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It’s that time of year when the March Madness Final Four captivates the country. Regardless of how college basketball has changed with the advent of legalized wagering, NIL, and the transfer portal, fans can’t wait to delve into the field of 64.
March Madness earned its moniker due to the huge interest and “predictable unpredictability” of the NCAA tournament. Buzzer beaters and surprising results seem to rule the day.
“Madness” ensues when teams representing the entire have at it, those smaller schools out of “disenfranchised” conferences having a rare shot to play (and perhaps knock off) a behemoth.
Whether you’re a serious bettor or just a casual builder of brackets, there are so many things to consider, especially since the tourney brings together teams with no history against one another.
Questions are abounding, including…
- Lay/take the points or bet the moneyline?
- Which 2-seed is probably losing to a 15?
- Who is poised to make a deep run in the tourney?
- What about those tricky pairings of 8-9 seeds?
As the gazillions of people who’ve filled out a March Madness bracket await the teams to try to survive and advance, remember no one has ever come close to perfectly predicting the tournament in its entirety.
That doesn’t dissuade just about everyone and his uncle, whether it’s in pay-to-play or free-to-play contests.
Historians note the first NCAA tournament was back in 1939, won by the University of Oregon, with the current 68-team format (pared down to 64 teams after play-ins) beginning in 2011.
(Author’s aside…it should be noted there wasn’t much in the way of “madness” the last two seasons. Higher-seeded teams had their way throughout the tourney.)
Of course, advancing to the Final Four and winning it all are separate wagering entities indeed. While the overall favorites to win the title are listed further down this missive, current regional choices are the Duke Blue Devils (4-5 [-125]) in the East, Florida Gators (8-5 [+160]) in the South, Michigan Wolverines (-130) in the Midwest, Arizona Wildcats (-135) in the West.
NCAAM Final Four odds are fluid as the tourney progresses, but it begins with three odds-on propositions, so the thinking suggests this is going to be another tournament with form. By the way, it’s the North Carolina Tar Heels with more Final Four appearances (21) than anyone.
Here’s a bit of a primer on the culmination of NCAA basketball in the 2025-26 season…
Is March Madness the Same as the Final Four?
College basketball news defines ‘March Madness’ as the overall men’s basketball tournament, while the Final Four is just that…the last quartet of teams standing with a chance to win it all. The Final Four is held at a predetermined site each year, with Indianapolis (Lucas Oil Stadium) a fourth-time honoree this time around.
Who is Favored to Win March Madness?
Ahead of the 2026 March Madness schedule, it’s the usual suspects who are getting the bulk of the support, as in the Duke Blue Devils, favored at 13-4 (+325). The co-second choices are the Arizona Wildcats and Michigan Wolverines at 15-4 (+375), with the defending-champion Florida Gators next at 7-1 (+700), Rounding out the top five on the current board are the Houston Cougars at 10-1 (+1000). Florida whipped Houston, 79-73, in the title game last season.
Before the Gators in 2025, the last handful of men’s champions were Connecticut (2023-24), Kansas (2022), Baylor (2021), and Virginia (2019) (tourney cancelled [pandemic] in 2019).
What is March Madness?
As was mentioned, March Madness is the (usually) unpredictable NCAA men’s basketball tournament, the culmination of the college season where the national champion is crowned. It’s not always the best, however, as there might just be some squad getting hot at the right time.
The March Madness schedule began with eight teams competing in Dayton, Ohio, on March 17th and 18th to fill out the final four teams in the field. It’s two 11-seeds and two 16-seeds. The tourney then begins in earnest with opening-round games at Buffalo (NY), Greenville (SC), Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Portland, and Tampa. St. Louis and San Diego.
Any Final Thoughts?
March Madness Final Four afflicts the betting public this time each year, trying to decipher the teams advancing out of their respective regions with a shot to win the national title. It’s been a formidable proposition in recent seasons, but that certainly does not mean people won’t take shots at trying to beat the board.
Whether it’s filling out a bracket or taking a shot at tourney games themselves (or associated prop wages), there’s no shortage of opinions. Remember, “the dog ate my homework” is not a valid excuse if you’re not researching.
- Dan Shapiro, Gambling911.com
