College Basketball National Championship Expert Betting Predictions with Odds

by Trevor Whenham - 1/5/2018

College football is one game away from coming to an end, which means that a lot of bettor attention will shift towards college basketball next week - and a whole lot more will in a month when the NFL season ends. It's a good time , then, to take a look for any potential futures betting value before more public eyes turn this way. Here's a look at some of the top contenders to cut down the nets at the Final Four (odds to win the NCAA Championship are from BetOnline )

Duke (+500): Led by freshman Marvin Bagley III, this is the most dynamic offense the Blue Devils have had recently. Grayson Allen is the senior influence who is benefiting from the talent, and he is showing more patience and efficiency as a result. The team had a stunning loss to Boston College and then made beating Florida State look a little tougher than it should have been a couple of games later. There is still a whole lot to like here, though, and they are deservedly the favorites. This feels like a totally wide-open race this year, so anything could happen, but I have no issue with Duke being favored.

Michigan State (+500): They lost to Duke in their second game and then have reeled off 14 straight wins since. They have beaten two Top 10 teams, but the last month has been really weak. They head into what promises to be a tough conference season now, and they are led by Miles Bridges. The sophomore faced massive expectations after skipping the draft last year, but he has very much lived up to them. If he can stay healthy then he can lead this team a long way. You can be sure that they would love another shot at Duke.

Villanova (+800): They lost at Butler last time out to drop from the ranks of the unbeaten, but they are still obviously a very interesting team. Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson are as good a duo as this team has had in recent years - and that is really saying something. They will be there deep into the tournament, and this price is fair.

Arizona (+1000): The three straight losses earlier in the season were a concern, but they have shaken that off, and they are now my pick to win the title. Deandre Ayton is a great player who stepped up huge in their biggest game - the showdown against previously-unbeaten Arizona State. And Allonzo Trier is having the best year of his career by a wide margin. I like the coaching, I love the talent, the conference is more than manageable, and this team is legitimate.

North Carolina (+1400): They are defending National Champions, so they deserve respect, but I'm just not buying them. Of course, I didn't buy into them last year at any point ether, and that didn't exactly work out for me.

Kansas (+1400): Could this be the year that someone other than the Jayhawks win the Big 12? It certainly seems more possible after they lost by a dozen at home to Texas Tech. The talent is good, there is a long time left, and they have all sorts of experience to draw on, but I am not a believer right now.

Texas A&M (+2000): I don't get this team. I was ready to believe that they were the runaway class of the SEC. So all they did was go out and lose their first two conference games - the second one against Florida in truly ugly fashion. I'm not totally writing them off yet, but I can't even think of backing them at this or any price.

Wichita State (+2000) : Sophomore point guard Landry Shamet is one of the most underappreciated players in the country. He's phenomenal. The Shockers have just two losses so far - to Notre Dame by a single point, and to Oklahoma when Trae Young went full Trae Young on them. I'm not convinced that this team is champion caliber, but they are going to be tough and they are a lot of fun to watch. I don't see any value here, though.

Xavier (+2500): Their only loss is to an Arizona State team that was unbeaten until the last game of 2017. There is no shame in that. They have a good handful of quality wins, and they are strong and deep. Trevon Bluiett feels like he is in his 12th season at Xavier, and he continues to be the kind of leader that a team like this needs to unleash a deep run. The Top 5 ranking they currently have is probably a bit high, but I love this program - not enough to bet them at this price, but still a lot.

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Start:	November 22, 2024 @ 8:00 PM
Expert:	Vernon Croy
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College Basketball National Championship Expert Betting Predictions with Odds

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