For the second straight year, UConn sits atop the men’s college basketball landscape.
The Huskies defeated Purdue 75-60 in Phoenix to claim the program’s sixth national championship, tying it for third-most all-time with North Carolina.
While it’s probably way too early to examine the NCAA men’s basketball national championship odds, let’s see who could stand in the way of Dan Hurley’s squad and a historic three-peat.
NCAAB National Championship Betting Odds
All college basketball odds used for these national championship predictions are current as of Monday, April 15, and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
- UConn (+1000)
- Duke (+1000)
- North Carolina (+1400)
- Kansas (+1400)
- Houston (+1400)
- Arizona (+1600)
- Alabama (+1600)
- Kentucky (+2000)
- Baylor (+2000)
- Iowa State (+2500)
- Gonzaga (+2500)
- Auburn (+2500)
Who Will Win March Madness 2025?
Duke (+1000)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
Duke reached the Elite 8 in its second season under head coach Jon Scheyer and will have the chance to build on that thanks to the nation’s top recruiting class.
The Blue Devils will bring in four five-star freshmen, including 6-foot-9 wing Cooper Flagg, the consensus top recruit in the country, and 7-foot-2 center Khaman Maluach, a product of the NBA Academy Africa.
2023-24 leading scorers Kyle Filipowski and Jared McCain are NBA-bound, but guards Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster will return to a backcourt that could also include Jeremy Roach, should he decide to return for a fifth year.
If he moves on, look for Scheyer to add an upperclassman or two in the transfer portal to provide this young, talented squad with some veteran leadership.
Regardless, Duke will have the talent to cut down the nets next year in San Antonio, making the Blue Devils my NCAAB bet of the day.
🏀 Sports betting is live in the Tar Heel State! Get the latest on North Carolina sports betting.
NCAAB National Championship Contender
UConn (+1000)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.5 Units
If you think a three-peat is out of the question, think again.
After winning it all in 2023, UConn lost three starters and five of its eight leading scorers yet still managed to defend its title with another impressive NCAA Tournament run.
That’s not only a credit to the players who stepped up this past season but to Hurley, who has built the program back into a powerhouse after a few down years.
Hurley will have a lot of work to do this offseason, as he could lose all five starters from the 2023-24 squad. Seniors Tristen Newton and Cam Spencer are out of eligibility, while star center Donovan Clingan and freshman guard Stephon Castle are expected to test the NBA waters.
Alex Karaban could join them as well, but I trust Hurley to replenish the talent and get his team to a similar level come March.
NCAAB National Championship Sleeper
Rutgers (+3500)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.25 Units
Rutgers isn’t your typical basketball powerhouse, but there should be plenty of excitement in Piscataway, N.J., next season.
The Scarlet Knights have signed Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper, the No. 2 and No. 3 prospects in the ESPN 100 recruiting database. Both would have been the top men’s basketball recruits in school history.
Bailey will reunite with his high school and AAU teammate, guard Jamichael Davis, while Harper will try to carry on the family legacy after his older brother, Ron Harper Jr., led Rutgers to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances earlier this decade.
The Scarlet Knights have never won a national championship and haven’t been to the Final Four since 1976, but Steve Pikiell’s squad has the talent to change that.
Past NCAAB National Championship Winners
2024: UConn
2023: UConn
2022: Kansas
2021: Baylor
2020: No Tournament because of COVID-19 Pandemic
2019: Virginia
2018: Villanova
2017: North Carolina
2016: Villanova
2015: Duke
