The chalk will be the main topic of conversation as the men’s NCAA basketball championship gets underway, but it’s the longer favorites who are making moves as opposed to the top tier of title contenders.
Duke remains the favorite to win the 2026 tournament but has lengthened to +360 from +330 on Selection Sunday, putting the Blue Devils just ahead of Michigan (+370) and Arizona (+380), who lengthened and shortened, respectively, since Sunday. Florida rounds out the 1-seeds at +750, a move from +700.
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Houston (12-1), Iowa State (18-1) and Illinois Fighting Illini (22-1) all saw their odds lengthen in the early tournament futures betting, but by far the biggest positive movers have been Purdue and UConn: The Boilermakers were 30-1 and the Huskies were 35-1 on Selection Sunday, but both squads now sit at 25-1.
Each team has received substantial support from bettors, with Purdue garnering a $100,000 wager to make the Final Four at BetMGM, making them one of the sportsbook’s largest liabilities. Caesars Sportsbook college basketball trader Patrick Berbert told ESPN that UConn also received a lot of support early in the season for the national championship.
Duke (-135), Michigan (-130) and Arizona (-125) are all odds-on to reach the national semifinals, while the South region is more wide open between Florida (+165), Houston (+250) and Illinois (+310).
MORE: Spreads, money lines and totals for every first-round matchup.
Odds by DraftKings Sportsbook, subject to change.
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