Sportsbooks Update NCAA Tournament Futures

This year’s NCAA Tournament got underway this past Tuesday night with two of the four play-in games that now comprise the First Round, but the real action fires up this Thursday and Friday when the full field of teams take the court to begin their quest for this year’s national title.

Starting in the South, Bovada has opened the No.1 seed for the entire tournament, the Florida Gators, as 8/5 favorites to win this region and advance to the Final Four. They are also the odds-on favorites to win the national championship at 5/1. The betting odds to win the region have No. 2 Kansas as 4/1 second favorites followed by No. 3 Syracuse at 11/2. The longest odds to win the South Region belong to the Albany Great Danes at 200/1; they beat Mount St. Mary’s 71-64 in Tuesday’s play-in game to earn a shot against the Gators in the Second Round.

The Virginia Cavaliers earned the top seed in the East after winning both the ACC regular season and tournament title, but they are 3/1 second favorites to win this region. No. 4 seed Michigan State has been opened as 9/4 favorites to win the East and the Spartans are 6/1 second favorites to win the national championship. They will open play this Thursday as 14-point favorites over Delaware on Bovada’s current betting odds for the day.

Moving on to the Midwest Region, the 34-0 Wichita Shockers drew the No. 1 seed, but the betting odds have listed No. 4 Louisville as the favorite to win at 8/5 followed by No. 3 Duke at 7/2. This region is stuffed with tough outs including the No. 8 Kentucky Wildcats at 12/1. The Shockers and the Wildcats would clash in the Round of 32 should both teams win their opening games. Kentucky could have its hands full in that opener against No. 9 Kansas State as a 5-point favorite.

Arizona earned the No. 1 seed in the West Region and it has been opened as a 9/5 favorite to advance to this year’s Final Four. The Wildcats’ betting odds to win it all are set at 9/1. Some of the top competition to win the West should come from second favorite’s Creighton and Wisconsin at 17/4. These two are on a collision course to meet in the Sweet 16 should each team win its first two games. The big Second Round game in this region has No. 9 Oklahoma State as a 2.5-point favorite against No. 8 Gonzaga this Thursday.