March Madness odds: Latest favorites to win NCAA basketball tournament

March Madness is the time of year college basketball fans and sports betting enthusiasts live for. The NCAA tournament provides all 64 teams an equal chance to cut down the nets and have their one shining moment no matter their March Madness odds.

The 2023 run to the NCAA championship provided as much excitement as we’ve ever seen. We saw a No. 16 seed upset a No. 1 seed for just the second time in history in the first round.

We also saw the other three No. 1 seeds fail to make it past the Sweet 16 and a Final Four consisting of shocking teams like Florida Atlantic and Miami.

In 2024, UConn became the first program in over 15 years to win back-to-back championships.

UConn aims to become the first team since UConn in the early 1970s to win three straight championships. Here is how the futures odds look in May 2024.

Odds are courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. These oddIlliniIllinis are accurate at time of publishing, but are always subject to change.

It’s hard to bet against UConn after their dominance in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. There were doubts after losing key contributors to the 2023 team but they looked even better last season.

UConn will enter the season without Donovan Clingan, Stephon Castle, Cam Spencer, and Tristan Newton. Adding St. Mary’s transfer Aidan Mahaney was a key pickup for the Huskies, and there’s a chance they retain Alex Karaban.

The Huskies likely won’t enter the season in the top-five of the AP Poll but no one is sleeping on UConn after the last two seasons.

Duke looked poised for a Final Four run but couldn’t get past NC State in the Elite Eight. It’ll be a much different roster, but the Blue Devils return Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster.

Duke also has the No. 1 recruiting class behind Cooper Flagg and Khaman Maluach. Flagg is the No. 1 recruit in the 2024 class and likely No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. The Blue Devils also added Maliq Brown and Mason Gillis in the transfer portal.

If the recruiting class lives up to the hype, Duke will be tough to beat all season.

We didn’t see the same Gonzaga dominance as the past few years, but the Bulldogs still made the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. The odds may not suggest it but they have a real chance to make a Final Four run.

Gonzaga returns their entire starting lineup except Anton Watson. Graham Ike and Ryan Nembhard were one of the best duos last season, and Pepperdine transfer Michael Ajayi will slot into the starting lineup.

The Bulldogs are the team to beat in the WCC and should be a strong Final Four contender.

The Iowa State Cyclones were a big surprise last season, earning a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Despite the big season, many believe they’ll be even better in 2024-25.

Iowa State’s lineup will look similar to last season, as they return their top four scorers. The Cyclones landed a pair of strong players in the portal with Joshua Jefferson and Dishon Jackson.

Kansas and Houston will be tough to beat but you shouldn’t count out Iowa State in the Big 12.

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