Updated March Madness Odds, Favorites, Dogs and Longshots!
Posted by Eric Williams on Monday,March 21, 2016 1:13, EDT in
Okay college basketball betting aficionados, with once ‘legitimate’ title contenders like Michigan State, Xavier, Utah and Arizona getting bounced out of the 2016 NCAA tournament, you need to know which teams now stand the best chance of winning it all in the eyes of oddsmakers across the globe.
Will a top-tier favorite win it all or will either, a solid contender or longshot upset the entire apple cart? Let’s find out right now, which teams are offering the best and most value-packed odds of winning the 2016 March Madness national championship.
Updated March Madness Odds, Favorites, Dogs and Longshots!
Kansas +300
The Jayhawks are favored to win it all, but they’ll have their hands full trying to get past Maryland in the Sweet 16 and the winner of the Miami-Villanova matchup in the Elite Eight if they do advance. Still, the Jayhawks are steady as a rock – even without a true superstar leader.
North Carolina +400
The Heels could get bounced by Indiana in the Sweet 16, but if they get past the Hoosiers, I think they’ll pound the winner of Notre Dame-Wisconsin in the Elite Eight, making them a virtual shoo-in for the Final Four – if they get past underrated Indiana that is
Virginia +500
At +500, the defensive-minded Cavaliers may be the best pick on the board right now if you ask me. Virginia will need to shut down explosive Iowa State in the Sweet 16 and likely Gonzaga in the Elite Eight. Still, all you need to know is that defense wins championships and Virginia has the best defense of any remaining team in the field.
Oklahoma +600
I love All-American Buddy Hield, but something about the Sooners’ often underachieving ways bothers me. Still, it’s quite possible Oklahoma could win it all seeing as how there’s no team remaining in the West region that you could say is head sand shoulders better than the Sooners.
Oregon +1200
The No.1 seed in the West region clearly isn’t getting much respect, but maybe they should be. The Ducks have two fantastic players in forwards Dillon Brooks (16.8 ppg) and Elgin Cook (14.5 ppg). At +1200, the Ducks are definitely offering a lot of value.
Villanova +1200
Speaking of teams offering a ton of value and Villanova has to be at or near the very top of the list. Sure, the Wildcats will have a tough time getting out of the South region opposite Miami and either Kansas or Maryland should they win their Sweet 16 contest, but Villanova can score the ball like crazy and has a well-balanced offense that spreads the ball around. At +1200, the one No. 1 ranked Cats are definitely worth a wager.
The Contenders
Duke, Indiana and Texas A&M are all +2000 picks to bring home the March Madness bacon, but I say save your money on the Blue Devils among these title hopefuls.
I wouldn’t be surprised in Gonzaga made a run to the Elite Eight, though I believe the Bulldogs will be hard-pressed to win their Sweet 16 showdown. At +2200, I say the Zags are a great pick as a legitimate contender.
I’m not real fond of Iowa State at +2500 because of their lack of defense, but Maryland, and Miami, another pair of +2500 selections, look like great teams to bet on, The Terps have a bunch of high-flying aerial acrobats while Miami has one of the best backcourts in the country.
The Longshots
Notre Dame +3500
Syracuse +3500
Wisconsin +3500
Out of these three teams, it is Wisconsin that I like most. The Badgers play lockdown defense and have plenty of experience having reached the NCAA title game just last season.
