After opening at No. 7 in the preseason AP Top 25, Michigan has surged to a 11–0 start, winning eight straight games by double digits and emerging as the favorite in the latest March Madness and college basketball odds.
As the regular season heats up, here’s an updated look at the National Championship odds heading into the new year.
March Madness odds
| Team |  |
|---|---|
 Michigan Wolverines |
<<+450>> |
 Arizona Wildcats |
<<+900>> |
 UConn Huskies |
<<+1000>> |
 Duke Blue Devils |
<<+1000>> |
 Iowa State Cyclones |
<<+1100>> |
 Gonzaga Bulldogs |
<<+1200>> |
 Purdue Boilermakers |
<<+1200>> |
 Houston Cougars |
<<+1400>> |
 Louisville Cardinals |
<<+2200>> |
 Florida Gators |
<<+2200>> |
Odds as of 12-22-2025.
March Madness betting splits
Highest ticket percentage:
• Michigan 11.7%
• Duke 9.3%
• Purdue 8.7%
Highest handle percentage:
• Michigan 15.1%
• Purdue 10.3%
• UConn 8.9%
All data courtesy of BetMGM.
March Madness 2026 schedule
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Selection Sunday | March 15 |
| First Four | March 17-18 |
| First Round | March 19-20 |
| Second Round | March 21-22 |
| Sweet 16 | March 26-27 |
| Elite Eight | March 28-29 |
| Final Four | April 4 |
| National Championship Game | April 6 |
Popular March Madness markets
- Women’s March Madness odds
- March Madness Final Four odds
- March Madness MVP odds
- March Madness betting sites
Past March Madness winners
| Year | Champion | Opening odds | Runner-Up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Florida | +8000 | Houston |
| 2024 | Connecticut | +1100 | Purdue |
| 2023 | Connecticut | +1600 | San Diego State |
| 2022 | Kansas | +2000 | North Carolina |
| 2021 | Baylor | +800 | Gonzaga |
| 2020 | No tournament (COVID-19) | N/A | N/A |
| 2019 | Virginia | +1800 | Texas Tech |
| 2018 | Villanova | +1200 | Michigan |
| 2017 | North Carolina | +2400 | Gonzaga |
| 2016 | Villanova | +2000 | North Carolina |
| 2015 | Duke | +1000 | Wisconsin |
March Madness trends
• Of the 20 teams that have entered the tournament with undefeated records, only seven have gone on to win the national championship.
• Only 13 teams successfully defended their national championship the following season.
• UCLA has the most NCAA titles of all time (11), although the Bruins have not won the tournament since 1995.
• A No. 1-seeded team has won the national championship 59.6% of the time since regional seeding was introduced in 1979.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
