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NCAA Tournament 2024 Odds - March Madness Favorites

Written by: Andrew Norton
Fact-checked by: James Whitelock
Updated March 27, 2024
10 min read
  • Every No. 1 and No. 2 seed advanced to the Sweet 16, including Purdue, UConn, Houston, North Carolina, Marquette, Tennessee, Arizona, and Iowa State.

  • The lowest remaining seed in the Sweet 16 is No. 11 seed N.C. State Wolfpack, who unexpectedly punched their ticket to the “Big Dance” by winning five games in five days in the ACC Tournament.

  • After winning the NCAA Tournament in 2023, the UConn Huskies hope to win back-to-back championships for the first time since Florida did it in 2006 and 2007.

After a chaotic 2023 NCAA Tournament, expectations for this year’s March Madness were high. However, the first weekend was mostly chalk, with favorites dominating underdogs. 

While there is still one lower seed left, No. 11 N.C. State, the likelihood of a surprising NCAA Tournament winner is low. Can the Wolfpack continue their winning streak and keep some of the underdog magic alive?

Let’s dive into which teams can win the NCAA Tournament below, their respective odds, and whether or not there is value in betting on them!

NCAA Tournament Odds 

See the complete list of NCAA teams below and their NCAA Tournament odds, courtesy of  DraftKings Sportsbook. Click the odds in the table below and head over to DraftKings to place your bets and claim $150 in bonuses!

TeamOdds
UConn Huskies+210
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Houston Cougars+500
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Purdue Boilermakers+650
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Arizona Wildcats+900
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North Carolina Tar Heels+1100
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Tennessee Volunteers+1300
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Marquette Golden Eagles+1600
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Iowa State Cyclones+2000
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Duke Blue Devils+2200
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Gonzaga Bulldogs+2500
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Creighton Bluejays+2500
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Illinois Fighting Illini+3500
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Alabama Crimson Tide+3500
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San Diego State Aztecs+7000
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Clemson Tigers+8000
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N.C. State Wolfpack+9000
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NCAA Basketball Tournament Predictions

NCAA Tournament Predictions - NCAA Favorites to Win 

Which NCAA Tournament team will take home the hardware in 2024? Take a look at our 2024 NCAA Tournament predictions below.

Purdue Boilermakers (+650) at DraftKings

If the Purdue Boilermakers are hitting three-pointers, they might be unbeatable. Purdue sunk 11 of their 23 three-point attempts against the fifth-ranked three-point defense (Utah State) in the nation in its Round of 32 game.

The Boilermakers have been able to capitalize on Zach Edey’s offensive gravity all season, taking last year’s shortcomings (three-point shooting) and turning them into not just relative strengths but strengths on the national level. Purdue ranks first in three-point percentage in the nation, which is substantially better than its standing (277th in 3P%) last season.

Purdue’s success in its offensive ascension is due to its concerted off-season effort for every player besides Zach Edey to become a three-point threat, with nearly every player shooting at a higher percentage from deep than they did last year. 

Additionally, the quality of looks that Purdue gets, which are primarily kick-out three-pointers from Edey to others, enables the Boilers to have the best chance at putting points on the board.

The amount of fouls that Edey and company draw per game is also eye-opening and could be what differentiates this team from being an Elite Eight or Final Four team and a championship team. Purdue has only committed 16 total fouls through the first two rounds, while it has drawn 39 fouls in that same span!

In the first two games of the NCAA Tournament, the Boilers have shot 45 combined free throws compared to just 26 combined free throws for their opponents, too. It is also promising to see Purdue bounce back after a poor free throw shooting night against Grambling State to convert its attempts at roughly an 83% clip in the following game.

Purdue’s aptitude on the glass also elevates our faith in this team. The Boilers rank second in the nation in total rebounding rate behind only Saint Mary’s. If Purdue gets to the line more than opponents, rebounds more than opponents, stays out of foul trouble, and knocks down three-pointers at a high clip, it is extremely challenging to see it losing.

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UConn Huskies (+210) at DraftKings

With National Championship odds of +210, it might not seem like there is a ton of value in betting on the UConn Huskies to win their next four games and secure back-to-back national titles for the first time since the Florida Gators did it in the 2000s.

However, the Huskies make +210 look like a value bet, especially after dismantling their first two opponents, Stetson and Northwestern, by a combined 56 points. They never had a chance to keep up with UConn’s extraordinarily efficient offense.

What is even more incredible is UConn holding Northwestern and Stetson to fewer than 20 points each in the first half of its Round of 64 and Round of 32 games! The Huskies let their foot off the gas a bit in the second half of those matchups; however, their first-half dominance has been astounding, to say the least.

The Huskies are such a well-balanced offensive unit, too; they had five players score in double-digits in their first game and then got a 20-point and 10-assist outing from Tristen Newton and a 14-point, 14-rebound, and 8-block performance from their 7-foot-2 big man Donovan Clingan.

Currently, UConn ranks first in KenPom’s adjusted efficiency margin, including the second-highest adjusted offensive efficiency and eighth-lowest (best) adjusted defensive efficiency. The Huskies have also won 23 of their past 24 games, with a sole road loss to Creighton, one of the remaining teams in the Sweet 16, being the only blip in that stretch.

It is March, so anything can happen in college basketball, but this Huskies squad is one of the most dominant that we have seen in a while.

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Houston Cougars (+500) at DraftKings

The Houston Cougars’ Round of 32 game against the Texas A&M Aggies was the type of game that could have led to their demise but, since it didn’t, could be the positive catalyst that propels them to a national championship. 

Houston had several of its best players foul out, including Emanuel Sharp, L.J. Cryer, and Jamal Shead, giving it an uphill battle, especially in overtime. The Cougars blew a ten-point lead with roughly one and a half minutes left in the second half, which was capped off by a game-tying three-pointer from Aggies’ Andersson Garcia to send the game into overtime.

The game eventually was iced by a free throw from a walk-on player, Ryan Elvin. You read that correctly. A Round of 32 game in the NCAA Tournament was decided by a walk-on player, who had attempted just a handful of free throws all season, at the charity stripe.

The game was physical and it was called tightly, giving each team quite a few free throws; however, the Aggies finished with 45 free throw attempts, a borderline unfathomable number for a single collegiate game. 

Texas A&M also outrebounded Houston; the Aggies were one of the best rebounding teams on both ends the entire 2023-24 campaign. This gave the Cougs some trouble, as they are not used to being beaten in the rebounding department. 

The Aggies were first for nearly the entire season in offensive rebounding percentage.

Purdue (third in OREB%) and UConn (14th in OREB%) are the only two other teams that could potentially keep up with Houston on the glass, but neither is nearly as talented defensively, leaving the Cougars with a margin for error.

Sharp, Cryer, and Shead are a lethal trio that can lead this team to a national championship.

Head over to DraftKings to place your NCAA bets!

Marquette Golden Eagles (+1600) at DraftKings

How many teams can say that they basically copied and pasted last season’s roster (save Olivier-Maxence Prosper) to this season’s roster? And how many of those teams were legitimate contenders already during the 2022-23 campaign? The answer to both of those questions would be “very few.”

Marquette won the Big East regular season title and Big East Tournament title last year, securing a No. 2 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Unfortunately, the Golden Eagles ran into a Michigan State team that got hot at the right time. We have heard that story before, especially with the Spartans being “that team” that comes in and busts contenders because they peaked at the right time. 

This year hasn’t quite been as dominant, especially in the first few months of the season, but the Golden Eagles are as dangerous as ever, having won 12 of their last 15 games entering the Big East Tournament. Those three losses came against the UConn Huskies (twice) and Creighton. During that stretch, Marquette’s offense shined; it had a team shooting split of 52/40/67. Obviously, betting on Marquette to win the National Championship means betting that it will knock down key free throws in crunch time, but it has the experience to overcome those issues.

Marquette is one of only five teams that enter its conference tournament as a top-20 team in adjusted offensive efficiency and adjusted defensive efficiency per KenPom. Additionally, the Golden Eagles have the 18th-highest effective field goal percentage and force the 15th-most turnovers per game in the nation. 

The Shaka Smart-led Golden Eagles are more than capable of putting together a National Championship run behind veterans Kam Jones, Tyler Kolek, Oso Ighodaro, David Joplin, Stevie Mitchell, and Chase Ross; however, the injury status of Kolek (oblique) will drive whether or not we lay down a bet on the Golden Eagles. He has missed the team’s last two games and will be questionable heading into the Big East Tournament. As long as he is back for the “Big Dance,” we are believers in this team!

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Who Will Win the NCAA Tournament - My Pick 

Purdue Boilermakers (+650) at DraftKings

Purdue has all the makings of an NCAA Championship team, having strolled through their conference and non-conference schedule without breaking a sweat. The Boilers have an unbelievable 19-3 record in Quad 1 and Quad 2 games, including wins over No. 4 Tennessee, No. 8 Marquette, No. 19 Gonzaga, No. 5 Arizona, No. 16 Alabama, No. 12 Illinois (twice), and Wisconsin (twice.) 

Additionally, the Boilers rank first in three-point shooting percentage, second in total rebounding rate (fifth in OREB%), fourth in assists, and first in adjusted offensive efficiency when this was written. Purdue’s sheer dominance on the glass and in knocking down threes makes it an obvious choice to win a National Championship. Plus, how can we possibly fade Zach Edey, one of the greatest centers in the history of college basketball?

Place your bets at DraftKings using our exclusive link and get $150 in bonus bets when wagering just $5!

Who Won the NCAA Tournament in 2023

The UConn Huskies won the NCAA Tournament in 2023, beating all six of their opponents by double-digits and leaving no doubt about which team was the best in college basketball.

NCAA Tournament History

The NCAA Tournament was founded in 1939, making it 85 years since the inception of one of the most popular sporting events in the world. In its beginning stages, the NCAA Tournament only had eight teams but has since expanded to 68 teams as of 2011, when the “First Four” games were introduced. There are two ways for teams to get into the NCAA Tournament: winning their conference tournament or receiving an at-large bid.

There are 32 conferences in Division I basketball, meaning 32 teams punch their ticket before “Selection Sunday,” completely avoiding the “sweat” of waiting to hear their name called. The remaining 36 teams are “at-large,” which is awarded for having a successful season and winning meaningful games.

Despite having not won a National Championship since 1995, the UCLA Bruins have the most titles of any college basketball team, with 11 titles. During his tenure, legendary UCLA head coach John Wooden won 10 National Championships with the Bruins. Kentucky (8), North Carolina (6), Duke (5), UConn (5), and Indiana (5) rank second through fourth (three-way tie), respectively. 

Past NCAA Tournament Winners

Listed below are the past 15 NCAA Tournament champions, starting with the most recent champions. Take a look.

ChampionYear
UConn Huskies2023
Kansas Jayhawks2022
Baylor Bears2021
Virginia Cavaliers2019
Villanova Wildcats2018
North Carolina Tar Heels2017
Villanova Wildcats2016
Duke Blue Devils2015
UConn Huskies2014
Louisville Cardinals2013
Kentucky Wildcats2012
UConn Huskies2011
Duke Blue Devils2010
North Carolina Tar Heels2009
Kansas Jayhawks2008

How to Choose the Best Sportsbook for Betting on the NCAA Tournament

Several factors determine how to choose the best sportsbook for betting on the NCAA Tournament. First, you should always consider which sportsbook has the best odds for the bets you want to place. If you wish to place a number of bets during the NCAA Tournament, it might make sense to have multiple sportsbooks to ensure you get the best value possible.

Beyond finding out who has the best odds, you should also consider which sportsbooks offer the best welcome bonus, what their payment options are for depositing and withdrawing funds, the user interface of their apps, and much more!

The table below details some of the advantages of BetMGM, Caesars, and FanDuel. Check it out.

BetMGMCaesarsFanDuel
NCAA Tournament Winner OddsOdds Not AvailableOdds Not AvailableOdds Not Available
Welcome BonusBet $5, Get $158 in Bonus Bets!Up to a $1,000 First Bet on CaesarsBet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets 
Payment Options- ACH Payments Bank Transfer
- Visa
- Mastercard
- American Express
- Discover credit card
- PayPal
- Neteller
- Skrill
- ACH/ Instant Check
- Credit Cards (Visa and Mastercard)
- Debit Cards
- Online Bank Transfer
- PayPal
- Caesars Prepaid Play+ Card
- Skrill
- ACH Payments Bank Transfer
- Mastercard
- Visa
- FanDuel Prepaid Card
- Online Transfer
- Wire Transfer
- PayPal
Withdrawal TimeInstantUp to 72 hours Instant
Bet on NCAA Tournament HereBET HEREBET HEREBET HERE

How to Read NCAA Tournament Winner Odds

Understanding odds can get confusing if you are newer to the betting scene. If a team’s betting odds have a minus in front of them, they are a favorite; if the betting odds have a plus in front, they are an underdog.

For example, if the Houston Cougars are -115 to make the Final Four, then they are considered a favorite (greater than 50% chance of making it). You would have to bet $115 to win $100.

However, if you are betting the Purdue Boilermakers to win the National Championship at +750, you would only have to bet $100 to win $750 because they are significant underdogs to win six consecutive games in the NCAA Tournament.

NCAA Tournament FAQ

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AUTHOR

Andrew Norton

145 Articles

Andrew has always been an avid sports fan and followed his hoop dreams all the way to college. He’s well-versed in everything betting with multiple years of experience and is qualitatively and quantitatively knowledgeable in sports statistics and analytics.

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