The 2025 men’s NCAA Tournament tipped off Tuesday and Wednesday with the First Four play-in games. March Madness really begins with the college basketball field of 64 playing 32 games on Thurday and Friday. How to bet on March Madness and the biggest watch and wager event of the year is most popular with fans building basketball brackets and entering contest pools driving additional engagement, excitement and interest in the event.
But betting on the games and making futures bets on teams to win the East and West region or South and Midwest region offers more ways to win beyond betting on a national champion.
March Madness Odds, Mathups And First Round Line Moves
FanDuel Sportsbook provides college basketball betting odds for the most watched and wagered college basketball games. Odds and futures refresh periodically and are subject to change, including on props and live betting. Bet types, odds and betting terms along with upcoming games and odds will be updated as provided by FanDuel and leading online sportsbooks. Betting favorites (-) listed.
When the NCAA Committee released the field of 68 on the CBS Sunday Selection Show, the top online sportsbooks released the matchups and odds withing an hour. Some of the biggest and best sportsbooks in Las Vegas often set the market like Circa, Southpoint and SuperBook. Those off The Strip properties have regular customers that bet heavier into the opening numbers. So do the Wynn, Caesars or BetMGM sportsbooks that dominate the Las Vegas Strip properties.
FanDuel Sportsbook has taken more bets and money to win the NCAA Tournament on Duke plus Florida and Auburn from the record-setting SEC. Following those teams as popular national championship bets are Connecticut, Kentucky, Kansas, Tennessee and Michigan State. Fans in New York are also driving interest in Big East champion St. John’s.
FanDuel has also taken more bets and money on three First Round underdogs: Montana (+17.5), SIU Edwardsville (+28.5), UNC Wilmington (+15.5).
Opening round matchups notable line moves:
The games and matchups below have seen at least a 2-point move on the spreads from opening lines Sunday to Wednesday afternoon. Those moves and spread adjustments also affect the moneylines, and I’ve included any notable adjustments in the game totals and over/under betting market. The current spreads are from FanDuel Sportsbook.
Thursday, March 20
- No. 3 Wisconsin -23 to -17.5 vs. No. 14 Montana
- No. 2 St. John’s -21 to -18.5 vs. No. 15 Omaha
- No. 4 Texas A&M -11 to -7.5 vs. No. 13 Yale (total 141.5 to 139.5)
Friday, March 21
- No. 3 Iowa State -17 to -14.5 vs. No. 14 Lipscomb
- No. 3 Kentucky -15 to -11.5 vs. No. 14 Troy
- No. 4 Arizona -16 to -14.5 vs. Akron
The sharp got the opening Tuesday night game correct betting St. Francis (+6) to a closed line of +2.5 in their 2-point loss to Alabama State.
One favorite to take more money is the 2-time defending national champions No. 8 seed Connecticut Huskies, who opened -2.5 and are now -5.5. vs. No. 9 Oklahoma.
The tighest line in the 5/12 matchups is Michigan (-2.5) vs. UC San Diego with the line dropping from -3.5 and the total up 140.5 to 142.5 for the Thursday game. Also, No. 12 seed Colorado State (-1.5) is favored over No. 5 Memphis on Friday. The 5/12 Clemson vs. McNeese has seed the total drop from 136.5 to 133.5.
Additional games of interest include No. 6 BYU (-2.5) vs. VCU with the line dropping from -3.5 and total 143.5 to 145.5.
The two games with the highest totals are No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 15 Robert Morris at 166.5 and No. 4 Arizona vs. No. 13 Akron also with a total of 166.5.
The Southpoint sportsbook director in Las Vegas said the “action was fast and furious, and 99% from sharps and pro bettors,” as the opening lines were released for Thursday and Friday NCAA Tournament games.
In total, sharp bets caused lines to move by 2½ points or more on nine games with the biggest adjustment on Wisconsin from -23 to -16 vs. Montana.
“Montana was the biggest mover, by far,” Andrews said. “We opened 23. They took 23, 22, 21, 20, 19 and 17½, so I’m at 16. A 7-point move.”
The spread on Wisconsin has settled at -17.5 at FanDuel and BetMGM, and -16.5 at DraftKings and Caesars.
It’s time for the full court press as 32 college basketball games tip-off Thursday and Friday followed by the Round of 32 games to determine next week’s Sweet 16 teams.
Some sleeper picks to target according to FanDuel Research includes Gonzaga, BYU, Kansas, North Carolina and Maryland.
It’s time for the full court press as 32 college basketball games tip-off Thursday and Friday followed by the Round of 32 games to determine next week’s Sweet 16 teams. FanDuel and leading online sportsbooks will post odds for the Round of 32 matchups as the games are completed and additional NCAA Tournament picks and props posted offering more ways to win.
You can bet on it.
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