2026 NCAA Tournament Championship Odds: Houston the Favorite
NCAA Tournament odds for 2026 have been on the board since even before Florida beat Houston in last season's title game. And both of these teams are highly regarded for next season.
Houston is atop 2026 March Madness odds, with defending champ Florida close behind.
Below are current NCAA men's basketball national championship odds, followed by sportsbook insights. To get the most out of your college basketball bets, use our bet365 bonus code.
National Championship Winner Odds
2025-26 NCAA Tournament Odds
Teams at the Top
UPDATE SATURDAY, AUG. 2: In last season's title game, Florida edged Houston 65-63 to lift the trophy. But the BetMGM risk room was high on the Cougars' prospects, opening them as +900 favorites in March Madness futures odds.
A few months later, Houston is still the favorite and still at +900. In digital action (mobile/online), the Cougars are taking the third-most tickets and second-most money at BetMGM.
"There's steady action on Houston. The Cougars would be a losing outcome for the book at this moment," BetMGM trading manager Christian Cipollini said.
Purdue is the +1000 second choice, improving on its opening price of +1400 in odds to win the NCAA Tournament. In last season's Sweet 16, Purdue fell to Houston 62-60 on a last-second basket.
For the upcoming season, early bettors are definitely intrigued by the Boilermakers.
At BetMGM, Purdue is No. 1 in tickets, taking nearly twice as many bets as No. 2 Duke. The Boilermakers lead the money count, as well, slightly ahead of Houston.
"Purdue is the most-bet-on team so far, and similar to Houston, they are a losing outcome. In fact, Purdue is our worst outcome out of teams with short odds," Cipollini said.
Florida has seen even more movement than Purdue. The Gators opened +2000, moved to +1600, then this past week jumped up to the +1200 third choice.
The Gators are down the list a bit in tickets, at No. 9, but are taking the fourth-most money in BetMGM's NCAA basketball national championship odds. Cipollini said the Gators are a liability, too.
Movers and Shakers
UPDATE SATURDAY, AUG. 2: Other teams worth noting in 2026 NCAA Tournament odds include Michigan, BYU and St. John's.
Michigan and St. John's both opened +2500. The Wolverines are now the +1400 co-fifth choice with UConn, with the Red Storm right behind at +1600. BYU is also at +1600, a modest improvement from +2000 opening odds.
Arizona has made a notable jump, as well, from +4000 to +2500. North Carolina State is still more of a dark horse, but has taken a big leap from +12500 (125/1) to +5000.
"Illinois N.C. State are the two most-bet-on teams in the long-shot range. North Carolina, of course, is also taking bets in that range," Cipollini said.
Illinois and North Carolina are both +4000, just ahead of N.C. State. The Illini opened +6000, while Carolina remains at its opening number.
As always, Duke is among the favorites, though it's slipped from the +1000 second choice at open to the +1300 fourth choice. Auburn has fallen off significantly more, from +1800 to +3000.
BetMGM's top five in tickets for March Madness odds:
- Purdue
- Duke
- Houston
- Kentucky (+2000)
- Michigan (+2500)
And the top five in money:
- Purdue
- Houston
- Michigan
- Florida
- Kentucky
"UConn would be a great outcome. Kansas and Louisville are two others that would work well, and Arkansas winning is another good one for the book. Root-againsts are Houston, Purdue and Florida," Cipollini said.
Opening National Championship Odds
Below are BetMGM's opening odds for the 2025-2026 College Basketball National Championship:
- Houston +900
- Duke +1000
- Purdue +1400
- UConn +1400
- Auburn +1800
- Kentucky +2000
- BYU +2000
- Florida +2000
- Kansas +2000
- Arkansas +2000
- Louisville +2000
- Alabama +2000
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Betting on College Basketball
March Madness odds represent the likelihood of a team winning the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. These odds are determined by sportsbooks and can change throughout the season, based on a team's performance and potential matchups..
Check out more resources and where to locate the best March Madness odds below:
Best CBB Betting Sites I Sportsbook Promos for March Madness Betting I Best College Basketball Parlay Picks I How To Make A March Madness Bracket
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How To Bet On College Basketball Futures
March Madness is among the most popular events on the American sports betting calendar. College basketball futures wagers can lead to generous returns if you can land the right team at good odds for the NCAA Tournament, held over three weekends from mid-March to early April.
Check out our online sportsbook directory to find the best odds and most secure places to make college basketball bets, as well as exclusive sportsbook offers.
Similar to other sports, the majority of online oddsmakers post College Basketball Futures at the conclusion of the previous season. The betting market usually sees a spike of popularity in May or June, as top players decide whether to stay in college or enter the NBA Draft.
Some bettors have a knack for forecasting who’s returning and leaving, which could create a huge advantage over the oddsmakers. Knowing that a team will be more experienced is a huge advantage in the College Basketball Futures market.
Learn how to bet on futures.
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