College Basketball Betting

College Basketball Vegas Odds

Top Teams and Rankings

Kansas, Purdue, Duke, UConn, and Houston lead many preseason rankings. Kansas has strengthened its roster with key players, including returnees like Hunter Dickinson, who’s expected to be a top defensive anchor. Duke’s roster, packed with talent such as freshman standout Cooper Flagg, is also predicted to challenge top teams, though their success will depend on point guard stability.

Purdue’s returnees make it one of the season’s most consistent teams, particularly after their impressive 34-win season last year. Other strong contenders include Alabama and Connecticut, both fielding deep, balanced teams that should perform well through March​.

Notable Player Movements

The transfer portal has once again reshaped team rosters. Indiana’s roster, for instance, now includes key transfers like Oumar Ballo, which may elevate them to contend for the Big Ten title. Meanwhile, Duke’s new recruiting class, featuring Flagg and other top-50 talents, adds dynamic talent to the ACC. Kadary Richmond, now at St. John’s under coach Rick Pitino, will be one to watch as he helps the team pursue its first tournament win in over two decades.

Rick Pitino at St. John’s is one of the most notable coaching changes, with high expectations to turn around the program’s fortunes in the Big East. Elsewhere, Dan Hurley’s leadership at UConn remains a major talking point, especially as he aims to replicate the Huskies’ championship success. Many analysts expect Hurley’s high-energy approach to benefit a roster reloaded with talent.

Conference Realignments

With ongoing shifts across conferences, the landscape is particularly fluid this season. New alignments and additional conference matchups may impact team standings, particularly in mid-major leagues where certain teams will now face tougher competition regularly. For bettors, keeping an eye on the impact of these realignments will be key to understanding shifts in team performance through the season.

Season Outlook

Given the level of experience and talent in the NCAA this year, many experts predict a competitive season. Teams relying on upperclassmen, like Purdue, are projected to fare well, although talent-heavy programs like Duke may also surprise. As the tournament approaches, seasoned teams that avoid injuries and adapt well to conference play are likely to dominate, making consistency a crucial factor for predicting outcomes

NCAA DI Winner Betting

Interested in betting on the winner of the NCAA championship, or March Madness? Visit the College Basketball futures page for odds for each college team in every division.

Popular College Basketball Bets

Unsure of how college basketball bets work? This guide gives you the lowdown on popular wagering options.

College Basketball: Moneyline Bets

This wagering option lets you bet on which college basketball team will win a specific matchup. If the team has a negative number next to it (e.g.,-150), it’s the favorite. This figure shows you how many dollars you have to bet to get a winning return of $100 from your sportsbook.

If it has a positive number (e.g., +150), it’s the underdog. The positive figure shows you the amount of a winning return when placing a $100 bet. Both teams can have negative odds if it’s a very close matchup. In this case, the higher negative number shows which team Vegas odds-makers think is most likely to win.

NCAAM Point Spread Odds Betting

When wagering on the point spread (also known as the equalizer), the underdog “gets” points added to their final score, and the favorite “gives” points away – this number margin is the spread. A positive (+) number shows the points given to the underdog; a negative number (-) tells you the points cut from the favorite.

For example, using a spread of the Michigan Wildcats +7 and the Houston Cougars -7, you could still enjoy a return if you back the Wildcats and they lose by six points or less. But if they lose by seven or more points, you will lose.

Yet if you decide to wager on Houston to cover the spread, the Cougars need to win by eight points or more to give you a return.

NCAA: Game Totals Betting

Game totals bets let you place action on the total points of an NCAA basketball matchup combined. You can wager on whether the points total will be under or over the number offered by your betting provider.

What Are NCAA Future Bets?

NCAAB futures are wagering options that let you bet on player achievements and other events decided in the future – such as who will win the Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year or which team will win March Madness.