NCAA Tournament odds, futures: UConn still the betting favorite to win national championship

The reigning national champions remain the betting favorite to cut down the nets next month

By Cameron Salerno

Mar 27, 2024 at 2:15 am ET • 1 min read

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The opening week of the NCAA Tournament provided little drama for the top teams in college basketball, as every No. 1 and 2 seed advanced to the Sweet 16 for only the fifth time since the tournament expanded to 64 in 1985. No. 1 overall seed and reigning national champion UConn remains the betting favorite to cut down the nets in Phoenix next month, followed closely by fellow No. 1 seeds Houston and Purdue.

Kansas opened up the 2023-24 season as the team with the best odds (11-1) of winning the tournament. The Jayhawks were just ahead of Michigan State and Kentucky as the preseason favorite. All three lost in the tournament's first weekend.

Arizona has the fourth-best odds (8-1) of capturing the national title in its home state next month. The Wildcats are just ahead of North Carolina — the No. 1 seed in the West Region — as the betting favorite to advance to the Final Four. Arizona faces Clemson, the team with the least-favorable odds to win the national championship (80-1), in the Sweet 16 on Thursday.

So as we gear up for Sweet 16 action tipping off Thursday, below is an updated snapshot at the current odds, via SportsLine consensus.

2024 NCAA championship odds

UConn: +210
Houston: +500
Purdue: +600
Arizona: +800
North Carolina: +1300
Tennessee: +1400
Marquette: +1600
Iowa State: +2000
Duke: +2500
Gonzaga: +2500
Creighton: +2500
Illinois: +3500
Alabama: +3500
San Diego State: +7000
NC State: +7000
Clemson: +8000

The futures market from Caesars Sportsbook also has up-to-date handicapped odds on each region winner. No. 1 seeds Houston, Purdue and UConn are betting favorites in their respective regions, while No. 2 seed Arizona is the frontrunner in the West Region. North Carolina is the only top seed remaining that isn't favored to advance to the Final Four.