March Madness odds: Latest favorites to win NCAA basketball tournament

March Madness is the time of year college basketball fans and sports betting enthusiasts live for. The NCAA tournament provides all 64 teams an equal chance to cut down the nets and have their one shining moment no matter their March Madness odds.

Last year’s run to the NCAA championship provided as much excitement as we’ve ever seen. We saw a No. 16 seed upset a No. 1 seed for just the second time in history in the first round.

We also saw the other three No. 1 seeds fail to make it past the Sweet 16 and a Final Four consisting of shocking teams like Florida Atlantic and Miami.

Last year’s race to the National Championship Game ended with UConn defeating San Diego State to win their fifth NCAA Championship in program history.

This year’s tournament hasn’t failed to live up to they hype, as we now know our Final Four as we enter April. Here is how the futures odds look for the final four teams in contention to win it all.

Odds are courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook. These odds are accurate at time of publishing, but are always subject to change.

UConn entered the season coming off their third National Championship since 2011. A championship hangover hasn’t been an issue as the Huskies finished first in the final AP Poll with a 31-3 mark. That includes victories over North Carolina, Creighton, and Marquette.

The Huskies lost key playmakers from the National Championship team but retained guys like Tristen Newton, Donovan Clingan, and Alex Karaban. They also brought in their second leading scorer from Rutgers, transfer Cam Spencer.

The sharpshooter is second on the team with 14.4 PPG on a very impressive 44 percent three-point shooting. It’s a true team effort, as Spencer, Newton, Karaban, and Clingan average between 12.9 and 15 points.

It’s tough to repeat as Champions but UConn look like a good bet to do so with the Alabama Crimson Tide awaiting them in the Final Four. They’ve been dominant through their first four wins with the outcome of these games never in question.

There was plenty of motivation for Purdue after losing in the first round of last year’s NCAA Tournament as a No. 1 seed. As we approach March Madness, there’s no denying the Boilermakers are one of the best teams in the country.

Purdue finished No. 3 in the AP Poll with a 29-4 record. They have marquee wins over Gonzaga, Tennessee, Marquette, and Arizona. They struggled a bit on the road in Big Ten play but remained atop the conference.

Zach Edey remains the big favorite to win the Wooden Award. The 7′4″ center is averaging 25 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks. Add in a strong support cast of guards, and Purdue appeared hard to beat in March.

After never making it past the Sweet 16 in the Matt Painter era, they’re now in the Final Four with a matchup against the underdog NC State Wolfpack with wins over Gonzaga and Tennessee on the way here.

The reason we love March Madness so much is Cinderella stories such as the NC State Wolfpack have been this season. The Wolfpack were a team likely to miss the NIT Tournament, let alone the NCAA Tournament team leading into the ACC Tournament.

At 17-14, NC State became just the second team in history to win five straight games to win the ACC Tournament. This run included wins over Duke, Virginia, and North Carolina. They’ve since beat Texas Tech, Oakland, Marquette, and Duke in March Madness.

This team receives contributions from many players, but the two stars of the operation are D.J. Burns and D.J. Horne. Horne leads the team with 16.8 points per game on 40.9 percent shooting from deep.

But Burns has received attention for his impressive footwork and finishing ability around the rim. At 275 pounds, he uses his body in a way that forces double teams. But he’s a strong passer, making this team tough to defend. They face the Purdue Boilermakers next.

Alabama finished No. 19 in the final AP Poll with a 21-11 record and earned a No. 4 seed, which felt deserving of their team. They won games against Oregon, Auburn, and Florida this year but suffered a lot of losses to ranked teams such as Purdue, Creighton, and Arizona.

This team has the best offense in the country and is incredibly difficult to defend with their fast tempo and barrage of three point shooting. But defense is their achilles heel, as they rank as one of the worst teams in the country in points allowed per game.

Mark Sears is one of the best scorers out there with a 21.5 point per game average on fantastic efficiency. Aaron Estrada, Grant Nelson, and Rylan Griffen all contribute double digit points per game as well.

Their Sweet 16 win over North Carolina is what began Alabama’s legitimate claim to being a title contender as they won in an incredibly impressive game. Unfortunately, the UConn Huskies await in a brutal Final Four draw.

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