March Madness Odds 2026: Arizona Narrowly In Front Of Duke, Michigan

We are down to the Elite Eight in the 2026 March Madness bracket, and Arizona is leading fellow No. 1 seeds Duke and in the current Championship game odds.


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


Let's take a look at the current college basketball odds.


March Madness chances


How these odds have shifted


Duke had the finest odds to win the NCAA Tournament heading into Round 1, but bettors have soured somewhat on the banged-up Blue Devils, as Duke needed to endure some close shaves to make it this far.


Arizona and Michigan have actually see-sawed for the top spot in the March Madness winner odds, depending on who has advanced even more initially.


Illinois made a huge dive 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 undefeated 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 helped them improve the narrative.


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 bulge.


It looked like its competition remained in threat against Utah State, however the Wildcats ultimately prevailed. They squashed Arkansas to reach the Elite 8, where they'll deal with Purdue.


Duke (+270 )


The Blue Devils' win over Michigan vaulted them to No. 1 in the current AP Top 25, and they have not looked back, earning an unsurprising No. 1 seed in the East Region.


Cameron Boozer is the gamer to enjoy in Durham, becoming among the most highly-touted prospects for the upcoming NBA Draft. However, basketball is a team game, and the Blue Devils were plainly missing the injured 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 battle for thirty minutes, and No. 5 St. John's took Duke to the wire in the Sweet 16.


Michigan (+290 )


Before their problem against Duke, Michigan's only stumble came 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 scored a minimum of 90 points in each game so far 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 against ranked challengers, I'm backing them to win the title with my predictions for March Madness.


With a healthy Darryn Peterson, the Kansas Jayhawks have actually looked like a title contender, and getting them at almost 4:1 to make the Final Four would be a steal if he's at complete strength by tourney time.


Sometimes, futures bets go like this. USC was 18-6 when this initial "make the competition" wager was positioned. but the Trojans went on to lose their last 8 games of the season in an epic late-year crisis.


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 leading group has major defects.


Unlike previous variations of Iowa State, this squad rebounds at a high level and has the grit to win video games when the shots aren't falling. The three hardest possible challengers on the road to the Elite Eight are Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia, and the Cyclones are ranked considerably higher than all of them.


March Madness chances gradually


March Madness betting divides


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


Highest handle percentage:.
• Arizona 14.4%.
• Michigan 14.0%.
• Florida 10.6%


Bettors have actually been banking huge all season on the Wolverines, who have the highest ticket portion and handle portion in the country.


Michigan spent all 19 weeks in the AP Top 25, beginning at No. 7 in the preseason and climbing up to No. 1 in mid-February.


March Madness 2026 schedule


March Madness selects.
Women's March Madness chances.
March Madness Final Four odds.
March Madness MVP chances.
March Madness wagering websites.
March Madness betting 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 wish for Louisville getting in the 2025-26 season, but the Cardinals have mostly underperformed to the tune of a disappointing 3-6 record versus Top 25 teams. Their inability to hang with the best programs in the nation does not bode well for their opportunities of playing in April.


Past March Madness winners


( Opening chances courtesy Sports Odds History)


March Madness patterns


• Of the 20 groups that have actually gotten in the competition with unbeaten records, only seven have gone on to win the championship game.


• Only 13 groups successfully safeguarded their national championship the following season.


• UCLA has one of the most NCAA titles of all time (11 ), although the Bruins have actually not won the competition since 1995.


• A No. 1-seeded group has actually won the national champion 59.6% of the time given that regional seeding was introduced in 1979.


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March Madness Title Odds FAQs


Arizona (+240 ), Michigan (+350 ), and Duke (+375) are the existing March Madness favorites.


The Florida Gators won March Madness in 2025, defeating Houston 65-63 in the nationwide championship.


The Duke Blue Devils are presently listed at +375 to win the natty.


Calculating March Madness odds involves evaluating the likelihood of various outcomes in the competition. Oddsmakers use different elements including group efficiency, gamer health, head-to-head matches, competition experience, coaching, location, and advanced statistics. Bookmakers utilize these aspects to set preliminary odds, and as bets are placed, chances might shift based upon the cash wagered on each side.


The only other school to win three-straight championship games is UCLA, who in fact won seven straight titles from 1967-1973.


You can find spreads for each 2026 March Madness game by visiting our Covers NCAAB Scores & Matchup page. You'll discover total wagering lines, line movement information, agreement choices and far more.


With a background playing soccer, rugby, and boxing, combined with a journalism degree, it's little surprise that Rohit gravitated towards the world of sports wagering. He concentrates on banking on UFC and college basketball, 2 sports where the eyeball test can tell you a lot more about matchups than analytics. Rohit has years of experience handicapping NFL and NBA games along with niche betting markets such as politics. He's also the resident CFL expert and previously hosted "The Chez and Ro Show" with former CFL star Davis Sanchez.