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Sports Betting Futures Odds: And Then There Were Four


by - 3/27/2018

Loyola Chicago Ramblers center Cameron Krutwig

Villanova. Kansas. Michigan. Loyola-Chicago. That is your 2018 Final Four, resulting from an absolutely wild South Region and-by comparison-relatively straightforward scenes in the West, Midwest, and East. This is one of the best times in sports, and not just because of college basketball. Baseball season will get underway this week, and the Masters is little more than one week away.

All odds provided by BetOnline Sportsbook .

National Championship

Villanova (-110) - Villanova took the madness right out of the East Region, coasting through all four of its games by double-digits. The Wildcats, who are 34-4 overall, have all the tools with which to cut down the nets in San Antonio. They have the coach (Jay Wright), the floor general (Jalen Brunson), and the experience (2016 national champs).

Michigan (+260) - All four remaining teams are conference tournament champions, perhaps the most impressive of which is Michigan. The Wolverines won the loaded Big Ten and have not looked back in the Big Dance, winning big twice while also surviving competitive contests with Houston (on a buzzer-beater) and Florida State.

Kansas (+400) - Kansas is nothing if not battled-tested heading into Saturday's national semifinal showdown against Villanova, which is favored by five points . The Jayhawks messed around with Penn for a while, held off charges by Seton Hall and Clemson, and won the best game of the tournament in overtime over Duke.

Loyola-Chicago (+1000) - Powered by Clayton Custer, by four other players who average in double-figures, and of course by Sister Jean, the Ramblers are the Cinderella story of the NCAA Tournament. They won their first three games by a combined four points and hammered Kansas State 78-62 in the South Region final.

Final Four MOP

Jalen Brunson, Villanova (+350) - This is not Brunson's first rodeo. He logged more than 20 minutes per game as a freshman during Villanova's run to the 2015-16 title. He averaged 14.7 ppg as a sophomore and is now delivering 19.2 ppg as the Wildcats' undisputed team leader. He scored 27 in a Sweet 16 win over West Virginia.

Mikal Bridges, Villanova (+500) - Like Brunson, Bridges has taken off as a junior (9.8 ppg in 2016-17 to 17.8 ppg this season). The 6'6'' shooting guard is draining 43.6 percent of his three-point attempts and went 11-for-19 from the land of plenty during the Wildcats' first three tournament games. He is also averaging 5.4 rebounds per contest.

Devonte Graham, Kansas (+800) - Even though Trae Young's Oklahoma team floundered down the stretch, it still takes a special talent to beat him out for Big 12 Player of the Year. That is exactly what Graham did, to the tune of 17.2 ppg, 7.3 apg, and 4.1 rpg. The senior guard played all 45 minutes in the victory over Duke.

Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman, Michigan (+1000) - Is there a better name in the Final Four than Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman? No, duh. And there may not be a better player. Abdur-Rahkman, a force on both ends of the floor, scored 24 points in the Sweet 16 vs. Texas A&M. Teammate Charles Matthews is also a +1000 fourth choice.

World Series

New York Yankees (+500) - The Yankees were always thought to be one year away in 2017. Now their year is here after flirting with greatness in 2017 (led the eventual World Series Champion Astros 3-2 in the ALCS before losing in seven). The Bronx Bombers have added Giancarlo Stanton to team up with Aaron Judge in a daunting lineup.

Houston Astros (+600) - As Sports Illustrated predicted in 2014, Houston won it all in 2017. In fact, even cover boy George Springer became World Series MVP. Still a relatively young team just as it was back in '14, Houston returns its key pieces for its title defense. That includes reigning American League MVP Jose Altuve.

Los Angeles Dodgers (+600) - The Dodgers once again fell short in the playoffs, but they at least managed to reach the World Series for the first time since 1988. Clayton Kershaw pitched well in the postseason, compiling a 3.82 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in six appearances. Yu Darvish is gone, but Los Angeles is still loaded with talent.

Cleveland Indians (+700) - Cleveland, of course, squandered a 3-1 lead over the Cubs in the 2016 World Series. The Indians led the Yankees 2-0 in the ALDS during their bid for redemption in 2018 but lost three straight. Corey Kluber and Francisco Lindor should help Cleveland contend once more. The Cubs and Nationals are +800 fifth choices.

Shell Houston Open

Rickie Fowler (+1000) - Fowler placed T10 in Houston two years ago and was even better in 2017, finishing T3. As he prepares to make another bid for his first career major title at next month's Masters, Fowler is in unspectacular form. He at least managed to finish T14 at Bay Hill two weeks ago.

Justin Rose (+1000) - Like Fowler, Rose is too good to be overly concerned with relatively small events like the Shell Houston Open, instead using it entirely for Masters preparation. The 37-year-old Englishman, who has produced two straight top-five performances, played decent in Houston last season (T15).

Jordan Spieth (+1100) - Spieth missed the Houston cut last spring, but he finished runner-up (lost in a playoff) in 2015 and was T13 in 2016. The 24-year-old American is in mediocre form at the moment, as his March has featured a T14 showing in Mexico, a missed cut at the Valspar Championship, and an early exit in match play.

Phil Mickelson (+1200) - How good could this year's Masters be? Rose, Justin Thomas, and Sergio Garcia are playing well, Spieth is always in the mix, and both Mickelson and Tiger Woods are in resurgent form. Mickelson, the recent WGC-Mexico champion, won Houston in 2011. Henrik Stenson is also a +1200 fourth choice.

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