Latest 2026 March Madness Odds & Picks

The remaining three number one seeds continue to hold the top spots in the current March Madness odds. However, Michigan has broken its tie with Duke to move into pole position. The Blue Devils, on the other hand, have fallen to third despite advancing to their third consecutive Sweet 16. 

Continue reading to see the updated NCAA Tournament odds ahead of the Sweet 16. I break down the current lines and highlight my new March Madness predictions. 

Odds to Win March Madness in 2026

Lucky Rebel provided the following March Madness betting odds ahead of the Sweet 16. 

Duke has slid from co-favorites to third in the March Madness betting markets, fading from +325 to +400. Three other teams from the East, Michigan State, St. John’s, and UConn, join the Blue Devils in the top 10. 

The team with the best odds currently is the Michigan Wolverines, which are now listed at +310. Michigan cruises past #16 Howard and #9 St. Louis, beating both by 21+ points. The Wolverines’ current odds imply a win probability of 24.39%. 

Arizona, the third and final remaining number one seed, has the second-best odds at +350. #2 Houston and #2 Purdue round out the top five at 7-1 and 14-1 odds, respectively.

Lucky Rebel has updated betting lines for all 16 remaining teams in this year’s tournament. Check out our Lucky Rebel review to find out more about this respected betting site. 

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Why Is Michigan Favored?

Michigan opened March Madness as co-favorites with Duke to win it all. The Wolverines are now in sole possession of the best odds after beating #16 Howard and #9 St. Louis by 21 points and 23 points, respectively. 

In its two games so far, Michigan has racked up 196 points, the most of any team in the tournament so far. The Wolverines will need their high-scoring offense to continue in the Sweet 16. 

Michigan is set to face #4 Alabama, which led the country this season with 91.6 PPG. The Crimson Tide scored 90 in both of its NCAA Tournament matchups so far. Despite a tough opponent, though, Michigan is a 10.0-point favorite over Alabama. 

Morez Johnson Jr. has been the key to Michigan’s success this tournament. He leads the team with 36 points and 18 rebounds in two games. 

Can Arizona Win Its First Title Since 1997?

Arizona’s odds to win March Madness have shortened slightly from +375 to +350 after the first two rounds. The Wildcats have averaged 85 PPG in the tournament, far fewer than the Wolverines (98.0 PPG). 

However, Arizona’s defense has allowed just 62.0 PPG in its first two matchups. The Wildcats’ smothering defense will be tested in their Sweet 16 matchup against the Arkansas Razorbacks. Arkansas has scored 94+ points in each of its games so far, and averaged 90.2 PPG this season, the second-most in the country. 

Arizona is a laying 8.0 points against Arkansas ahead of their matchup this Thursday. The Wildcats will also likely be favored against #2 Purdue or #11 Texas if Arizona advances to the Elite Eight. 

To win the tournament, though, Arizona will most likely need to beat Michigan in the Final Four. Taking down the Wolverines will be easier said than done. 

Other Top 2026 March Madness Contenders

• Duke Blue Devils (+400)
• Houston Cougars (+700)
• Purdue Boilermakers (+1400)

Duke opened as a co-favorite at the top March Madness betting sites, but their early struggles and a challenging regional bracket have caused the Blue Devils’ odds to fade. After slipping by #16 Siena 71-65 in a game they trailed at halftime, Duke dominated TCU 81-58. As a reward for their efforts, the Blue Devils face a challenging matchup against Rick Pitino and #5 St. John’s. 

#2 Houston has the next-best odds at 7-1. With #1 Florida eliminated, the Cougars are the top remaining seed in the South. Houston’s path forward starts with #3 Illinois before taking on the winner of #9 Iowa vs. #4 Nebraska. 

The Boilermakers round out the top five at +1400 odds, and #3 Purdue faces the lowest-ranked team remaining, #11 Texas, in the Sweet 16. The Boilermakers opened the tournament with a 104-71 win, but their offense struggled in a 79-69 victory over Miami (FL). If those struggles continue, then Purdue will not get past Texas, much less #1 Arizona, to make it out of the West. 

March Madness Final Four Odds

Michigan (-150), Arizona (-145), and Duke (-110) are odds-on favorites to win their region and advance to the Final Four. Houston, the top remaining team in the South, is listed at +110 to join them. 

Illinois, which faces Houston this week, has the next-best odds at +210. Houston is a 3.5-point favorite over Illinois in their Sweet 16 matchup. The winner should be favored over either Nebraska or Iowa in the Elite Eight. 

#11 Texas is the lowest-seeded team left in March Madness. With that in mind, it is not surprising that the Longhorns have the longest odds to make the Final Four at 16-1. 

Alabama is another long shot at 10-1 odds. The Tide is getting 10 points for their upcoming game against #1 Michigan. Even if Alabama can pull off the upset, it would be the underdog in a likely Elite Eight matchup against #2 Iowa State. 

Who Are the Best Remaining March Madness Sleepers in 2026?

• UConn (+2500)
• Iowa (+10000)
• Texas (+25000)

UConn is the second seed in the East, but the Huskies are tied for the third-longest odds to win March Madness at 25-1. They face #3 Michigan State in the Sweet 16. If they win, the Huskies will face either #1 Duke or #5 St. John’s for the right to represent the East in the Final Four. 

Another sleeper to consider is #9 Iowa, which knocked off #1 Florida in their Second Round matchup. The Hawkeyes are the second-lowest remaining seed and will be underdogs in every game going forward. Iowa should not be counted out, though, and is only a 2.0-point underdog against #4 Nebraska this week. 

Speaking of dark horses, the Cinderella of this year’s tournament is undeniably Texas. The #11 Longhorns have already upset #6 BYU and #3 Gonzaga. Texas is listed at +255 odds to beat Purdue and continue its Cinderella run for another round. 

Women’s March Madness Odds

• UConn (-260)
• UCLA (+450)
• South Carolina (+650)
• Texas (+750)
• LSU (+1000)

There is still plenty of basketball left to be played, but the Women’s March Madness tournament is UConn’s to lose. The Huskies opened with a 90-52 win over #16 UTSA before rolling #9 Syracuse 98-45. In the latter, UConn led 65-12 at halftime, and Azzi Fudd finished with 34 points on the night. 

South Carolina and Texas have also been impressive. The Gamecocks won their First Round matchup by nearly 70 points, and the Longhorns blew out #5 Oregon 100-58 in the Second Round. 

#10 Virginia is the top sleeper in the women’s bracket. They have already taken down #7 Georgia and #2 Iowa. A tough matchup against #3 TCU in the sweet 16, though, could end the Cavaliers’ Cinderella run. 

March Madness 2026 Predictions

Here are my updated 2026 March Madness predictions:

• Winner: Arizona (+350)
• Best Final Four bet: Arizona (-145)
• Top sleeper: Iowa (+10000)
• Women’s winner: UConn Huskies

I picked Arizona before the tournament tipped off, and I am sticking with the Wildcats entering the Sweet 16. Arkansas has a great offense, but the Wildcats’ defense will be able to shut down Freshman Darius Acuff Jr. and secure a spot in the Elite Eight. 

Arizona is also my top pick to win a spot in the Final Four. They face the easiest path of any remaining number one seed and still offer great value at -145 odds. 

It has been a chalky tournament so far, and true sleepers are hard to find. My top dark horse remaining is #9 Iowa, which offers +10000 odds. The Hawkeyes just took down #1 Florida and should not be overlooked, regardless of their opponents going forward. 

In the Women’s tournament, I am sticking with UConn. The Huskies demolished the Syracuse Orange early, opening up a 65-12 halftime lead and cruising to the win. The competition will tighten up in the coming rounds, but UConn is the best bet to win the women’s bracket this year. 

Where to Bet on March Madness 2026

Lucky Rebel offers the best odds for the 2026 March Madness tournament. It has competitive betting lines for every team in the Men’s and Women’s NCAA Tournaments. You can also wager on exciting futures, such as which teams make the Final Four. 

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