Selection Sunday is just over a month away, and teams are looking to fine-tune their résumés to secure better seeds for the NCAA Tournament. At 21-0, UCLA has made a strong case for a No. 1 seed, standing as the only undefeated women’s team left in the country. Despite their spotless record, the Bruins are still not favored to win the national title.
After opening the season with +1200 odds, UCLA's championship odds have shortened to +475 at BetMGM. Even with that movement, they trail both South Carolina (+190) and UConn (+350). The Gamecocks sit at 21-1, while the Huskies are 21-2, with both programs dominating the betting action. South Carolina leads with 17% of tickets and 22.9% of the handle, while UConn follows with 10.8% of tickets but holds 28.3% of the handle—more than any other team.
By comparison, UCLA has drawn just 9.7% of the tickets and 9.1% of the handle, which helps explain why sportsbooks are still pricing them behind South Carolina and UConn. Simply put, the betting public sees less risk in backing the more established powerhouses.
However, Bruins star center Lauren Betts is a major liability for the sportsbook in the Women's Wooden Award market. She's priced at +170, right behind USC’s JuJu Watkins at +120. Both players rank in the top three for ticket percentage, though Watkins dominates the handle at a whopping 39.1%.
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