2026 March Madness Odds: Duke Favored Over Houston by Early NCAA Championship Betting Lines
March Madness is still fresh on our minds after Florida's win to cap a historic NCAA Tournament, but it's already time to begin thinking about next year's NCAA Championship. Our 2026 March Madness odds highlight the favorites, contenders, and other notable teams as we look ahead to next season.
This year's event was chalk-heavy and made history as the second NCAA Tournament to feature every No. 1 seed in the Final Four, it ended Monday night with Florida edging past Houston in the national championship.
However, the chaotic nature of March Madness cannot be contained for too long, so it's important to analyze the oddsboard on a grander scale.
All eyes are on Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, the site of the 2026 Final Four. Will it be Duke, Houston, or another contender hoisting a national championship trophy next season? Read on to see what our best sports betting sites have to say.
📊 Live 2026 March Madness odds
Our live March Madness odds for the 2026 NCAA Tournament will update in real time over the next year:
🏆 2026 March Madness favorite
😈 Duke (+1200)
Duke has improved every year under head coach Jon Scheyer, making a deeper run in the NCAA Tournament each time. While the Blue Devils failed to win a national title with the overwhelming favorite to be taken No. 1 by the NBA draft odds, Cooper Flagg, the sky isn't falling in Durham, N.C.
College basketball's premier program boasts the top-ranked recruiting class next season, led by the five-star Boozer twins, Cameron and Cayden. Duke has all of the right pieces in place to lead the contending pack again in 2026. If the Blue Devils do win the national title, a $10 winning wager would return a $120 profit this time next year.
📊 Best odds: +1200 via ESPN BET (7.69% implied probability)
🏅 2026 March Madness contenders
🐾 Houston (+1200)
Kelvin Sampson has built a well-oiled machine in Houston, with the program reaching its pinnacle under the 69-year-old in 2025. The Cougars have quickly established themselves as the team to beat in the Big 12, and the Bayou City boys don't seem interested in settling down any time soon.
No matter if Houston is running it back or re-tooling, Sampson will get the talent on the team's roster to buy into his philosophy immediately. The Cougars are welcoming three top-20 players from the ESPN 100 to campus next season, so the talent is there. Houston is +1200 at our best sports betting apps to cut down the nets in Indianapolis.
📊 Best odds: +1200 via FanDuel (7.69% implied probability)
🔵 BYU (+2000)
Kevin Young is building something special in Provo, Utah. He led BYU to 26 wins and a Sweet 16 during his first year on campus. The Cougars have shown a willingness to invest heavily in their basketball program, so much so that they landed the No. 1 recruit in the 2025 class, A.J. Dybantsa.
Dybansta, a five-star, and four-star Xavion Staton add a ton of height to BYU's lineup next season. The Cougars are climbing an uphill battle competing with Houston in the Big 12, but oddsmakers expect the Cougars to compete in the NCAA Tournament regardless. A $10 wager on BYU would return $200 in profits if Young's men win their first national title.
📊 Best odds: +2000 via Caesars (4.76% implied probability)
Caesars is a 21+ product
🏀 Other notable teams
🐕 UConn (+2000)
Dan Hurley's dynasty in Storrs, Conn., is far from over, as UConn showed in 2025. The Huskies took the Florida Gators to the brink in the second round of the NCAA Tournament before their three-peat dreams were eventually crushed. However, as national champions in two of the past three seasons, it'd be foolish to count them out.
UConn returns some key pieces from last season - namely Solo Ball - and adds at least three of the top-30 freshman recruits. If the Huskies can ascend their throne for a third time in the past four years, a $10 wager would pay out a whopping $200 in profits.
📊 Odds: +2000 via ESPN BET (4.76% implied probability)
🐊 Florida (+2500)
Florida came into 2025 as an up-and-coming program led by a young head coach with zero NCAA Tournament wins under his belt. Now, Todd Golden is among the winningest postseason coaches in the country as he's returned the Gators to the upper echelons of college basketball.
There is still uncertainty around how Florida's roster will look next season. Whether the Gators can continue to contend in a cluttered conference remains to be seen, but four stars Cornelius Ingram Jr. and Alexander Lloyd will help plug holes left by departing veterans. Florida is trading as high as +2500 on the market, implying a 3.85% probability the Gators win another title.
📊 Odds: +2500 via DraftKings (3.85% implied probability)
📊 Opening 2026 March Madness odds
Opening NCAA Championship odds via FanDuel as of April 7:
- Duke: +1000
- Houston: +1200
- Louisville: +1400
- Purdue: +1400
- BYU: +1600
- Kansas: +1600
- Alabama: +1800
- Arkansas: +1800
- Auburn: +1800
- UConn: +1800
- Kentucky: +2000
- Florida: +2500
- Michigan: +2500
- St. John's: +2500
- Texas Tech: +2500
- Gonzaga: +3000
- Iowa State: +3000
- Tennessee: +3000
- UCLA: +3000
- Arizona: +3500
- Michigan State: +3500
- Baylor: +5000
- Creighton: +5000
- Indiana: +5000
- North Carolina: +5000
👑 Best March Madness betting sites
Ready to place your March Madness bets? Check out the best March Madness betting promos from the best March Madness betting sites as determined by our expert team at Sportsbook Review.
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