It’s that time of year again, where the sports calendar comes to life with the NBA and NHL playoff races, Golf season leading up to the Masters, and of course, March Madness.
The highlight of the sports calendar for many basketball watchers and sports betting fans is the Men’s D1 NCAA Basketball Tournament, and we’ve got the early odds to get you into the action already.
Keep reading for an exclusive preview of the early March Madness odds at Bovada, along with valuable betting insights.
View the latest NCAAB odds at Bovada
AUBURN +300
With Johni Broome leading the Tigers to the top of the early March Madness odds, Auburn college basketball fans are hoping he can sweep their bracket clean and lift the National Championship Trophy in April.
Broome saves some of his best performances against ranked teams, so the pressure of March Madness shouldn’t faze him. He’s been super clutch with double-doubles in 8 of his 9 games against ranked schools so far this season.
Auburn got bounced as the #4 seed a year ago by Yale – you have to think they’re not going to be surprised again at this year’s tournament.
The Tigers have a 14-2 record so far this season vs Quad 1 teams, equally as impressive as Broome’s individual play. Let’s see how they do in their 4 remaining games before the madness starts though, as they’re all against ranked teams.
DUKE +330
Duke and March Madness are as synonymous as peanut butter and jelly, or mac and cheese, or maybe Kendrick and Drake. You get the idea.
It’s no wonder that the Blue Devils are near the top of the list for March Madness odds once again, and they’ll be there too when the tournament tips off in just a few weeks.
The Blue Devils have the highest point differential in college hoops at the moment, at +21. This wide margin could help them steer clear of dangerous buzzer beaters, especially in the early rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
Then of course, there’s Cooper. Cooper Flagg is the top prospect for the NBA Draft in a few months, and he’s lighting up the highlight reels with a new jam every week. Flagg leads the team in an astounding 5 categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.
If you think Duke is due – they’ve won the National Championship five times since the March Madness tournament began in 1979 but haven’t won since 2015, and they made it to the Final Four just last season – then start raising the Flagg with these great odds now.
HOUSTON +750
Speaking of being due, the Houston Cougars might be at the top of the list. They’ve had six Final Four appearances but have yet to take home the National Championship title, making them the team with the most appearances on Final Four weekend without a trophy to show for it.
The Cougars’ biggest bite comes on defense, where they currently lead the country in points allowed, giving up a measly 57 points per game heading into the final weeks before the Madness begins.
Houston is also showing out in tough matches, losing just one game to Big 12 opponents so far this season (and they avenged that loss recently by beating #10 Texas Tech). We like teams who show during the college basketball regular season that they can deal with the March Madness pressure cooker.
The Cougars made it to the Elite Eight a year ago, so they’ve got a taste of it and will be looking to bite off more at this year’s tournament.
FLORIDA +850
None of the teams listed in this March Madness preview made it to last season’s Final Four, and the Florida Gators might be the hungriest to get back to it this year. The Gators suffered an opening round upset last year despite having a talented roster, losing by just 2 points to Colorado.
This year’s Gator squad, despite losing starters at various times, has rattled off a six-game win streak recently. They’ve also beaten #1-ranked Auburn in the process.
If everyone gets healthy leading up to the round of 64, we might see the Gators later in the tournament.
GONZAGA +5500
You knew we needed to put in at least one March Madness dark horse in our early odds, and with a hefty payout of +5500, the Gonzaga Bulldogs fit the bill quite nicely.
The Bulldogs have a strong pedigree in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, having made every March Madness since 1999. They have made it to the Final Four twice in the past 10 years and went all the way to the National Championship game both times before losing out to the eventual national champion.
Last year, they made it to the Elite Eight.
This year, Gonzaga has a top offense that could help them win plenty of games in their March Madness bracket if they stay hot. They’re currently second in the country in points scored, dropping 87 points per game.
FINAL FOUR ODDS
If you’d prefer to hedge your March Madness bets, you can also place wagers on teams to simply reach the Final Four, regardless of whether they advance to the National Championship Game.
The top picks to make the Final Four are the familiar crews like Auburn (-140), Duke (-135), and Houston (+145), but this kind of wager means you can play some of your favorite teams too.
Alabama (+170) is having a strong season and is looking like they could reach the Final Four, and they are not likely get any lower than a #2 seed for their bracket, with the #1 seed being most likely. That could put them in prime position to make a run.
Meanwhile, perennial March Madness power teams like Michigan State (+900) and Connecticut (+2000) have longer odds but savvy basketball bettors often like to see a familiar name going far in their brackets.
So get in the game now for the March Madness Early Odds and make your pick for National Champion or Final Four contender.
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