It’s time to break down the brackets.
As the first round of the NCAA Tournament continues Friday, take a look at some of our favorite March Madness predictions.
March Madness Best Bets for Friday
All college basketball odds used for these Friday March Madness Round 1 predictions are current as of Wednesday, March 18, and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Hofstra +11.5 (-110) vs Alabama
Legal troubles have shelved Alabama’s second-leading scorer, Aden Holloway.
The Crimson Tide have plenty of other places to turn in the backcourt, but Nate Oats’ team will have its hands full against Hofstra.
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The CAA champions are 11-1 in their last 12 games and have a dynamic one-two punch in Cruz Davis and Preston Edmead, plus the country’s No. 18 defense.
Back Hofstra +11.5 as one of your March Madness best bets.
UCLA -5.5 (-112) vs UCF
UCLA is 6-2 against the spread in its last eight games with wins over Illinois, Nebraska, and Michigan State.
The Bruins are expected to get back leading scorer Tyler Bilodeau (17.6 PPG) from a knee injury, giving them more firepower alongside star point guard Donovan Dent.
That could spell trouble for UCF, which ranked 302nd nationally in scoring defense.
Consider pairing this wager with our best sportsbook promos for 2026.
UConn -20.5 (-112) vs Furman
UConn has covered the spread in 14 straight NCAA Tournament games, the longest streak for any team since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985.
These Huskies aren’t as dominant as their recent back-to-back national championship teams, but they did win 18 consecutive games at one point this season. That includes victories over heavyweights Illinois, Kansas, Florida, and St. John’s.
Furman, which ranked outside the top 150 nationally in scoring, will struggle to keep pace.
Miami FL -1.5 (-115) vs Missouri
Missouri is riding a three-game losing streak into the tournament, but somehow, it landed a de facto home game. The Tigers have not reached the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament since 2009, and they won’t here either.
Miami has enjoyed one of the best turnarounds in the country this season, going from seven wins to 25 and (possibly) counting. Their 22-point loss to Virginia in the ACC semifinals didn’t inspire much confidence, but look for them to bounce back against a flawed Missouri squad.
Consider this wager as one of your best college basketball bets today.
