We are down to the Elite Eight in the 2026 March Madness bracket, and Arizona is leading fellow No. 1 seeds Duke and Michigan in the most recent National Championship chances.

March Madness has measured up to the name so far, with No. 9 Iowa and No. 6 Tennessee making it this far.

Let's take a look at the latest college basketball chances.

March Madness odds

How these chances have shifted

Duke had the finest chances to win the NCAA Tournament heading into Round 1, however gamblers have actually soured rather on the banged-up Blue Devils, as Duke needed to survive some close shaves to make it this far.

Arizona and Michigan have see-sawed for the leading spot in the March Madness winner odds, depending on who has actually advanced further first.

Illinois made a huge jump from +1400 to +700 after punching their ticket to the Elite Eight with an upset win over Houston.

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March Madness favorites

Arizona (+250 )

The Wildcats sat atop the chances board and were unbeaten before suffering back-to-back losses to No. 14 Kansas and No. 16 Texas Tech.

However, 9 straight wins - consisting of running the table to win the Big 12 Tournament - have actually assisted them reshape the story.

Arizona hasn't made it past the Sweet Sixteen in more than a decade, and this roster may be as well-positioned as any to get over the hump.

It looked like its tournament remained in risk versus Utah State, but the Wildcats eventually dominated. They squashed Arkansas to reach the Elite 8, where they'll deal with Purdue.

Duke (+270 )

The Blue Devils' win over Michigan rose them to No. 1 in the latest AP Top 25, and they haven't looked back, earning an unsurprising No. 1 seed in the East Region.

Cameron Boozer is the player to see in Durham, becoming among the most highly-touted potential customers for the upcoming NBA Draft. However, basketball is a team game, and heaven Devils were clearly missing the hurt Patrick Ngongba II and Caleb Foster in a close shave vs. No. 16 Siena.

Their win over No. 9 TCU in Round 2 was a struggle for thirty minutes, and No. 5 St. John's took Duke to the wire in the Sweet 16.

Michigan (+290 )

Before their setback against Duke, Michigan's only stumble can be found in January versus Wisconsin, and Yaxel Lendeborg & Co. responded by rattling off 11 successive wins en path to the No. 1 seed in the Midwest.

Michigan has actually scored a minimum of 90 points in each video game up until now in this competition.

2026 March Madness futures bets

The Michigan Wolverines are atop nearly every ranking system. Considering their size, experience, depth, and a 5-0 record versus ranked challengers, I'm backing them to win the title with my forecasts for March Madness.

With a healthy Darryn Peterson, the Kansas Jayhawks have appeared like a title competitor, and getting them at almost 4:1 to make the Final Four would be a take if he's at full strength by tourney time.

Sometimes, futures bets go like this. USC was 18-6 when this initial "make the tournament" wager was placed. however the Trojans went on to lose their last eight games of the season in an impressive late-year disaster.

Among Arizona, Duke, and Michigan, the Wildcats have the much easier path to the Final Four. Arizona is at complete strength, and its freshman seem to be hitting their stride. The Wildcats will power through the West Region, where every other top group has major defects.

Unlike past versions of Iowa State, this team rebounds at a high level and has the grit to win video games when the shots aren't falling. The three hardest possible opponents on the roadway to the Elite Eight are Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia, and the Cyclones are rated considerably greater than all of them.

March Madness odds gradually

March Madness wagering splits

Highest ticket portion: �� Michigan 11.4%. • Duke 10.0%. • Arizona 8.7%

Highest deal with portion:. • Arizona 14.4%. • Michigan 14.0%. • Florida 10.6%

Bettors have been banking big all season on the Wolverines, who have the greatest ticket portion and handle percentage in the country.

Michigan invested all 19 weeks in the AP Top 25, beginning at No. 7 in the preseason and reaching No. 1 in mid-February.

March Madness 2026 schedule

March Madness selects. March Madness chances. March Madness Final Four odds. March Madness MVP odds. March Madness betting websites. March Madness wagering promos

2026 March Madness opening odds

- Houston +900.

• Duke +1000.
• UConn +1400.
• Louisville +1700.
• Auburn +1800.
• Florida +1900.
• Purdue +1900.
• Kansas +2000.
• Kentucky +2000.
• Arkansas +2000.
• BYU +2000.
• Alabama +2000. - Michigan +2500. - Texas Tech +2500.
• St. John's +2500.
• Gonzaga +3000.
• Michigan State +3000.
• Iowa State +3000.
• Arizona +4000.
• UCLA +4000.
• North Carolina +4000.
• Illinois +6000.
• Vanderbilt +15000.
• Iowa +15000.
• Nebraska +20000
  
  Bookmakers had high expect Louisville going into the 2025-26 season, however the Cardinals have actually mostly underperformed to the tune of a dismal 3-6 record against Top 25 groups. Their inability to hang with the very best programs in the nation doesn't bode well for their possibilities of playing in April.
  
  Past March Madness winners
  
  ( Opening chances courtesy Sports Odds History)
  
  March Madness trends
  
  • Of the 20 teams that have entered the competition with unbeaten records, only seven have actually gone on to win the championship game.
  
  • Only 13 teams successfully safeguarded their championship game the following season.
  
  • UCLA has one of the most NCAA titles of all time (11 ), although the Bruins have not won the competition considering that 1995.
  
  • A No. 1-seeded group has won the nationwide championship 59.6% of the time because regional seeding was introduced in 1979.
  
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  March Madness Title Odds FAQs
  
  Arizona (+240 ), Michigan (+350 ), and Duke (+375) are the present March Madness favorites.
  
  The Florida Gators won March Madness in 2025, beating Houston 65-63 in the nationwide championship.
  
  The Duke Blue Devils are presently noted at +375 to win the natty.
  
  Calculating March Madness chances includes assessing the likelihood of different outcomes in the tournament. Oddsmakers utilize numerous factors including team efficiency, player health, head-to-head matches, competition experience, coaching, venue, and advanced stats. Bookmakers utilize these elements to set initial odds, and as bets are positioned, chances might move based upon the cash bet on each side.
  
  The only other school to win three-straight nationwide championships is UCLA, who in fact won seven straight titles from 1967-1973.
  
  You can find spreads for each 2026 March Madness video game by visiting our Covers NCAAB Scores & Matchup page. You'll find total wagering lines, line movement data, agreement choices and far more.
  
  With a background playing soccer, rugby, and boxing, integrated with a journalism degree, it's little surprise that Rohit gravitated towards the world of sports betting. He concentrates on banking on UFC and college basketball, two sports where the eyeball test can inform you a lot more about matchups than analytics. Rohit has years of experience handicapping NFL and NBA games as well as specific niche wagering markets such as politics. He's also the resident CFL professional and formerly hosted "The Chez and Ro Show" with former CFL star Davis Sanchez.