The bracket is out, which means it’s time for madness.
The Selection Committee established Duke as the No. 1 overall seed for the 2026 NCAA Tournament, which is not exactly in line with the bookmakers at bet365 Sportsbook, who have Michigan at the top of the odds ahead of Round 1.
That said, the gap between the Wolverines, Blue Devils, and third-favorite Arizona is extremely narrow.
Duke, which started the season at 14/1, is +325 to win the title, while Michigan, which was 20/1 before the season started, is down to +340 after the bracket was released.
Arizona is right behind them at +425.
Defending champions Florida is +700 to repeat. No other team boasts single-digit odds.
2026 NCAA Tournament odds
- Michigan +325
- Duke +340
- Arizona +425
- Florida +700
- Houston 10/1
- Connecticut 20/1
- Illinois 22/1
- Iowa State 22/1
- Purdue 40/1
- Michigan State 45/1
- Kansas 50/1
- St. John’s 50/1
- Gonzaga 55/1
- Arkansas 60/1
Kelvin Sampson’s Houston Cougars are 10/1, putting them in a range of their own, as there is no other team under 20/1.
UConn, winners of two of the last three NCAA Tournaments, is 20/1 after finishing runner-up at the Big East Tournament to St. John’s. UConn is the No. 2 seed in the East Region.
Speaking of the Red Storm, they are down to 50/1 after winning their second Big East title in a row. The Johnnies were handed a No. 5 seed and will play Northern Iowa in Round 1.
Betting on College Basketball?
St. John’s isn’t the only notable long shot to keep an eye on over the next few days.
Arkansas, which won the SEC Championship after defeating Vanderbilt, is a tempting price at 60/1.
Tom Izzo’s Michigan State will also get some betting support at 45/1 after landing as a No. 3 seed in the East region.
Purdue, which was the betting favorite before the season started, is 40/1 after being handed a No. 2 seed. The Boilermakers upset Michigan in the Big Ten Championship.
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
