With the college basketball season tipping off on Friday, November 10, it’s time to discuss the top favourites for the NCAA Basketball Championship 2018 odds.
Duke Blue Devils: +400
The Duke Blue Devils, perennial contenders in the men’s college basketball world, are once again expected to thrive this season when it comes to college basketball futures. They are the current favourites to win the national championship with +400 odds.
Senior Grayson Allen and a group of supremely talented freshmen will hope to lead the Blue Devils to ultimate team success come March Madness time. Allen, perhaps better known for his tripping incidents than basketball skill to casual fans, is nonetheless ranked as the sixth-best player in college basketball by ESPN. Having a bit of a down season by his own standards last year, he will be striving to approach the 21.6 points per game mark he set in the 2015-16 season.
Duke’s impressive freshman class will be led by standouts Marvin Bagley III and Wendell Carter Jr. The 2018 NBA Draft is expected to feature a staggering five first round Duke selections: four freshmen and senior Grayson Allen. Other coaches will certainly be jealous of Coach K’s options this season.
Michigan State Spartans: +600
The definition of consistency, Tom Izzo’s Spartans squad has made the NCAA tournament for 20 straight seasons, including seven Final Four appearances and a national title. This year is expected to be no different as the Spartans’ 2018 NCAA Basketball Championship odds are set at +600.
Freshman Jaren Jackson Jr and sophomore Miles Bridges, both top 10 projections in next year’s NBA draft, are expected to shine this season at Michigan State. If you believe this is the Spartans’ year, they might be worth a bet consideration.
Kentucky Wildcats: +750
Not to be outdone by Duke, Kentucky has their own army of elite freshmen joining their forces. The Wildcats are expected to play seven sought-after prospects, five of which are projected to be one-and-done players and opt for the professional ranks after this season.
Kentucky has topped the SEC conference for three straight seasons, winning both the regular season as well as the conference tournament during that timespan. John Calipari’s squad is always in the mix nationally, having made three Elite Eight appearances in the last four seasons. Kentucky is a force to be reckoned with and their NCAA basketball odds are set at +750 when it comes to national title speculation.
*Odds as of November 7, 2017