NCAAB Final Four: Oddsmakers mixed on who the top teams will be

Purdue Boilermakers center Zach Edey (15). Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

NCAAB Final Four: Oddsmakers mixed on who the top teams will be

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated Feb 14, 2024 5:14 PM ET

Thanks to a 12-game winning streak, UConn is moving on up at sportsbooks in the latest NCAA Championship odds. But when it comes to who the Huskies could be competing against in the Final Four, oddsmakers don't exactly see eye-to-eye on who the competition will be.

Sure, Selection Sunday is still a month out, which makes the Final Four even further away. But popular oddsmakers like DraftKings and BetMGM usually already have a pretty clear idea at this point who will be left standing in the second-to-last round of March Madness. As things currently stand, however, there is still plenty of competition to be one of the betting favorites.

Here's how these two sportsbooks line up when it comes to favorites to make it to the Final Four, and which team you should be keeping the closest eye on as the tournament gets closer.

Top Dogs with a big week ahead.#Everything pic.twitter.com/heB030tSry
— UConn Men's Basketball (@UConnMBB) February 12, 2024

For starters, the Purdue Boilermakers are still in the mix as a favorite alongside UConn even though they were booted in the first round of last year's tournament. Since they are on their own eight-game winning streak, BetMGM has them listed as co-favorites at +160. DK is giving the Huskies a slight edge, instead listing them at +155.

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Houston is next in the mix and is listed at +220 at DK and +225 at BetMGM thanks to their spotless home record and clear dominance in the Big 12. The Cougars were a No.1 seed and a favorite ahead of last year's NCAA Tournament before Miami handed them a loss in the Sweet 16. Nevertheless, a solid 2024 campaign means they are the projected top seed for the Midwest Region yet again and make a deep tournament run.

Now, here's where things get interesting.

SEC rivals Auburn and Tennessee are trading off having the next shortest odds, although neither is having a particularly flashy season. BetMGM gives a slight +275 edge to the Tigers, who have made 12 tournament appearances and made it to the Final Four in 2019. DK has the Volunteers listed behind Houston at +275, even though they haven't been particularly consistent this season and have never made it to the Final Four.

Both books have the Arizona Wildcats listed at +280 odds of making the Final Four, and this is a team to watch out for with oddsmakers as the tournament draws near. The Wildcats have made the Final Four four times, although the last time was in 2001 and they haven't made it past the second round of the tournament since 2015. This year's team is 12-0 and 9-2 in non-conference play heading into the last leg of the regular season on a five-game winning streak with no ranked opponents coming up on the schedule. Is a strong final push before a deep tournament run in the works?

With the regular season wrapping up, each of these favorites deserves some recognition. Just make sure to give each a look before placing your bets, because even oddsmakers are torn on who will make the Final Four.

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