The betting landscape of the NCAA Tournament has heavily favored those backing the favorites, as evidenced by recent results. In the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight, all 12 games were won by the favored teams, continuing a trend from earlier rounds where favorites won 36 of 48 games. This has led to successful outcomes for bettors placing money-line parlays on favorites.
Despite hopes for upsets, sportsbooks did not witness any major surprises, a fact highlighted by the advancement of all four No. 1 seeds to the Final Four for only the second time since the tournament’s expansion in 1985. The lack of significant upsets has left sportsbooks waiting for next year for potential Cinderella stories.
In the upcoming Final Four matchups, Duke is a 4½-point favorite against Houston, and Florida is favored by 2½ points over Auburn. While the favorites are expected to win, the potential for underdog victories remains, as both Houston and Auburn are capable of strong performances.
Against the spread, favorites have performed well, going 33-27 in the tournament. In the Elite Eight, Duke, Houston, and Auburn all covered their respective spreads. However, the tournament has seen its share of dramatic finishes and close calls, such as Florida’s comeback against Texas Tech and Ole Miss’s last-second cover against Michigan State.
The overall performance of unders has been notable, with a 34-25-1 record in the tournament. This trend continued over the weekend, contributing to some favorable outcomes for bettors.
As the tournament approaches its climax, Duke is positioned as the favorite to win the championship, followed by Florida, Houston, and Auburn according to odds at Circa Sports. Meanwhile, interest in Station Casinos’ Last Man Standing contest persists, with only five entries remaining from the original 3,147.