With the college basketball season now underway, it’s the perfect time to monitor the NCAA Tournament title odds. Kansas and UConn lead the field as the favorites at +900 on BetMGM, while Duke and Alabama follow closely at +1000.
I’ve highlighted a team from the ACC, SEC, Big 12, and Big Ten that present solid title cases at a range of odds. Whether you're looking for value in the favorites or intrigued by potential longshots, I’ve got you covered across the board.
Duke (+1000)
The Blue Devils are once again near the top of the National Champion odds board to start the season. They lost several top players from last year's team but return guards Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster. Duke also reloaded with the top freshman in the country and arguably the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Cooper Flagg. Head coach John Scheyer has built his roster around Flagg, bringing in an underrated transfer class of Mason Gillis (Purdue), Sion James (Tulane) and Maliq Brown (Syracuse).
Despite sitting behind Kansas and UConn on the odds board, the Blue Devils have received the highest ticket (14.3%) and handle percentage (17.6%), making them BetMGM’s biggest liability to win the title this season.
Alabama (+1000)
The Tide are fresh off their first-ever Final Four appearance last season and I love their chances of getting back there this year. Alabama enters the 2024-25 season with a stacked roster full of returning talent, key transfers, and an elite recruiting class. Veteran guard Mark Sears leads the way as a preseason All-American. He is also the favorite to win the Wooden Award at +700 at BetMGM. He’ll play alongside fellow returning guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. and forward Grant Nelson. Both players showed significant improvement throughout last season and will be expected to take on even larger roles this year.
Head coach Nate Oats brought in two transfers that should start right away: Rutgers’ Clifford Omoruyi and South Florida’s Chris Youngblood. As a 6'11" center, Omoruyi will provide a ton of upside on the defensive end. He led the Big Ten in blocks last season and should be one of the best rim protectors and rebounders in the SEC. Youngblood was the co-AAC Player of the Year last season and has a career mark of nearly 40% from deep across his last four seasons.
Under Oats, the Tide will continue to play a fast-paced offense that is known for shooting a ton of threes. Sounds like the Boston Celtics, right? Alabama enters the season with the No. 1 ranked offense on KenPom and a top-30 defense. With so many veteran players, the Tide will certainly be in the championship conversation at the end of the year.
Iowa State (+2000)
As a University of Iowa grad, I don’t enjoy writing this. But I do enjoy a good futures bet so it has to be done. The Cyclones played their way to a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament last season and have the pieces to get back there this spring. Under head coach T.J. Otzelberger, Iowa State has been one of the best defensive teams in the country. They ranked No. 2 in the Big 12 and No. 4 in the nation on that side of the ball, holding teams to just 61.5 PPG.
The Cyclones won’t just be good on defense however, they’ll have plenty of talent on offense too. They return four starters – Keshon Gilbert, Tamin Lipsey, Curtis Jones, Milan Momcilovic – who averaged double-digits a season ago. They also added former Charlotte center Dishon Jackson who should find himself in the starting lineup.
Experience, depth and continuity will take this team a long way, which is why they are a solid pick to win it all at +2000.
UCLA (+4000)
After a down season last year, expectations are high once again for UCLA as it makes its debut in the Big Ten this season. Head coach Mick Cronin has put together a solid roster of returning players and transfer portal additions, making them a decent longshot at +4000.
Guards Dylan Andrews and Sebastian Mack highlight the Bruins returnees and transfers feature USC’s Kobe Johnson, Oregon State’s Tyler Bilodeau and South Dakota State’s William Kyle III. Cronin also built out his bench with several other transfers, so depth shouldn’t be an issue for this team.
With a Final Four appearance and back-to-back Sweet Sixteen appearances in the last four years, expectations are for the Bruins to receive a strong seed heading into the tournament.
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