2020 NCAA Men's Tournament Championship Odds



With the Big Dance just four weeks away, a look at the top teams and the odds to win the National Championship in college basketball.

A tight field and betting odds for the National Championship

It seems a little odd to be writing about the top teams in college basketball without talking about programs like Villanova and North Carolina, but the emergence of such schools as Dayton, Baylor and San Diego State into the top tier of men’s basketball programs is exciting.

NCAA March Madness oddsSan Diego State is just four wins away from a perfect regular season and among San Diego State, Baylor, Gonzaga and Kansas, the teams have just suffered five losses combined, and one came when Baylor beat Kansas on the road. This is easily the most wide-open field in years and there are three teams listed as co-favorites to cut down the nets on April 6 according to Jazz Sports.

Odds to Win the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship – Top Teams, according to jazzsports.ag *

Team(s) Odds to win Championship
Duke, Kansas, Gonzaga 8-1
Louisville 9-1
Baylor 10-1
Michigan State, Oregon, Dayton, San Diego State 15-1
Maryland 20-1


The Top Teams

Baylor top seed NCAA basketball tournamentBaylor
(#1 - AP Top 25)
The Baylor Bears (23-1) look like the real deal, as they continue to roll through Big 12 play. Their win at Kansas was a statement that they are ready to knock the Jayhawks out of the top spot, and the decline at Texas Tech since last year’s magical run leaves an opening for the Bears to take a #1 seed. On Selection Sunday, Baylor may be the top overall seed for the whole tournament. Defense that is the key for the Bears as they are the #4 in the nation in scoring defense allowing under 60 points-per-game. They beat Texas recently despite only scoring 52 points, because their defense limited Texas to just 16 points during the first half. Baylor’s tests keep coming, though, as they host West Virginia, travel to Oklahoma and then welcome Kansas (at home) in their next three games. Current odds to win the National Championship - 10-1.

Gonzaga (#2)
The Gonzaga Bulldogs (26-1) don't often get a lot of respect at March Madness time, because they spend over two months playing a procession of soft teams, since they are in the West Coast Conference. Yes, St. Mary’s (CA) is also in that conference, but the fact that Gonzaga was able to go on the road and rout the Gaels by 30 points shows that the Bulldogs really don't get a lot of competition once conference play begins. It’s hard to shift gears and start playing elite competition in the Big Dance after two months of cupcakes. Current odds - 8-1.

Kansas (#3)
The Kansas Jayhawks (22-3) got a huge monkey off their collective backs by getting a quality win, going to Morgantown and beating West Virginia. That’s a loud gym, with the seats close to the floor, and the Mountaineers swarming style of defense. Kansas went there and took care of business, leading with some defensive play chops of their own, as the Mountaineers only made about a third of their shots inside the three-point line. Kansas is #7 in team defense scoring, while blocking five shots per game. Current odds - 8-1.

San Diego State (#4)
The San Diego State Aztecs (26-0) are in a similar situation as Gonzaga, but finishing a perfect regular season would be quite the accomplishment. San  Diego State undefeated NCAA basketball oddsThey had a tough time with New Mexico back on Tuesday, as things went to the intermission almost tied. The Aztecs switched gears after the break, though, and they ended up winning in a laugher. Many pundits feel SDSU can carry their incredible run into the Big Dance. Last year the Virginia Cavaliers came into the tournament undefeated and went on to win the National Championship. Current odds - 15-1.

The odds above are subject to change and one loss can send the Top 25 and the odds board spinning. Players looking to bet on the NCAA Men's Basketball Champion can find some value prior to the conference tournaments in two weeks and should look at betting the top favorites now, as the betting odds will only get shorter in the coming weeks.


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