptions are 2016 Villanova, a No. 2 seed; the 2014 Huskies, a No. 7 seed; and 2023 UConn, a No. 4 seed.
No. 4 Auburn (+2000) could be headed for a Sweet 16 clash with UConn in the East if both teams survive the first weekend of the tournament. Elsewhere in the region is, No. 2 Iowa State (+2300), No. 3 Illinois (+3000) and No. 5 San Diego State (+8000). The Aztecs were a Final Four team a season ago and the Cyclones and Illini both won their conference tournaments to punctuate their resumes.
Clockwise from top left: UConn guard Cam Spencer, Purdue center Zach Edey, Houston forward Ja’Vier Francis and Arizona guard Caleb Love
In the South, No. 2 Marquette (+2100) seemingly poses the biggest threat to the top-seeded Cougars, but blue bloods No. 3 Kentucky (+3000) and No. 4 Duke (+4000) are also looming large. The Blue Devils were in the Final Four in 2022 while the Golden Eagles and Wildcats have both been bounced early in recent years. Marquette hasn’t advanced to the second weekend since 2013 and, believe it or not, UK’s last Sweet 16 trip was in 2019.
Out West, Arizona and No. 3 Baylor (+3500) could stand in North Carolina’s way of getting back to the national championship, not to mention No. 4 Alabama (+3500) or No. 5 Saint Mary’s (+5500). No. 9 Michigan State (+6000) also stands out. The Spartans hardly ever have an early exit and they’re tied for the 18th-best odds despite their seeding.
In the Midwest Region with Purdue are some March Madness regulars. The Volunteers haven’t missed the tournament since 2017 and No. 3 Creighton (+2000) has been in the Big Dance each of the last three years. No. 4 Kansas (+3500), which won it all in 2022, is in the tournament seemingly every year as is No. 5 Gonzaga (+5500).
Of course, upsets tend to happen in March. Just ask the Boilermakers, who fell to No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson last season and No. 15 Saint Peter’s the year before. The Peacocks are back in the Big Dance this season as a No. 15 seed and Tennessee is looking to avoid the same fate Kentucky suffered in the 2022 tournament as a No. 2 seed that drew Saint Peter’s in the Round of 64.
You’ll see below all the double-digit seeds have long odds at making any kind of run in March. No. 11 New Mexico (+8000) has by far the best odds of any double-digit seed, followed by No. 10 Nevada (+10000) and the No. 14, 15 and 16 seeds are all tied at +100000.
2024 Men’s College Basketball National Championship Odds
(via FanDuel)
No. 1 Connecticut +400
No. 1 Houston +600
No. 1 Purdue +700
No. 2 Arizona +1500
No.1 North Carolina +1600
No. 2 Tennessee +1600
No. 3 Creighton +2000
No. 4 Auburn +2000
No. 2 Marquette +2100
No. 2 Iowa State +2300
No. 3 Kentucky +3000
No. 3 Illinois +3000
No. 4 Alabama +3500
No. 4 Kansas +3500
No. 3 Baylor +3500
No. 4 Duke +4000
No. 6 BYU +5000
No. 5 Wisconsin +6000
No. 9 Michigan State +6000
No. 5 Gonzaga +5500
No. 5 Saint Mary’s +6000
No. 7 Florida +8000
No. 11 New Mexico +8000
No. 5 San Diego State +8000
No. 7 Texas +10000
No. 6 Texas Tech +10000
No. 8 Nebraska +10000
No. 10 Nevada +12000
No. 7 Washington State +13000
No. 6 Clemson +13000
No. 8 Mississippi State +13000
No. 10 Colorado +15000
No. 9 Texas A&M +15000
No. 9 TCU +15000
No. 10 Drake +15000
No. 6 South Carolina +17000
No. 11 Oregon +20000
No. 10 Boise State +20000
No. 8 Utah State +20000
No. 8 Florida Atlantic +20000
No. 7 Dayton +20000
No. 10 Colorado State +20000
No. 9 Northwestern +25000
No. 12 Grand Canyon +25000
No. 12 James Madison +25000
No. 11 NC State +35000
No. 10 Virginia +50000
No. 12 McNeese +50000
No. 13 Yale +50000
No. 13 Samford +50000
No. 13 Vermont +50000
No. 11 Duquesne +50000
No. 12 UAB +100000
No. 13 Charleston +100000
No. 14 Morehead State +100000
No. 16 Longwood +100000
No. 16 Stetson +100000
No. 14 Oakland +100000
No. 16 Wagner +100000
No. 15 South Dakota State +100000
No. 14 Colgate +100000
No. 16 Montana State +100000
No. 16 Howard +100000
No. 14 Akron +100000
No. 15 Western Kentucky +100000
No. 15 Long Beach State +100000
No. 16 Grambling +100000
Related: 2024 March Madness: Odds and Spread for Every Round 1 Game
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