College basketball’s remaining championship hopefuls head to Indianapolis this weekend for the NCAA Men’s Final Four.
No. 2 UConn (33-5) faces No. 3 Illinois (28-8) in Saturday’s first national semifinal, while Michigan (35-3) takes on fellow No. 1 seed Arizona (36-2) in the nightcap.
Ahead of tipoff, here are our March Madness best bets.
NCAAB National Championship Betting Odds
All college basketball odds used for these 2026 March Madness predictions are current as of Monday, March 30, and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
- Michigan (+170)
- Arizona (+180)
- Illinois (+400)
- UConn (+550)
Who Will Win March Madness 2026?
Michigan (+170)
With a 95-62 rout of No. 6 Tennessee in the Elite Eight, Michigan has now beaten its four NCAA Tournament opponents by an average of 23.5 points per game. The top-seeded Wolverines remain the favorite to win it all, as well, sitting at +170 odds.
Yaxel Lendeborg was the catalyst in the blowout win over Tennessee, sparking a 21-0 run with an acrobatic 3-point play that helped break the game open. He finished with 27 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks to earn Midwest Regional Most Outstanding Player honors.
With the Final Four on tap, I’m sticking with Michigan as my March Madness winner pick. Back the Maize and Blue as one of your best college basketball bets today.
NCAAB National Championship Contenders
Arizona (+180)
The trip to the Final Four is decades in the making for Arizona, which last reached this stage in 2001 when it lost the national title game to Duke.
The Wildcats had lost five straight times in the Elite Eight before finally breaking through with a 79-64 victory over No. 2 Purdue to win the West Regional.
The top-seeded Wildcats are big, star-laden, and play solid defense — factors that could put them over the top as they chase their first championship since 1997 under Lute Olson.
At +180, they’re just a smidge behind Michigan on the national championship odds board.
Illinois (+400)
Illinois has been the most proficient offensive team in the country, but it also flashed its physicality and grit against No. 9 Iowa in the Elite Eight.
The third-seeded Fighting Illini had a 38-21 rebounding edge and outscored the Hawkeyes 40-12 in the paint en route to their first Final Four trip in 21 years.
🏀 Print out your free 2026 March Madness bracket.
The freshman tandem of Keaton Wagler and David Mirkovic is unparalleled in college basketball.
NCAAB National Championship Sleeper Pick
UConn (+550)
Dan Hurley improved his record to 17-1 over the past four NCAA Tournaments with No. 2 UConn’s stunning 73-72 upset of top-seeded Duke.
These Huskies aren’t as dominant as Hurley’s last two national championship teams, but they keep finding ways to win.
- Sign up for The Game Day Newsletter to get the latest bet tips and sportsbook promos.
The evolution of center Tarris Reed Jr., who had 26 points and was named the East Regional’s Most Outstanding Player, gives the Huskies a key post presence against the other remaining heavyweights.
Past NCAAB National Championship Winners
2025: Florida
2024: UConn
2023: UConn
2022: Kansas
2021: Baylor
2020: No Tournament because of the COVID-19 Pandemic
2019: Virginia
2018: Villanova
2017: North Carolina
2016: Villanova
2015: Duke
