The 2025-26 College Basketball Championship odds underscore what should be a competitive, tightly played season on the hardwood. With no clear NCAAB title betting favorite on the board, there isn’t a consensus pick among bettors.
As the regular season gets underway, I explore the latest betting prices, analyze the top contenders, and reveal my 2025-26 NCAA Men’s National Championship predictions!
2025-26 NCAA Basketball Championship Betting Odds
The following 2026 March Madness odds are courtesy of BetUS:
| TEAM | ODDS |
|---|---|
| Purdue Boilermakers | +900 |
| Houston Cougars | +950 |
| Duke Blue Devils | +1200 |
| UConn Huskies | +1400 |
| Kentucky Wildcats | +1400 |
| Florida Gators | +1400 |
| St. John’s Red Storm | +1600 |
| Michigan Wolverines | +1600 |
| BYU Cougars | +1800 |
| Louisville Cardinals | +2000 |
| Texas Tech Red Raiders | +2000 |
The Purdue Boilermakers (+900) have the leading odds to win the NCAAM National Championship. Per the best college basketball betting sites, Purdue has a 10% implied probability to win, which isn’t the most confidence-inducing price from oddsmakers.
Trailing Purdue, the Houston Cougars (+950) have the second-best college basketball championship odds. They’re slightly behind Purdue, with a 9.5% implied chance to capture their first national championship. These are the only teams in the nation with odds less than +1000!
The dangerous Duke Blue Devils (+1200) hold the third-best odds, while three teams, the Connecticut Huskies, Kentucky Wildcats, and Florida Gators, share +1400 odds to win March Madness in 2026. Duke owns a 7.7% implied price, while the defending champion Gators hold a 6.7% chance with UConn and Kentucky.
You can find up-to-date NCAA Men’s College Basketball Championship odds at BetUS by navigating to Sportsbook > Basketball > NCAAM Championship.
2025-26 NCAAM National Championship Favorites
There isn’t a clear top contender to win this year’s national title, but it should make for an exciting season.
Let’s break down the most likely winners, and then dive into my Men’s NCAA National Championship picks:
Purdue Boilermakers (+900)
Two years removed from a trip to the NCAA National Championship, Purdue are confident that they can return to the title game and win this time. Zach Edey was the focal point of that team, but Purdue believe they can ride a sharpshooter and crafty playmaker to the top.
With Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith in the backcourt, the Boilermakers can’t do much wrong with their superior guard play. Loyer can heat up on a dime with his shot from the perimeter. He is a spark plug shooter who is tough to slow down once he gets into a rhythm.
Last year, Loyer scored 13.8 points per game on 46.8% shooting from the field. He was a major threat from deep, connecting on 44.4% of three-point attempts.
Loyer opened the season with a 30-point effort on 8/11 shooting from the field. He and Smith will undoubtedly look unstoppable at times.
With Smith’s court vision and playmaking ability, Purdue have one of the best backcourts in the country. Smith is a contender for the Naismith National Player of the Year after a star-studded campaign that included an average of 8.7 assists and 15.8 points per game.
11 assists in 30 minutes 🤯@jerseymikes Naismith Men’s College POY Watch List member, Braden Smith, just earned himself a spot as THIRD in all-time assists in the BIG 10!
(Credit: BTN) pic.twitter.com/ur4aut9Q66
— Naismith Awards (@NaismithTrophy) November 5, 2025
Along with Loyer and Smith, starting forward Trey Kaufman-Renn is back with the team. That makes three starting players from the 2024-25 roster in West Lafayette for this season. In the frontcourt, the Boilermakers should also be in good form with transfer Oscar Cluff and Daniel Jacobsen’s size. This team is not only experienced, but the Boilermakers are deep.
Expect them to be discussed as one of the best teams in the nation throughout the season!
Houston Cougars (+950)
It wouldn’t be a college basketball season without talking about the Houston Cougars! They’ve reached the March Madness Sweet 16 in six straight seasons and reached the national championship last year.
Even though leader L.J. Cryer exited the program for the NBA, Houston’s backcourt is still in good shape with the return of guards Emanuel Sharp and Milos Uzan. Sharp is ready to take over as an elite offensive force, while leading one of the best defensive teams in the country.
Ain't no stopping Emanuel Sharp in H-Town
Emanuel Sharp Highlights vs. Lehigh⬇️#Big12MBB | @UHCougarMBK pic.twitter.com/sQPgH9X1Ji
— Big 12 Studios (@big12studios) November 4, 2025
Kelvin Sampson’s system is predicated on playing tight defense and forcing turnovers. They are relentless and don’t quiet on the defensive floor, which translates to points on the other end. In 2024-25, Houston led the NCAA with 58.7 points against per game.
This was a continuation from the previous season when the Cougars yielded 57.6 points per matchup. Nothing is going to change this season, as Sampson’s philosophy isn’t going anywhere. Also, in addition to Sharp and Uzan back on the floor, forwards Terrance Arceneaux and Kordelius Jefferson returned for the 2025-26 season.
The Cougars are also excited about 5-star freshmen Chris Cenac and Isiah Harwell, who are going to be explosive playmakers in Houston this season. Overall, this is a very potent roster that gives Purdue a run for their money.
They should play better defense, so I would probably have them as the betting favorite to win the Men’s NCAA National Championship.
Duke Blue Devils (+1200)
The new-look Duke Blue Devils are loaded with talent and will be a serious threat if everything comes together at the right time. Led by top recruit Cameron Boozer, Duke won’t be an easy team to push around this season. They are going to be physical and far from a pushover on the floor.
The 6’9” power forward Boozer made a huge statement in Duke’s two exhibition matchups against UFC and Tennessee. He was dominant with 28.5 points, 17.5 rebounds, and five assists per game! In Duke’s season-opening 75-60 win over Texas, Boozer started slowly in the first half but ended with 15 points and 13 rebounds.
Carlos Boozer was loving this dunk from his son, Cameron 💪
Watch Texas-Duke on ESPN and the ESPN App 🍿 pic.twitter.com/werBaAvemr
— ESPN (@espn) November 5, 2025
He’s going to be the biggest double-double machine in the nation. It isn’t going to be difficult for him at all to reach 10 rebounds and 10 points almost every game. Is the supporting cast strong enough in Durham, though? Guards Caleb Foster and Isaiah Evans are expected to be a crucial role for Duke in 2025-26.
The Blue Devils lost Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel in the offseason. They went No. 1 and No. 4 in the 2025 NBA Draft. Replacing those two contributors is tough, but Boozer, Evans, and Foster make their departures sting a little less. Boozer is a clear contender for Naismith National Player of the Year and will impress often.
Nevertheless, I don’t know if Duke is an all-around better team than Purdue and Houston. Head coach Jon Scheyer still has a lot to learn and may very well be out-coached again in March. The raw talent on this roster is undeniable, though.
2025-26 NCAA Men’s National Championship Longshots
It should be a highly competitive season, so including a couple of sleepers in your NCAA College Basketball National Championship picks is a sharp strategy.
Here, find my top dark horse selections to win the national title:
-
St. John’s Red Storm (+1600)
Don’t call the Big East’s St. John’s Red Storm a Cinderella team in 2025-26. In Rick Pitino’s third year as St. John’s head coach, the Red Storm are expected to be a major hurdle for opponents this season.
Ranked No. 1 in the Big East, St. John’s is coming off a strong campaign with a record of 31-5, but this team could be even better. 21-year-old Zuby Ejiofor is set to become a name that the nation is familiar with in the coming months.
Rick Pitino’s new-look @StJohnsBBall squad put up 108 in a blowout win over Quinnipiac to open their season 😳
🔴 Zuby Ejiofor: 17 PTS | 6 REB | 3 AST
🔴 Dillon Mitchell: 18 PTS | 7 REB | 4 STL
🔴 Ian Jackson: 15 PTS | 6-6 FG pic.twitter.com/kxcV4JuhSD— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) November 4, 2025
Ejiofor notched 14.7 points per game on 57.7% shooting a season ago. He also recorded 8.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per contest, playing a big role on both ends of the court. The 6’9” senior is joined by seven new transfers who are expected to play a pivotal role.
This is a stacked roster that can’t be underestimated as one of the best March Madness 2026 picks!
-
Texas Tech Red Raiders (+2000)
No. 10 Texas Tech is being underestimated in the latest NCAA Tournament winner odds. At +2000, there is plenty of value for a longshot bet. The Red Raiders have it tough in the Big 12 against Houston, but JT Toppin could be the best player in the conference.
Toppin is set for a big year before heading to the NBA next season. He reportedly received a $4 million NIL deal to remain in Lubbock instead of departing for the NBA. The investment should pay off, and I like the potential for Toppin playing with guard Christian Anderson this season.
The way I see it, Texas Tech should be closer to +1400, so +2000 is one of the best NCAA College Basketball National Championship betting picks!
2025-26 Men’s College Basketball Championship Predictions and Betting Pick
Sampson has coached some fantastic teams at Houston, but this might be the best one yet. It was only last season that Houston went to the national title matchup, and I can safely claim that the 2025-26 roster is more talented.
Losing Cryer hurts, but adding freshmen Cenac and Harwell to go with Sharp and Uzan is a big get. Houston is a fundamentally sound team that doesn’t turn the ball over, plays hard-nosed defense, and has more talent than they’ve ever had in Sampson’s tenure.
With large and physical guards to go with a big frontcourt, they haven’t had this kind of size before. Sampson has turned less talented teams in the past into defensive powerhouses.
Now, Sampson can execute his game plan with elite weapons on the floor. At +950, Houston to win the national title is a top value bet that should be on your radar!
Where to Bet on the College Basketball National Championship?
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