2025 NCAAB Championship Betting Picks

The 2025 NCAA Men's Tournament concluded on Monday April 8, 2025 with the Championship Game being played at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

2025 NCAA Tournament Championship Game Picks

Expert Picks Record: 38-27-2
First Four Record: 3-1
First Round Record: 20-12
Second Round Record: 9-5-2
Sweet 16 Record: 3-5
Elite Eight Record: 1-3
Final Four: 2-0
Championship: 0-1

Championship Game

Monday, April 8

Matchup: Purdue vs. UConn
TV-Time: TBS, 9:20 p.m. ET
Prediction: Purdue +6.5 (-110)

NCAA Tournament Picks Resources
Free Picks
Expert Picks
Consensus Picks
Parlay Picks

2025 NCAA Men's Tournament Championship Las Vegas Opening Odds

Listed below were the Las Vegas Opening Odds on which schools would earn a trip to the NCAA Men's Tournament Championship Game on Monday, April 8, 2025.

UConn (+200) finished off the job by beating Purdue in the National Championship game for its second consecutive title.

  • UConn +200
  • Houston +220
  • Purdue +280
  • Arizona +500
  • North Carolina +550
  • Auburn +650
  • Tennessee +750
  • Iowa State +850
  • Kentucky +1000
  • Creighton +1200
  • Marquette +1400
  • Baylor +1600
  • Duke +1800
  • Alabama +1800
  • Illinois +1800
  • Kansas +2000
  • Gonzaga +2500
  • Florida +2500
  • BYU +3000
  • Wisconsin +3000
  • Saint Marys +3500
  • Texas Tech +4000
  • San Diego State +4000
  • Michigan State +4000
  • Clemson +4500
  • Texas +4500
  • Nebraska +4500
  • TCU +5000
  • New Mexico +5000
  • Mississippi State +5000
  • Washington State +6500
  • South Carolina +6500
  • Florida Atlantic +6500
  • Texas A&M +7000
  • Northwestern +7000
  • Nevada +7000
  • Drake +7500
  • North Carolina State +7500
  • Dayton +8000
  • Oregon +8000
  • All Other Teams listed at +100000 or Higher

MARCH MADNESS REGIONAL LAS VEGAS OPENING ODDS

The NCAA Men's Tournament Regional Finals will take place on Saturday March 30, 2025 and Sunday March 31, 2025.

Check out the Teams, Odds, Betting Stats and much more on each of the four regions.

MARCH MADNESS BETTING RESOURCES

2025 CHAMPIONSHIP

Monday, April 8

  • UConn 75 (-6.5), Purdue 60 - Under 142.5

NCAAB CHAMPIONSHIP GAME BETTING HISTORY

The NCAA Tournament Championship game has been a dream for oddsmakers dating back to 1985 when you look at the outcomes.

Although favorites have gone 26-12 straight up (SU) for a 68% winning rate, underdogs have managed to show up and that has led to an 19-19 against the spread (ATS) record in the title games.

Over-Under (O/U) Total bettors seeking high-scoring games might not want to look at this matchup, as the 'under' owns a 21-17 (55.2%) record all-time in the championship matchups.

Listed below are the betting results for all of the championship games.

(Seeds)

2024
(1) UConn (-6.5) 75, (1) Purdue 60
Favorite-Under (142.5)

2023
(4) UConn (-6.5) 76, (5) San Diego State 59
Favorite-Over (131.5)

2022
(1) Kansas 72, (8) UNC 69 (+4)
Underdog-Under (153.5)

2021
(1) Baylor (+4.5) 86, (1) Gonzaga 70
Underdog-Under (159)

2020
No Championship Held (COVID-19)

2019
(1) UVA (-1.5) 85, (3) Texas Tech 77 (OT)
Favorite-Over (119.5)

2018
(1) Villanova (-6.5) 79, (3) Michigan 62
Favorite-Under (144.5)

2017
(1) UNC (-1.5) 71, (1) Gonzaga 65
Favorite-Under (154.5)

2016
(2) Villanova (+2) 77, (1) UNC 74
Underdog-Over (149)

2015
(1) Duke (+1) 68, (1) Wisconsin 63
Underdog-Under (140)

2014
(7) UConn (+2.5) 60, (8) Kentucky 54
Underdog-Under (135)

2013
(1) Louisville (-4) 82, (4) Michigan 76
Favorite-Over (138)

2012
(1) Kentucky (-6.5) 67, (2) Kansas 59
Favorite-Under (138)

2011
(3) UConn (-3) 53, (8) Butler 41
Favorite-Under (132)

2010
(1) Duke (-7) 61, (5) Butler 59
Underdog-Under (128.5)

2009
(1) UNC (-7.5) 89, (2) Michigan State 72
Favorite-Over (153)

2008
(1) Kansas (+2) 75, (1) Memphis 68 (OT)
Underdog-Under (146)

2007
(1) Florida (-4) 84, (1) Ohio State 75
Favorite-Over (140)

2006
(3) Florida (-1) 73, (2) UCLA 57
Favorite-Over (128)

2005
(1) UNC (-2) 75, (1) Illinois 70
Favorite-Under (153.5)

2004
(2) UConn (-5) 82, (3) Georgia Tech 73
Favorite-Over (146)

2003
(3) Syracuse (+5.5) 81, (2) Kansas 78
Underdog-Over (156)

2002
(1) Maryland (-7.5) 64, (5) Indiana 52
Favorite-Under (151.5)

2001
(1) Duke (+4) 82, (2) Arizona 72
Underdog-Over (163.5)

2000
(1) Michigan State (-4) 89, (5) Florida 76
Favorite-Over (145)

1999
(1) UConn (+9.5) 77, (1) Duke 74
Underdog-Over (149.5)

1998
(2) Kentucky (-3.5) 78, (3) Utah 69
Favorite-Over (137.5)

1997
(4) Arizona (+7) 84, (1) Kentucky 79 (OT)
Underdog-Over (158.5)

1996
(1) Kentucky (-14) 76, (4) Syracuse 67
Underdog-Under (156.5)

1995
(1) UCLA (-3) 89, (2) Arkansas 78
Favorite-Over (161)

1994
(1) Arkansas (-6) 76, (2) Duke 72
Underdog-Under (155)

1993
(1) UNC (-2.5) 77, (1) Michigan 71
Favorite-Under (151)

1992
(1) Duke (-5.5) 71, (6) Michigan 51
Favorite-Under (158.5)

1991
(2) Duke (-3) 72, (3) Kansas 65
Favorite-Under (154.5)

**1990
(1) UNLV 103, (3) Duke 73

1989
(3) Michigan (-2) 80, (3) Seton Hall 79 (OT)
Underdog-Under (163)

1988
(6) Kansas (+8) 83, (1) Oklahoma 79
Underdog-Over (157.5)

1987
(1) Indiana (-4.5) 74, (2) Syracuse 73
Underdog-Under (155.5)

1986
(2) Louisville (+1) 72, (1) Duke 69
Underdog-Under (152.5)

1985
(8) Villanova (+9) 66, (1) Georgetown 64
Underdog-Over (112)

**There was no line on this game due to no wagering on Nevada schools in 1990

WHAT IS THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT?

The NCAA Tournament is the hottest event in US college basketball. March Madness betting takes over the nation every year in an incredible frenzy.

And the big-ticket event always draws the most action. NCAA Championship betting is the crown jewel of the event.

Starting in March, millions of people across the United States fill out the NCAA brackets. It’s a sports betting event that’s made its way into the mainstream.

The NCAA Tournament is a 68-team championship event. The winner reigns supreme above all Division I men’s basketball teams in the nation.

Teams from conferences across the United States face off in a single-elimination tournament, where everything is at stake in each game.

The NCAA Tournament has been held yearly since 1939, drawing growing audiences every year.

March Madness betting has grown into a tremendous phenomenon.

Office betting pools form all over the nation with everyone’s NCAA bracket picks.

The committee seeds the NCAA basketball championship according to complex factors, including previous NCAAB championship scores and performance over the season.

Top-seeded teams tend to dominate the quarters and semifinals, though surprise upsets happen every once in a while.

Despite being a collegiate event, the NCAA basketball championship draws audiences rivaling those of leagues like the NBA and NFL.

NCAA Basketball Championship betting and general March Madness betting action have a lot to do with that popularity.

Major sport news networks cover the NCAA basketball championship extensively, including CBS Sports, ESPN, and Fox Sports.

NCAAB betting is even popular in states where it’s technically illegal.

The popularity of the NCAA brackets among coworkers and groups of friends make most state authorities turn a blind eye to these casual wagers. 

PICKING THE NCAA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS

Selecting the teams to fill out your NCAA Championship betting bracket is almost an art form.

All the major US sports networks, from CBS Sports to Fox Sports and ESPN, offer countless hours of analysis and advice.

Pundits suggest strategies, top picks, secret insider information, and more. Each phase of the tournament has its own betting frenzy.

The coverage of each phase in the media is extensive as well.

Even US politicians join in on the action. Every year he was in office, President Barack Obama released his NCAA bracket picks to much fanfare.

After leaving the Oval, the former president continues to share his picks every year. He’s not alone, either.

Millions of people join in on Elite 8 betting and NCAA Championship betting every year.

Hundreds of websites publish extensive NCAA Championship scores to orient audiences filling their brackets.

No one has ever had a perfect bracket, but some people have been pretty close.

The best streak anyone has ever shown in NCAA Championship betting history was from neuropsychologist Gregg Nigl, during the 2019 tournament.

Nigl went 48 for 48, correctly predicting every team in the Sweet Sixteen.

NCAAB CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET

The NCAA brackets are one of the most popular forms of sports betting across the United States.

They enjoy a curious de facto legality since most states that technically ban sports betting or gambling, in general, don’t enforce the law for March Madness betting.

Office pools are an extremely common occurrence around the NCAA Championship. Even major corporations join in on the action.

World-famous billionaire investor Warren Buffet has promised millions of dollars to any employee of his who correctly picks the Sweet 16.

No one has come close so far, though.

Taking into account the countless variables that affect the outcome of a game, it’s a very difficult feat, requiring both skill and luck.

Knowing old NCAA championship scores and results is barely scraping the surface.

The NCAA Championship betting brackets involve vast amounts of statistical information and analysis.

So-called “bracketologists” spend hundreds of hours studying game tape, player stats, simulations, and projections.

While it may seem like they have NCAA brackets down to a science, the truth is, not a single person has ever gotten a perfect bracket. It’s possible no one ever will.

The NCAA estimates the odds are between 1 in a couple billion and 1 in a few quintillion.

HOW TO BET ON THE CHAMPIONSHIP?

NCAA brackets are in essence an outright parlay bet, with 63 or 67 (including the First Four) picks on a single ticket.

In most office pools, the winner is whoever gets the most correct picks by the end of the tournament.

But brackets are far from the only way to get in on NCAA Championship betting and Elite 8 betting action.

There are many ways to bet on the NCAA tournament.

After the PASPA ruling in 2018, multiple states have moved to legalize and regulate sports betting.

States like New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Iowa now have their own mobile sports betting operations and platforms. Many NCAA Championship betting markets are available.

They include moneyline, point spread, handicap, over/under, prop bets and parlays.

If sports betting is legal in your state, all you have to do is visit your favorite online sportsbook, register for a player account, and make a deposit.

Once you credit your deposit, you can start betting on your favorites for every match.

Some states have a “tethered mobile” registration system.

If you are in one of those states, you will have to register your mobile account for the first time at a casino or retail sportsbook.

FINAL THOUGHTS ON NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP

The NCAA Tournament is one of the most thrilling times in basketball, and NCAA Basketball Championship betting makes it that much more exciting.

NCAA Championship betting brackets, pools, and wagers continue to take the nation by storm every March.

The legalization of sports betting across several states in the Union will only help to cement the NCAA Championship betting as America’s favorite spring pastime.