A new college basketball season is right around the corner, and the race to cut down the March Madness nets in 2027 is already taking shape.
Michigan enters the year as the defending national champion after knocking off UConn in last season’s title game, but the Wolverines have plenty of competition as they look to go back-to-back.
Florida and Duke headline a loaded group of contenders entering the 2026-27 campaign, so let’s break down the latest college basketball odds below.
March Madness odds
| Player |  |
|---|---|
 Aaron Judge |
74% |
| Cam Schlittler |
74% |
 Jackson Chourio |
74% |
| Jacob Misiorowski |
74% |
 Yandy Diaz |
19% |
 Parker Messick |
19% |
Odds last updated on 10-7.
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New 76-Team Format
More Teams and More Games in 2027!
— NCAA (@NCAA) May 7, 2026
The #MarchMadness Expansion explained. @MarchMadnessMBB x @MarchMadnessWBB pic.twitter.com/gQavENSiN2
Starting next year, March Madness expansion will see the field expand from 68 to 76 teams for both the men's and women's tournaments.
The First Four is gone and set to be replaced by a 12-game “Opening Round” featuring 24 programs (12 lowest automatic qualifiers and 12 lowest-seeded at-large teams). The winners from those games will advance to the Round of 64, which will remain unchanged.
Automatic bids drop from 56 to 52, meaning four fewer teams get in right off the bat. Meanwhile, at‑large bids increase from 37 to 45, giving eight more bubble teams a path in.
March Madness favorites
Florida Gators
The Florida Gators fell in Round 2 of this year's tournament but sit atop several offseason rankings with a team returning a ton of top talent.
Notably, Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon both announced back in April that they would be returning for their senior seasons. That makes this team a national threat once again.
Duke Blue Devils
The Duke Blue Devils are expected to lose reigning Naismith College Player of the Year Award winner Cameron Boozer to the NBA Draft, but coach Jon Scheyer knows how to retool.
Duke already has commitments from three of the Top-15 incoming freshmen, including No. 3 Cameron Williams.
March Madness odds over time
Take a look back at Michigan's path to glory during the 2025-26 season.
Popular March Madness markets
- March Madness picks
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2027 March Madness opening odds
- Duke +750
- Michigan +1000
- Florida +1200
- Arizona +1400
- Michigan State +1400
- UConn +1600
- Houston +1600
- Kansas +1600
- Arkansas +1800
- Illinois +2000
- Texas Tech +2000
- North Carolina +2200
- Alabama +3000
- BYU +3500
- Gonzaga +3500
- Iowa State +3500
- Kentucky +3500
- St. John's +3500
- Purdue +4000
- Missouri +5000
- TCU +5000
- Tennessee +5000
- Vanderbilt +5000
- Virginia +5000
- Iowa +6000
Past March Madness winners
(Opening odds courtesy Sports Odds History)
| Year | Champion | Opening odds | Runner-Up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 |  Michigan |
+2500 |  Connecticut |
| 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.
Embrace the madness
Visit our best March Madness betting sites today to wager on this year's men's basketball tournament. You're very own "One Shining Moment" opportunity awaits!
March Madness Title Odds FAQs
Florida and Michigan are currently favored in the National Championship odds.
The Michigan Wolverines won March Madness in 2026 over the UConn Huskies.
The Duke Blue Devils are +700 to win the 2027 National Championship Game.
Calculating March Madness odds involves assessing the probability of different outcomes in the tournament. Oddsmakers use various factors including team performance, player health, head-to-head matchups, tournament experience, coaching, venue, and advanced statistics. Bookmakers use these factors to set initial odds, and as bets are placed, odds may shift based on the money wagered on each side.
The only other school to win three-straight national championships is UCLA, who actually won seven straight titles from 1967-1973.
You can find spreads for every 2026 March Madness game by visiting our Covers NCAAB Scores & Matchup page. You'll find complete betting lines, line movement data, consensus picks and much more.
