March Madness is set to kick off, and Florida stands out as the top contender with the best odds for clinching the men’s national championship. The Gators are leading the pack with +350 odds at BetMGM Sportsbook. The 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament will commence on Tuesday and Wednesday with the First Four, and the excitement continues as the first round tips off on Thursday afternoon.
Key Observations of the Week
While Florida holds a slight edge, Duke follows closely at +360 odds, significantly influenced by Cooper Flagg’s ankle injury sustained during the ACC Tournament. Other notable contenders include Auburn at +400 and Houston at +600. “Cooper Flagg’s availability remains uncertain, but should he play, we expect heavy action in favor of Duke,” BetMGM trading manager Seamus Magee commented. “In addition to Duke, the teams we’re wary of seeing triumph are Florida and Michigan State.” By Monday morning, Duke had garnered the highest volume of bets (13.5%) to secure the national championship.
In the SEC title clash, Florida triumphed over Tennessee 86-77. The game surpassed the expected 141.5 total points, with 69% of the wagered money placed on the over. Overall, the overs were 11-4 throughout the SEC Tournament.
Additionally, Rory McIlroy emerged victorious at The Players Championship following a three-hole playoff against J.J. Spaun on Monday morning. Entering the tournament, McIlroy had +1200 odds, whereas Spaun was a long shot at +10000. Both tied with a 12-under score, but McIlroy claimed victory in the playoff after Spaun’s mishap on the 17th hole led to a triple bogey.
Surprising Outcomes of the Week
In the NBA, Cleveland’s impressive 16-game winning streak was snapped with a 108-103 defeat against Orlando on Sunday. The Magic, considered 10.5-point underdogs, claimed just 20% of the spread bets. Remarkably, Orlando was at +375 on the moneyline. That day, Cleveland was the most wagered NBA team overall.
On Sunday, college basketball witnessed its biggest upset courtesy of Michigan. As the 3.5-point underdogs, the Wolverines overcame Wisconsin with a 59-53 victory despite only 30% of against-the-spread bets favoring them.
Upcoming Events
This week marks the commencement of the Major League Baseball season with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs squaring off in Japan. As the season starts, the Dodgers are overwhelming favorites for the World Series at +240. Following them are the Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees, both at +900. Completing the top contenders are the Philadelphia Phillies at +1100 and the New York Mets at +1200.
