College Basketball

2024 NCAA Tournament odds: Five teams to bet on now to win March Madness

Updated Mar. 19, 2024 11:43 a.m. ET

Co-Host of THE HERD and FOX Sports Betting Analyst

College basketball's March Madness is finally here!

While you fiddle with your brackets until Thursday’s tournament tip off, I’m here to help you get a jump start on how to handicap the NCAA Tournament, with a quick breakdown of five teams that are worth grabbing now in the futures market.

I wanted to dive into some undervalued teams. However, outside UConn and Houston, no school has really distinguished itself from the rest of the pack. And after the Cougars' putrid showing in the Big 12 Championship Game, it’s questionable if they deserve to be in the same category as the Huskies.

The gap between the great teams and the middle has decreased.

We know the masses gravitate toward No. 1 seeds. Understandably so, as six of the last eight champions were No. 1 seeds (Villanova was a No. 2 in 2016, UConn was a No. 4 in 2023).

But this is the year to take some chances because outside of Connecticut, it looks like anyone's game.

A few of the teams below aren’t sexy, but they are worth a sprinkle on to win it all. So, let's jump into the five teams to bet on now to win March Madness (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook).

UConn: +400 (bet $10 to win $50 total)

After the carnage of Championship week, the best team left standing is the defending champion Huskies.

They’re the favorites to win it all, for whatever that’s worth.

The draw is favorable, but they do have the SEC champ (Auburn), the Big Ten champ (Illinois) and the Big 12 champ (Iowa State) in their region.

Also, a potential rematch of last season's title game is looming in the Sweet 16, with San Diego State as the 5-seed.

But it’s tough to see UConn losing before the Final Four unless you love Bruce Pearl as a coach.

Houston: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)

Kelvin Sampson has done a fantastic job getting here after last year’s brutal Sweet 16 loss to Miami.

The Cougars won’t roll in the Round of 32, and perhaps Duke looms in the Sweet 16.

That said, Houston probably has some value, thanks to the Iowa State loss Saturday.

Put aside your recency bias, the Cougars are better than their effort last weekend.

North Carolina +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)

Using the ‘ol 20/20 rule — top 20 in both KenPom's offensive and defensive efficiency rankings — the Tar Heels fall just outside, ranking sixth in defense, but 24th in offense.

They check all the boxes with a volcanic guard (RJ Davis) and a veteran big man (24-year-old Armando Bacot) — but I’ve got questions after that dynamic duo.

I do like the price for the Tar Heels here, so they will be part of my portfolio.

Tennessee +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)

I love the Volunteers' backcourt, and transfer Dalton Knecht could dominate this tournament and bolster his NBA Draft stock in the process.

A late collapse against FAU last year has been forgotten by all ... except for the Vols players.

'Those guys have stepped forward' – Shaka Smart on Marquette's success without Tyler Kolek, seeking Big East Championship

Marquette +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)

This is a long shot because we don't know how healthy PG Tyler Kolek is or what kind of shape he’ll be in.

However, the Golden Eagles finished the season ranked 21st in offense and 19th in defense on KenPom's rankings, and let’s remember that three of their nine losses came at the hands of Connecticut.

They are worth a sprinkle at this number.

Jason McIntyre is the co-host of The Herd and a FOX Sports gambling analyst, and he also writes about the NFL and NBA Draft. He joined FS1 in 2016 and has appeared on every show on the network. In 2017, McIntyre began producing gambling content on the NFL, college football and NBA for FOX Sports. He had a gambling podcast for FOX, "Coming Up Winners," in 2018 and 2019. Before arriving at FOX, he created the website The Big Lead, which he sold in 2010. You can find him on Twitter @JasonRMcIntyre.

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