NCAAW Tournament Odds and Predictions 2026: UConn Favored to Repeat, But Several Promising Contenders Linger

• As could be expected, the defending champs, the UConn Huskies, opened as the betting favorite to win the title this season at +240.

• Among the cast of challengers are many of the same teams that were contenders last season, i.e., South Carolina (+280), UCLA (+480), Texas (+850), LSU (+1000), USC (+2000), Notre Dame (+2500), etc.

• 18 of 44 preseason No.1s went on to win the national championship.

Much like men’s college basketball, the national championship for women’s basketball is decided by the annual NCAAW National Championship Tournament.  On this page, we’ll keep you up to date on everything you need to know to bet on the latest NCAAW Tournament odds, from how to read odds to the best sportsbooks for betting on them, etc. 

NCAAW Tournament Odds

Here are the odds for the top 10 contenders listed at FanDuel Sportsbook. Sign up for a FanDuel account today and claim: Bet $5, Get $300 in Bonus Bets if Your Bet Wins.

NCAAW Tournament Winner Predictions

UConn is going to miss Paige Bueckers, but the Huskies were busy in the portal and have a roster stacked with talent ready to defend their title.  UCLA added another scoring threat in former Utah sharpshooter Gianna Kneepkens.

South Carolina will, of course, be in the conversation. But there is more uncertainty surrounding the Gamecocks than usual. However, if anyone can get the roster in championship form, it’s head coach Dawn Staley.

The Gamecocks will face some tough competition, though, from teams like Texas, LSU, and Tennessee. Notre Dame should have a competitive squad once again, as should Duke, Oklahoma, and Maryland.

NCAAW Tournament Winner Pick(s)

At this stage of the season, I find it best to look at trends when betting on a team to win the NCAAW championship. For one, 18 of 44 preseason No. 1s went on to win the national championship; last season, South Carolina opened at No. 1.

Since 2003, every national champion has been ranked inside the top 16 in the preseason poll; 20 of the last 22 were ranked inside the top ten.

UConn is a solid bet with the talent on that roster. But at this stage of the season, I like to go with a team with longer odds —one with a good shot at rising up and disrupting the status quo, like Notre Dame (+2500).

The Fighting Irish had one of the top-scoring teams in the country last season and have one of the best players in the nation returning in Hannah Hidalgo. I am also eager to see what UCLA (+480) and Texas (+850) can do with all the talent they have returning.

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How to Bet on the NCAAW Tournament

Betting on NCAAW championship odds is pretty straightforward. You can wait until the traditional betting line gets released at the end of March Madness and bet on the winner or you can put your money down on someone’s futures odds now.

Placing a bet is not hard to do; just follow these easy instructions:

1. Create an account with at least one sportsbook; multiple if you plan on line shopping. Be sure you claim and make the most of each one’s welcome offer.

2. Make a deposit.

3. Locate the team you want to bet on and click on it.

4. Enter how much you want to risk in your betting slip and place your bet.

How to Read NCAAW Tournament Odds

There isn’t a trick to reading NCAAW championship odds; it’s really pretty straightforward. Your odds will consist of a three-digit number preceded by either a + or – sign. If a team’s odds have a + sign, then it will have a less than 50% chance of winning.

But teams with a – sign in front of the odds will have a greater than 50% chance of winning. However, you need to risk more to win less when teams have minus money odds. If the odds are -150, fans will need to risk $150 to win $100.

However, if the odds are +150, a $100 wager will win $150.

Where to Bet on Women’s NCAA Tournament Winner

The following are my preferred online sportsbooks for betting on NCAAW odds:

• bet365 Sportsbook: I’m a research nut, and bet365 will often post odds a little sooner than the rest, which gives me time to research my decisions a little more before placing a bet. Their championship odds are competitive, but I lean towards them because of their welcome promo and several ongoing promos. Register at bet365 today with our promo code WSN365 and get: Bet $5, Get $200 in Bonus Bets Win or Lose.

• FanDuel Sportsbook: If I can’t find odds posted at bet365, chances are good I’ll find them posted at FanDuel. Their pricing tends to fluctuate more, giving some bets more value than others on the right day. But their odds tend to be as good, if not better, than most books'. Register via our unique lick and claim: Bet $5, Get $300 in Bonus Bets if Your Bet Wins.

• Fanatics Sportsbook: I’ve been a big fan of Fanatics Sportsbook for one reason—FanCash. I love that you can earn some with every bet you place and that they run several promotions and contests that let you earn more. Join Fanatics today and claim: Get Up to $2,000 in FanCash.

If I want to convert it into bonus bets, I can. But if I want to use it to buy apparel for my favorite team.

Women’s NCAA Tournament Winner History

Along with being the most recent winner, UConn has won the most NCAAW titles (12), followed by Tennessee with eight, and Baylor, South Carolina, and Stanford with three.

The following table contains a list of the last 15 NCAAW Championships winners: