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.
2024 NCAA region winner odds
Midwest Region
- Purdue: +130
- Tennessee: +220
- Creighton: +450
- Gonzaga: +460
East Region
- UConn: -230
- Iowa State: +400
- Illinois: +600
- San Diego State: +1400
West Region
- Arizona: +120
- North Carolina: +165
- Alabama: +475
- Clemson: +900
South Region
- Houston: +100
- Marquette: +215
- Duke: +360
- NC State: +1300
