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Duke Blue Devils guard Cooper Flagg (2) is introduced to the fans as we look at our college basketball best bets for Monday
Duke Blue Devils guard Cooper Flagg (2) is introduced to the fans. Photo Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images.

With two-time winner Zach Edey off to the NBA, the Wooden Award odds are wide open as the college basketball season tips off. 

Among the highlights:

  • After being ranked as the No. 1 recruit in the country and the presumed top pick in the NBA draft, Duke's Cooper Flagg is at the top of the board at most of our March Madness betting sites
  • North Carolina's RJ Davis sits second at +700 after leading the Tar Heels to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament last season
  • With Kansas tied at No. 1 with defending champions UConn by the March Madness odds, Jayhawks big man Hunter Dickinson is as short as +750 to win the Wooden Award
  • A finalist for the award last season with Davis and Dickinson, Alabama's Mark Sears is fourth of the clear top favorites

While the college basketball season now finally starting, the oddsboard for the Wooden Award is beginning to take shape.

Wooden Award odds 2025

Wooden Award odds from our best sports betting apps.

Wooden Award odds favorite 2025

Cooper Flagg (+600)

All it took was one blowout win against a mid-major team and Flagg leapfrogged the rest of the frontrunners to take the lead for the 2025 Wooden Award odds.

Flagg did a little bit of everything in Duke's 96-62 win over Maine in its season opener. He dropped 18 points along with seven rebounds, five assists, and three steals. He only shot 6-for-15 from the floor and didn't hit a 3-pointer, but showed fans his versatile game that has scouts salivating over his NBA potential.

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A benefit for Flagg is he'll be on one of the best teams in the nation, with Duke among the favorites at our best sports betting sites to take home the national championship in April. At the same time, he may not even lead his team in scoring, with fellow freshman Kon Knueppel shooting the lights out on high volume.

Flagg's odds are extremely short for someone who's played just one college game, and remember, the best NBA prospects don't always make the greatest college basketball players. But the benefit of wagering on Flagg is keeping an eye on one of the most exciting players the college game has seen in a long time.

Best odds: +600 via DraftKings | Implied probability: 14.29%

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My Wooden Award candidate to watch

Johni Broome (+2000)

It's mind-boggling that Broome's odds are this much longer than Dickinson's as the season begins. The Auburn star is one of the best two-way players in the country.

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Broome was a third-team All-American last season and on the SEC All-Defensive team after averaging 16.5 PPG, 8.5 RPG, and 2.2 blocks per game. He even expanded his scoring repertoire and hit 35.4% of his threes.

Broome will also likely see an expanded role for the Tigers this season, with starting point guard Aden Holloway and power forward Jaylin Williams moving on from the program.

Working against Broome is the fact that he's in the same conference as Sears, as well as a John Calipari Arkansas-led program. However, if Bruce Pearl can keep the Tigers in the SEC title race throughout the season, Broome's going to get plenty of national attention. 

If that's the case, these odds will be closer to +1000 before January. But for now, they pay a $200 profit on a $10 winning bet.

Best odds: +2000 via DraftKings | Implied probability: 4.76%

Wooden Award odds over time

Latest odds via DraftKings.

PlayerOpening odds (Oct. 3)Nov. 5
RJ Davis+700+700
Cooper Flagg+700+600
Hunter Dickinson+750+750
Mark Sears+900+800
AJ Storr+2000+2000
LJ Cryer+2000+2000
Johni Broome+3000+2000
Johnell Davis+3000+3000
Khalif Battle+3500+3500
VJ Edgecombe+3500+3500
Caleb Love+4000+4000
Ace Bailey+4000+4000
Tyrese Proctor+4000+4000
Ryan Nembhard+4000+4000
Ryan Kalkbrenner+4000+4000
Dylan Harper+4000+4000
Liam McNeeley+4000+4000
Zeke Mayo+4000+4000
Grant Nelson+4500+4500
Graham Ike+4500+4500
Tamin Lipsey+4500+2500
Kam Jones+5000+3000

Wooden Award past winners

YearNameOpening odds
2024Zach Edey, Purdue+175
2023Zach Edey, Purdue+3500
2022Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky+4000
2021Luka Garza, Iowa+250
2020Obi Toppin, DaytonN/A
2019Zion Williamson, DukeN/A
2018Jalen Brunson, VillanovaN/A
2017Frank Mason, KansasN/A
2016Buddy Hield, Oklahoma N/A
2015Frank Kaminsky, WisconsinN/A
2014Doug McDermott, CreightonN/A
2013Trey Burke, MichiganN/A

How to bet on the Wooden Award

Betting on Wooden Award odds is pretty straightforward. Start by choosing a reputable sportsbook that offers Wooden Award futures.

Look at the odds for different players; for example, if RJ Davis is at +400 and Mark Sears is at +800, Davis is more favored to win. Decide how much you want to wager and place your bet. If you put $100 on Davis at +400 and he wins, you’ll get $500 back ($400 profit + $100 stake).

Follow player performances throughout the season to track how your bet is doing.

But why do odds change in future markets? It’s all about performance and perception. If a player excels or underperforms, their odds will adjust. Injuries to the player or competitors can significantly impact their Wooden Award chances.

The success of the player’s team can also influence their odds. Public betting trends are important too; if many people are betting on a particular player, sportsbooks might change the odds to manage their risk.

Expert analysis and predictions can also sway betting patterns and odds. Understanding these factors can help you make more informed bets and possibly catch some favorable odds shifts.

How to read Wooden Award odds

When reading Wooden Award odds, the odds are typically displayed in formats like +300 or -150.

Positive odds (e.g., +300) indicate how much profit you’d make on a $100 bet. For instance, a $100 bet at +300 odds would win you $300, plus your original $100 stake, totaling $400. Negative odds (e.g., -150) show how much you need to bet to win $100. So, a $150 bet at -150 odds would win you $100, plus your $150 stake, totaling $250.

These odds also reflect the implied probability of a player winning the Wooden Award. Lower odds (e.g., +200) suggest a higher chance of winning, while higher odds (e.g., +1000) indicate a lower chance. Sportsbooks adjust these odds based on various factors, including player performance, injuries, team success, and betting patterns.

For example, if Hunter Dickinson has +300 odds and LJ Cryer has +800 odds, Dickinson is considered more likely to win. If you bet $100 on Dickinson and he wins, you’d get $400 back ($300 profit + $100 stake).

Wooden Award FAQs

Who is the Wooden Award favorite?

North Carolina's RJ Davis is the Wooden Award favorite with odds as short as +600 representing an implied win probability of 14.29%.

Who won the Wooden Award last year?

Purdue big man Zach Edey won his second straight Wooden Award, joining Ralph Sampson as the only player to ever win two. Edey was the consensus betting favorite (-2500) to win the 2024 Wooden Award, those odds implied a probability of 96.15% that Edey would win the award.

When will the Wooden Award be decided?

The 2024 Wooden Award ceremony took place on April 10, when Edey was announced as the award winner after his record-setting career at Purdue.

March Madness betting odds pages

Here are our best March Madness betting sites:

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