2025-26 NCAA Basketball Odds

The 2024-25 NCAA Tournament was a battle of the powerhouses, as all four #1 seeds reached the Final Four. With late leads being choked away and momentum changing left and right, the final three games of the tournament lived up to the madness and also saw the Florida Gators become National Champions.

While the Gators hoisted the trophy, oddsmakers set their sights back on Duke, opening them as the favorite to win the 2025-26 National Championship behind what is expected to be another elite recruiting class. While the Blue Devils have certainly gotten off to a strong start this season, teams such as Michigan and Arizona have moved past them on the odds board. Below, college basketball fans can track all odds movements in this market from now until the National Championship.

NCAAB - Men's March Madness 2026 - Best Odds

• Odds as of January 14, 2026

• * = the same odds are offered by multiple sportsbooks.

NCAAB - Men's March Madness 2026 - Top 12 Contenders

Odds as of January 14, 2026

Current Favorites

Michigan Wolverines: There is no other word to describe Michigan's start to the season other than dominant. According to KenPom, the Wolverines are the #1 team in the country, ranking 7th in offensive rating and 1st in defensive rating. What is even more impressive is that the Wolverines have managed those metrics despite a non-conference strength-of-schedule ranking of 14th. With veteran players such as Yaxel Lendeborg, Eliot Cadeau, and Roddy Gayle Jr. playing alongside talented underclassmen like Morez Johnson Jr., the Wolverines are the team to beat in the Big Ten, and since Wisconsin is the only team to accomplish that, the Wolverines are 14-1.

Arizona Wildcats: Prior to them joining the Big-12, the conference was run by Kansas. However, the Wildcats are doing everything in their power to become the premier team, boasting a 16-0 record in the middle of January. Behind the 4th-rated offense and 3rd-rated defense on KenPom, the Wildcats have beaten five ranked teams up to this point, including UConn, Florida, and Alabama.

UConn Huskies: While they could not complete the three-peat last season, the UConn Huskies are certainly talented enough to remain a powerhouse in the sport. Following a win over Florida, the Huskies won three of their four ranked non-conference matchups, as the likes of Solo Ball, Alex Karaban, Braylon Mullins, and Silas Demary have the team ranked 23rd in offensive rating. Since conference play has started, the Huskies have not only stayed in the win column but also had their defense on full display, helping them rank 6th in defensive rating.

Past March Madness Winners & Odds

The Metrics that Matter Most: How to Spot a Defensive Contender

The saying “Defense wins championships” is probably a bit overused. However, it always seems to ring true in college basketball. Scoring threats are always needed for a deep tournament run, but to cut down the nets at the end of the season, teams also need to be a top defensive unit in the country. 

Placing futures on college basketball can be tricky, as there are over 350 teams, and even the top teams in the country can be upset come tournament time. With that in mind, bettors need a way to identify teams with value throughout the season. One of the best ways to achieve this is by examining defensive metrics.

By using resources such as KenPom, Bart Torvik, and Haslametrics, bettors can access a wide range of defensive metrics to inform their handicapping. Even with all those statistics, one metric that provides a glimpse into long-term success is the adjusted defensive efficiency rating.

Including the 2025 season, when Florida won the title, ten of the last eleven National Championship winners ranked in the top ten in adjusted defensive efficiency rating on Haslametrics. The only team in that group that did not rank inside the top ten was North Carolina in 2017, when they ranked 11th in the country in that metric.

2026 John Wooden Award Odds - Current Best Odds

The influx of talent into college basketball has only intensified over the past few years, but the 2025 season took that to an entirely new level. With guys like Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, Kasparus Jakucionis, and more joining the college game alongside some of the already-established stars, deciding who the best player in the country was no easy task. However, at the end of the day, that battle came down to Cooper Flagg and Johni Broome, with Flagg getting the best of the Auburn big man in the end.

Now, a new crop of highly touted freshmen has stepped onto the scene, and they're competing for the best player in the country against returners such as Braden Smith and JT Toppin. Bettors who want to make that determination themselves can always bet on the John Wooden Award winner. Below, we will update bettors on all odds changes for the award to help them determine the best price for all the top contenders.

• Odds as of January 14, 2026

• *= odds available at multiple shops

2026 John Wooden Award Odds - Top10 Contenders

• Odds as of January 14, 2026

Current Wooden Award Favorites

Cameron Boozer (Duke): The John Wooden Award landed in Durham last season courtesy of Cooper Flagg, and Boozer certainly has the talent to keep it there. Boozer has shown an ability to do just about anything on the floor, as he's averaging 22.9 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. Through 16 games, the freshman is also shooting 57.9% from the floor and has risen to the occasion against some of the best teams in the country, putting up 29 points against Florida and 18 points with 15 rebounds against Michigan State.

AJ Dybantsa (BYU): Over the years, there have been some heavily documented recruitments of high school athletes, and Dybantsa is on the list of players to receive that treatment. After choosing BYU, the freshman has proven why his NIL estimates were through the roof, as he is averaging 22.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game.

Braden Smith (Purdue): In his third season, Braden Smith operated the Purdue offense at an exceptionally high level. The point guard averaged 8.7 assists, which was the second most in the country, and also averaged a career-high 15.8 points per game while shooting 42.8% from the field. Smith now returns for his senior year to lead a Purdue team with high expectations, and to start the year, he is leading the country with 9.8 assists per game while averaging 14.1 points on 48% from the field and 40.6% from three-point range.

Past John Wooden Award Winners

Related articles & betting resources

2025-26 Women's NCAA Basketball National Championship - Best Odds

Women's college basketball has gained more notoriety over the years, largely thanks to Caitlin Clark. While she is now in the WNBA, there is still plenty of talent across the country to keep the sport in the public eye. Young stars like Juju Watkins and experienced veterans like Paige Bueckers headlined a strong talent pool in the 2024-25 season, and at the end of the day, it was Bueckers who led UConn to their 12th National Championship, putting a bow on her historic career.

Unsurprisingly, both UConn and South Carolina have opened as the favorites to win the 2025-26 National Championship, as their powerhouse status doesn't look to be going away anytime soon.

Odds as of January 14, 2026

* = the same odds are offered by multiple sportsbooks.

2025-26 Women's NCAA Basketball National Championship - Top 10 Contenders

Odds as of January 14, 2026

Previous NCAA Women's Basketball Champions

2026 Women's John Wooden Award Odds

Past Women's John Wooden Award Winners