March Madness is one of the single largest sporting events in the world. It regularly draws record numbers of sports bettors, often coming in second only to the Super Bowl. When March arrives, bettors flock to legal sportsbooks in search of March Madness betting odds. Our comprehensive guide will explain everything you need to know about March Madness odds, including common bets, how to read odds, and more.
Odds of Winning March Madness: Best Bets
Here, we will break down the betting favorites to win March Madness.
Duke
The Duke Blue Devils have the best odds to win March Madness 2025. Not only are they projected to bring back a lot of production from last season, but they are also bringing in the best recruiting class in the country, headlined by the No. 1 ranked player, Cooper Flagg.
As always, Duke will enter the season with one of the top rosters in the country. This is why they hold the top spot in current odds to win March Madness over the two-time defending champions.
UConn
College basketball has a repeat champion for the first time since the 2006-07 Florida Gators. The UConn Huskies finished yet another historic run to the NCAAB title, knocking off fellow No. 1 seed Purdue.
Over the last two championship seasons, UConn finished 12-0 ATS in the NCAA Tournament and has won 11 straight March Madness games by double-digits. In the modern era of basketball, we have not seen a team dominate like this.
A three-peat is not off the table with its returning talent and more top-ranked recruits entering the program. The oddsmakers agree, giving Dan Hurley’s squad the second-best March Madness odds.
Odds To Win March Madness: Longshots and Value Bets
Longshots rarely go on to win it all in March. However, a few programs can go on deep runs every season. In 2024, the NC State Wolfpack made it all the way to the Final Four as a No. 11 seed. There are also some excellent value plays to consider entering the offseason. Some of the best programs in the country are given a generous price below the favorites.
Kansas
Entering last season, the Kansas Jayhawks were projected to be one of UConn’s biggest competitors. That was true for the first chunk of the season, as Kansas knocked off the Huskies in December and was the No. 1 ranked team in the country.
Injuries and overall roster regression cost Kansas a shot at competing. However, they are bringing back a nice chunk of last year’s production and have one of the best recruiting classes in the country.
North Carolina
The Tar Heels improved over a disastrous 2022 campaign, winning the ACC regular season title and earning a No. 1 seed in the tournament. While they ultimately fell in the Sweet 16 to Alabama, North Carolina will return in 2024 with a national championship-caliber rotation.
Like most teams at the top of the early 2025 March Madness odds, they are bringing in some of the best freshmen in the country, which should complement an experienced returning roster.
Where To Bet on NCAA Basketball Odds in 2025
How can you find the best sports betting apps for March Madness and claim the top March Madness betting promos?
It depends on what sportsbooks offer college basketball futures in your state and if there are any restrictions on college betting. North Carolina sports betting apps launched on March 11, 2024, and online sportsbooks are already available in dozens of other US states.
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The online marketplace for March Madness odds vary, sometimes wildly, and fluctuate regularly. This puts those who have done their homework in the best positions to capitalize on March Madness bracket predictions. Incentives are aplenty, too.
March Madness Line Movement: Why Do Betting Lines Move?
Basketball game betting lines and championship futures can move for several reasons. One or both teams could have critical players ruled out. However, the primary reason why a line will move is that a significant amount of money has been placed on one side of the bet. In such a situation, should that side of the bet win, the house loses. To protect themselves, sportsbooks will adjust the NCAAB odds to encourage betting on the other side of the line.
Unexpected line movements can happen when a lot of money is placed on one side of a bet by a small number of big bettors (sharps).
The same principle applies to future odds (i.e., March Madness tournament odds). However, during the tournament, March Madness odds will move because fewer teams are alive, and each remaining team has a better chance of winning simply because they are still playing.
What Is Implied Probability?
Implied probability is the likelihood of a particular outcome based on the odds. For example, DraftKings has listed the 2024 runner-up Purdue Boilermakers at +3000 odds to win the 2025 NCAAM Championship. Those odds would translate to a 3.23% implied probability of Purdue winning March Madness 2025.
You can use our implied probability calculator to determine the likelihood of your wager succeeding.
Types of March Madness Odds
March Madness odds are available in many shapes, sizes, and formats. If you’re already familiar with sports betting odds, these won’t come as much of a surprise. See our college basketball odds page for more.
March Madness Moneylines
Moneyline bets are the simplest odds available for March Madness games. Bet on a team to win. If they do, you get a payout commensurate with the odds at the time of your bet. Moneyline odds take into account team skill, recent developments, records, and more.
Moneyline Example
- Purdue +150
- UConn -200
These odds tell us that UConn is favored to win the game while Purdue is the underdog.
March Madness Point Spreads
Point spreads give an advantage to the underdog team and a handicap to the favored squad in the form of added or subtracted points. When a team covers the spread, they’ve either overcome the disadvantage or lost by a thinner margin than the sportsbook initially set. Here is an example.
Point Spread Example
- Purdue +6.5 (-110)
- UConn -6.5 (-110)
In this example, UConn is favored to win the matchup by around six points. The -6.5 means the Huskies will cover the spread if they win by at least seven. A final score of UConn 72, Purdue 61 means UConn covers because they win by 11 points, which is greater than the line of -6.5.
On the other hand, Purdue can either win straight-up or lose by fewer than seven points to cover the spread. A final score of UConn 72, Purdue 69 would mean bets on Purdue’s point spread are successful.
March Madness Totals
In totals betting, your wager hinges on the combined total points scored by both teams rather than picking a winner correctly. These bets are also called Over/Unders. Looking at an example is the best way to grasp total wagers.
Totals Example
- UConn vs. Purdue
- Over 144.5 (-110)
- Under 144.5 (-110)
The ending score is the only thing that matters here, and it doesn’t matter who scores which points. In a final score of UConn 78, Purdue 77, the “Over” is successful because the total is 155, well beyond the line of 144.5. Conversely, a final score of Purdue 71, UConn 70 would result in the “Under” winning because the total is 141.
March Madness Futures
March Madness futures bets are popular year-round. They involve picking a winner for a long-term outcome in the tournament. For example, you might bet on your favorite team to make the Sweet Sixteen or win it all. Because these outcomes are incredibly hard to predict, futures bets have high potential payouts along with their high risk.
Futures Example
To win March Madness 2025:
- Duke: +1000
- Kansas: +1000
- UConn: +1100
- Alabama: +1300
- Houston: +1600
- UNC: +2000
The list includes many other teams. A $100 bet on Duke to win it all would bring a $1,000 return.
March Madness Parlays
Parlays combine multiple bets into a single wager. Each individual bet is called a “leg,” and your parlay only wins if all the legs are successful. Let’s combine a few bets and see how the odds look.
Parlay Example
- Illinois moneyline +180
- Michigan State -1 (-108)
- Iowa vs. Iowa State Over 138.5 (-110)
- Total odds: +929
The combined payout of the parlay is significantly higher than each constituent bet. But if even one leg loses, the whole parlay is a bust. A $100 bet would bring a $929 profit.
Sportsbooks also allow parlays to be built from bets on a single game. These are called same-game parlays.
March Madness Props
Prop bets focus on outcomes that aren’t necessarily related to a win or loss. Examples of prop bets can include:
- Player to score three or more three-pointers
- Will there be overtime? Yes or no
- Player to log Over/Under 4.5 assists
Props on specific players are becoming rarer as many states prohibit them on the collegiate level, but game props are still widely offered on March Madness contests.
March Madness Live Betting
Sportsbooks allow in-play or live betting. As the name implies, these bets are placed on games as they’re in progress. Live betting can be particularly beneficial because odds can shift as the game goes on. You might see a high-paying moneyline bet on a team that’s trailing. It could be worth a bet if that team has a history of making comebacks for the win.
Odds change quickly while live betting, so you need to act fast.
March Madness Line Shopping
Line shopping is the practice of searching across numerous sportsbooks to find a more advantageous line or odds for a given bet. Take the following examples from two different sportsbooks:
FanDuel odds on Michigan vs. Michigan State
- Michigan State -6 (-108)
- Michigan +6 (-112)
DraftKings odds on Michigan vs. Michigan State
- Michigan State -5.5 (-110)
- Michigan +5.5 (-110)
These are very small differences that can make a big impact over time. FanDuel has a better payout on the Michigan State point spread, but Michigan State has to win by 7 or more for that bet to hit. DraftKings, meanwhile, requires a 6-point margin but pays slightly less.
Find the best odds and lines for your particular bet to maximize your profit potential in the long run.
March Madness Odds: History and Betting Tips
The following table contains the odds (via SportsOddsHistory.com) for the last 14 NCAAM Championship winners, along with who the favorites were in the preseason and before Round 1 of the Tournament:
| Year | NCAAM Champion | Odds (Preseason/Prior Rd 1) | Favorite (Preseason) | Odds | Favorite (Prior Rd 1) | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Connecticut (37-3) | +2000 | Kansas | +1000 | Connecticut | +400 |
| 2023 | Connecticut (31-8) | +8000/+1600 | Gonzaga/North Carolina | +900/+900 | Houston | +500 |
| 2022 | Kansas (34-6) | +1400/+900 | Gonzago | +600 | Gonzaga | +300 |
| 2021 | Baylor (28-2) | +800/+500 | Baylor/Gonzaga | +800 | Gonzaga | +200 |
| 2020 | Canceled (Covid-19) | |||||
| 2019 | Virginia (35-3) | +1350/+675 | Duke | +450 | Duke | +255 |
| 2018 | Villanova (36-4) | +2700/+570 | Duke | +525 | Villanova | +575 |
| 2017 | North Carolina (33-7) | +1900/+535 | Duke | +335 | North Carolina | +535 |
| 2016 | Villanova (35-5) | +2500/+1500 | Kentucky | +850 | Kansas | +485 |
| 2015 | Duke (35-4) | +900/+1000 | Kentucky | +275 | Kentucky | +110 |
| 2014 | Connecticut (32-8) | +6500/+9500 | Kentucky | +400 | Florida | +550 |
| 2013 | Louisville (35-5) | +700/+450 | Indiana | +500 | Louisville | +450 |
| 2012 | Kentucky (38-2) | +550/+185 | North Carolina | +350 | Kentucky | +185 |
| 2011 | Connecticut (32-9) | +4000/+2500 | Duke | +500 | Duke/Kansas | +400 |
| 2010 | Duke (35-5) | +1200/+650 | Kansas/Kentucky | +500 | Kansas | +175 |
Here are a few trends that could be helpful for bettors as they decide on who to wager on:
- No team seeded from No. 9 to 16 has ever made the championship game.
- No. 1 seeds have a 25% chance of making the Finals and a 16% chance of winning.
- No. 2 seeds have a 20.8% chance of making the Finals and a 9% chance of winning.
- No. 3 seeds have an 11.8% chance of making the Finals and a 7.6% chance of winning.
- The highest seed to win is No. 8 (Villanova in 1985).
March Madness Odds: Restrictions On College Sports
While March Madness is extremely popular, some states have had concerns over the integrity of the game and athletes when it comes to sports betting. As a result, some states have imposed restrictions on betting on college sports:
- New Jersey sports betting: Betting is prohibited on New Jersey college teams or college sports events held in New Jersey.
- Illinois sports betting: Betting is prohibited on games involving teams from in-state colleges and universities; prop betting and in-play prop betting are also banned.
- Colorado sports betting: Betting on games involving teams from Colorado is legal, but bets on player performance are not (player prop bets). Sorry, Buffalo fans– no college bowl props the next time CU makes a bowl game.
- Tennessee: Betting on games involving teams from Tennessee is legal, but bets on player performance (player prop bets) and live prop betting are not. That means no College Bowl live betting on the Volunteers.
- Virginia sports betting: Betting is prohibited on games involving teams from in-state colleges and universities; no prop bets or in-play betting.
- New Hampshire: Betting on games involving teams from in-state colleges and universities is prohibited.
- New York sports betting: Betting is prohibited on collegiate sports events held in-state and games/events involving teams from New York.
- Oregon sports betting: Betting on college sports via the state-run app is prohibited, but you can bet on them at a tribal casino that offers sports betting.
- Rhode Island: Betting is prohibited on college teams from Rhode Island and in-state events.
- Washington, DC, sports betting: Betting is prohibited on games involving teams from in-state colleges and universities.
- Arizona sports betting: No prop bets allowed, player or team.
- Connecticut: Betting is prohibited on games involving in-state colleges and universities.
- Illinois: Player prop bets on players from in-state teams are banned.
- Iowa: No player props on players from in-state teams.
Latest March Madness News
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Purdue vs. UConn Props: Best Bets for 2024 NCAAB National Championship
Connecticut vs. Purdue Predictions, Odds: 2024 NCAAB National Championship Preview
South Carolina vs. Iowa Predictions, Odds: 2024 Women’s National Championship Preview
Alabama vs. UConn Odds, Predictions: 2024 March Madness Final Four
March Madness Odds FAQ
March Madness odds represent the likelihood and potential payouts attached to specific outcomes in the tournament. You can find March Madness odds at major sportsbooks across the US.
Yes. DraftKings is a top sportsbook that offers a wide variety of March Madness odds before and during the season.
Yes. FanDuel’s odds team consistently offers live odds during March Madness games. It’s a great sportsbook for in-game betting enthusiasts.
A $100 bet on odds of +110 would pay $110 in profit if successful. The total payout would be $210, representing your initial wager return plus the winnings.
Odds of -110 mean that outcome is about 50% likely to happen. While that would normally require odds of +100, sportsbooks offer -110 to include their vig and guarantee a profit. A $110 bet on these odds would pay $100 in profits.
Over/Under is also known as totals betting. In these wagers, you pick “Over” or “Under” based on how many points you think both teams will combine for in the game.
You can download and create accounts for multiple online sportsbooks. Compare and contrast the odds to find the most advantageous lines or payouts.
This comes down to personal preference. Totals betting is certainly popular among March Madness bettors because some fans don’t prefer a particular team.
FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetMGM are our top recommended March Madness betting apps, though many other great options exist.
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