March Madness 2025 Schedule and Key Dates
- Selection Sunday: March 16, 2025
- First Four Games: March 18-19, 2025 (Dayton, Ohio)
- First & Second Rounds: March 20-23, 2025 (Various locations)
- Sweet 16 & Elite Eight: March 27-30, 2025
- Final Four & National Championship: April 5 & 7, 2025 (Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas)
March Madness 2025 Contenders and Betting Favorites
Looking for March Madness winner predictions? These are the top teams to watch:
Duke Blue Devils – Title Favorites. With Cooper Flagg leading the way, Duke combines elite offense and defense, making them a top pick for 2025 March Madness betting.
Alabama Crimson Tide – High-Scoring Threat. Alabama’s fast-paced offense and sharpshooters make them a strong March Madness betting pick for high-scoring games.
Auburn Tigers – Dark Horse Candidate. Led by Johni Broome, Auburn has the depth and defense to pull off an upset in the March Madness odds.
Houston Cougars – Defensive Powerhouse. Houston’s strong defense and efficient shooting make them a smart betting pick for close games and upsets.
Florida Gators – Elite Guard Play. Florida’s experience in tournament play and balanced squad make them a value pick for March Madness futures.
Last year, we saw the number one and two seeds dropped as early as the Sweet 16, while UConn went on to win it coming as the 13th overall seed in the Big East.
The number one overall seed this season is the Kansas Jayhawks, with Duke, Purdue, and Michigan State right behind. However, the latest odds put the UConn Huskies as the top favourites. Right behind them are the Kansas Jayhawks, and Duke Blue Devils.
After, when looking at the odds Kentucky, Arizona, Houston, Purdue, Marquette, Creighton, and Alabama, in that order. Of course, we can’t ignore Miami, Tennessee, Michigan State, Texas, Baylor, St. John’s, Gonzaga and Arkansas with slightly lower odds.
NCAAB Player Stats
Zach Edey is currently leading at 24.4 PTS with Purdue Boilermakers as a center which has been a trend in the NBA as well with Nikola Jokic as one of the best players. The only player with 24 PTS and above besides Zach is Tommy Bruner from the Denver Pioneers.
| Player | Team | PTS |
| Zach Edey | Purdue Boilermakers | 24.4 |
| Tommy Bruner | Denver Pioneers | 24.0 |
| Terrence Shannon Jr. | Illinois Fighting Illini | 23.0 |
| Tyler Thomas | Hofstra Pride | 22.5 |
| Xavier Johnson | Southern Illinois Salukis | 22.2 |
Zach is also on the list of defensive leaders with 11.7 rebounds standing at 3rd spot while Enrique Freeman from Akron Zips stands at 12.9 rebounds per game.
| Player | Team | REB |
| Enrique Freeman | Akron Zips | 12.9 |
| Vonterius Woolbright | Western Carolina Catamounts | 12.0 |
| Zach Edey | Purdue Boilermakers | 11.7 |
| Frank Mitchell | Canisius Golden Griffins | 11.6 |
| DJ Burns | Youngstown State Penguins | 11.0 |
Elijah Hawkins is a guard from the Minnesota Golden Gophers leading the assist table with 7.7 per game.
| Player | Team | AST |
| Elijah Hawkins | Minnesota Golden Gophers | 7.7 |
| Tyler Kolek | Marquette Golden Eagles | 7.6 |
| Savion Lewis | Quinnipiac Bobcats | 7.4 |
| Braden Smith | Purdue Boilermakers | 7.3 |
| Symir Torrence | Binghamton Bearcats | 7.2 |
Breaking Down the College Basketball (NCAAB) Season Structure
The college basketball season is a well-organized carousel of events that shapes the betting landscape:
- Regular Season: Starting in November, teams face off in a mix of conference and non-conference games. Bettors watch these matchups closely to gauge team performance and spot potential dark horses.
- Conference Play: As the season progresses into January, the intensity ramps up with conference games. Here, familiarity breeds nail-biters and upsets, as teams battle rivals they know all too well.
- Conference Tournaments: Come March, before the big dance, conferences hold their own mini-tournaments. Winners often secure automatic bids to March Madness. These tournaments are rife with high-stakes drama that can make or break a bettor’s strategy.
- March Madness: The pinnacle of NCAAB betting is this 68-team elimination tournament. Its unpredictable nature makes it both a bettor’s dream and nightmare, where underdogs often shine and brackets bust.
Each phase offers different dynamics for bettors:
- Early-season games might show more variance as teams find their rhythm.
- Conference play provides consistency in data for informed bets.
- Conference tournaments offer insights into which teams peak at the right time.
Why is March Madness so Popular?
When you have 68 college teams competing for the title in a single elimination format, there can be a lot of drama on the field. The NCAA Division one has a lot of talent and it’s one of the most competitive basketball leagues in the world besides the NBA. Only one team can take the national championship title and there isn’t a clear favourite even if the Houston Cougars have a very strong team and will host the finals.
We won’t know all the teams that qualified automatically until March 11, but some of them like the West Conference have their champion which is Gonzaga University. When the NCAA bracket is out, the hype will continue to rise even if the tournament will start two days later. The title games can determine the players’ future, so you can expect a tough play style from most of the team.
Top Events in College Basketball Betting
College basketball betting hits its peak during certain marquee events that draw massive attention from fans and bettors alike. These pinnacle moments in the NCAAB calendar not only provide thrilling action on the court but also offer unique opportunities for placing bets. Here are the most significant events:
- March Madness: Easily the highlight of the college basketball season, March Madness is where 68 teams compete in a single-elimination tournament to crown a national champion. The unpredictability and high stakes of each game make it an exhilarating event for bettors, who often find value in underdog stories and potential bracket busters.
- The Final Four: As March Madness winds down to its last four teams, the intensity ratchets up even further. The Final Four is not just about picking winners but understanding how the pressure and stage can influence team performance – crucial insights for informed betting.
- Conference Championships: Leading up to March Madness, these games determine automatic qualifiers for the big tournament. Bettors track these closely as they can signal which teams might be peaking at just the right time.
- Season Openers: These early games are critical for setting expectations. While there’s less data available on new rosters, sharp bettors can sometimes spot undervalued teams before sportsbooks adjust their lines.
- Rivalry Games: Packed with emotion and pride, rivalry games often defy rankings and records. They have a history of producing upsets or unexpectedly dominant performances – key scenarios for opportunistic bets.
Each event impacts betting strategies differently:
- During March Madness, diversifying bets across several underdogs could turn profitable due to frequent upsets.
- In Final Four matchups, one might scrutinize player matchups more than ever – individual heroics often sway these high-tension affairs.
- Conference championship outcomes may affect seeding predictions for March Madness – influencing future bets on eventual champions.
College Basketball Past Champions
Though their last NCAAB championship was in 1995, UCLA holds the record for most championship wins, totalling 11 and winning a staggering ten titles between 1964 and 1975 when coached by the legendary John Wooden.
Fifteen teams have won multiple NCAAB championships in college basketball games, including Kentucky with eight, North Carolina with six, Duke and Indiana each with five, Connecticut with four and Kansas and Villanova with three.
In 2019, Virginia won their first NCAAB championship, defeating Texas Tech in the final following overtime. Due to the Covid pandemic there was no NCAAB tournament and championship game held in 2020.
| Year | Winners | Runners Up |
|---|
| 2023 | Uconn | San Diego St |
| 2022 | Kansas 72 | North Carolina 69 |
| 2021 | Baylor Bears 86 | Gonzaga Bulldogs 70 |
| 2020 | No tournament held | |
| 2019 | Virginia Cavaliers 85 | Texas Tech Red Raiders 77 |
| 2018 | Villanova Wildcats 79 | Michigan Wolverines 62 |
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