March Madness Odds 2026: Arizona Narrowly In Front Of Duke, Michigan
We are down to the Elite Eight in the 2026 March Madness bracket, and Arizona is leading fellow No. 1 seeds Duke and Michigan in the latest Championship game chances.
March Madness has actually lived up to the name so far, with No. 9 Iowa and No. 6 Tennessee making it this far.
Let's look at the most recent college basketball odds.
March Madness chances
How these chances have moved
Duke had the very best chances to win the NCAA Tournament heading into Round 1, however gamblers have soured somewhat on the banged-up Blue Devils, as Duke had to make it through some close shaves to make it this far.
Arizona and Michigan have see-sawed for the top area in the March Madness winner chances, depending upon who has advanced even more first.
Illinois made a big jump from +1400 to +700 after punching their ticket to the Elite Eight with an upset win over Houston.
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March Madness favorites
Arizona (+250 )
The Wildcats sat atop the chances board and were undefeated before suffering back-to-back losses to No. 14 Kansas and No. 16 Texas Tech.
However, 9 straight wins - including running the table to win the Big 12 Tournament - have actually helped them reshape the narrative.
Arizona hasn't made it past the Sweet Sixteen in more than a years, and this roster may be as well-positioned as any to get over the bulge.
It appeared like its competition was in risk versus Utah State, but the Wildcats ultimately prevailed. They crushed Arkansas to reach the Elite 8, where they'll face Purdue.
Duke (+270 )
The Blue Devils' win over Michigan vaulted them to No. 1 in the current AP Top 25, and they haven't recalled, making an unsurprising No. 1 seed in the East Region.
Cameron Boozer is the player to see in Durham, becoming one of the most highly-touted prospects for the upcoming NBA Draft. However, basketball is a team game, and the Blue Devils were plainly missing the hurt Patrick Ngongba II and Caleb Foster in a close shave vs. No. 16 Siena.
Their win over No. 9 TCU in Round 2 was a battle for thirty minutes, and No. 5 St. John's took Duke to the wire in the Sweet 16.
Michigan (+290 )
Before their obstacle against Duke, Michigan's only stumble came in January versus Wisconsin, and Yaxel Lendeborg & Co. responded by rattling off 11 successive wins en route to the No. 1 seed in the Midwest.
Michigan has actually scored a minimum of 90 points in each game so far in this tournament.
2026 March Madness futures bets
The Michigan Wolverines are atop almost every ranking system. Considering their size, experience, depth, and a 5-0 record against ranked challengers, I'm backing them to win the title with my forecasts for March Madness.
With a healthy Darryn Peterson, the Kansas Jayhawks have appeared like a title competitor, and getting them at almost 4:1 to make the Final Four would be a take if he's at complete strength by tourney time.
Sometimes, futures bets go like this. USC was 18-6 when this initial "make the competition" wager was positioned. however the Trojans went on to lose their last 8 games of the season in an impressive late-year crisis.
Among Arizona, Duke, and Michigan, the Wildcats have the simpler course to the Final Four. Arizona is at complete strength, and its freshman seem to be hitting their stride. The Wildcats will power through the West Region, where every other top group has significant flaws.
Unlike past variations of Iowa State, this squad rebounds at a high level and has the grit to win video games when the shots aren't falling. The three toughest possible challengers on the road to the Elite Eight are Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia, and the Cyclones are ranked significantly higher than all of them.
March Madness odds over time
March Madness betting splits
Highest ticket percentage:
• Michigan 11.4%.
• Duke 10.0%.
• Arizona 8.7%
Highest manage portion:.
• Arizona 14.4%.
• Michigan 14.0%.
• Florida 10.6%
Bettors have been banking huge all season on the Wolverines, who have the highest ticket percentage and manage portion in the country.
Michigan invested all 19 weeks in the AP Top 25, beginning out at No. 7 in the preseason and climbing up to No. 1 in mid-February.
March Madness 2026 schedule
March Madness selects.
Women's March Madness chances.
March Madness Final Four odds.
March Madness MVP odds.
March Madness wagering websites.
March Madness wagering promos
2026 March Madness opening chances
- Houston +900.
- Duke +1000.
- UConn +1400.
- Louisville +1700.
- Auburn +1800.
- Florida +1900.
- Purdue +1900.
- Kansas +2000.
- Kentucky +2000.
- Arkansas +2000.
- BYU +2000.
- Alabama +2000.
- Michigan +2500.
- Texas Tech +2500.
- St. John's +2500.
- Gonzaga +3000.
- Michigan State +3000.
- Iowa State +3000.
- Arizona +4000.
- UCLA +4000.
- North Carolina +4000.
- Illinois +6000.
- Vanderbilt +15000.
- Iowa +15000.
- Nebraska +20000
Bookmakers had high hopes for Louisville going into the 2025-26 season, but the Cardinals have actually largely underperformed to the tune of a dismal 3-6 record against Top 25 teams. Their inability to hang with the finest programs in the nation doesn't bode well for their chances of playing in April.
Past March Madness winners
( Opening odds courtesy Sports Odds History)
March Madness patterns
• Of the 20 groups that have actually gone into the tournament with undefeated records, just 7 have gone on to win the championship game.
• Only 13 teams effectively safeguarded their championship game the following season.
• UCLA has one of the most NCAA titles of all time (11 ), although the Bruins have not won the tournament considering that 1995.
• A No. 1-seeded team has actually won the nationwide champion 59.6% of the time since regional seeding was presented in 1979.
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March Madness Title Odds FAQs
Arizona (+240 ), Michigan (+350 ), and Duke (+375) are the existing March Madness favorites.
The Florida Gators won March Madness in 2025, defeating Houston 65-63 in the championship game.
The Duke Blue Devils are currently noted at +375 to win the natty.
Calculating March Madness odds involves examining the probability of different results in the tournament. Oddsmakers utilize various aspects including team performance, player health, head-to-head matches, competition experience, coaching, venue, and advanced statistics. Bookmakers use these factors to set preliminary odds, and as bets are placed, odds might shift based on the money bet on each side.
The only other school to win three-straight national champions is UCLA, who really won seven straight titles from 1967-1973.
You can discover spreads for each 2026 March Madness video game by visiting our Covers NCAAB Scores & Matchup page. You'll discover complete betting lines, line movement information, consensus choices and a lot more.
With a background playing soccer, rugby, and boxing, integrated with a journalism degree, it's little surprise that Rohit gravitated towards the world of sports betting. He focuses on wagering on UFC and college basketball, 2 sports where the eyeball test can inform you a lot more about matchups than analytics. Rohit has years of experience handicapping NFL and NBA games in addition to specific niche betting markets such as politics. He's likewise the resident CFL and formerly hosted "The Chez and Ro Show" with former CFL star Davis Sanchez.