March Madness Futures, Odds: Can Anyone Stop Cooper Flagg, Blue Devils in Quest for National Championship?

There's been a notable lack of upsets that occurred during the first two rounds of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Despite the lack of Cinderella narratives, we've got a loaded Sweet Sixteen slate ahead of us that tips-off on Thursday and Friday.

Seven of the top eight seeds made it to the Sweet Sixteen, excluding St. John's, losing to 10-seed Arkansas in the Round of 32. The Big East has no representation now, after UConn won the National Championship in 2023 and 2024.

Duke is the lone representative of the ACC but they are a 1-seed and have looked dominant all season. The Big 12 still has 1-seed Houston, 3-seed Texas Tech, 4-seed Arizona, and 6-seed BYU in contention.

The Big Ten has played very well, advancing four of eight teams into the Sweet Sixteen. After a record-setting bid, the SEC still has half of its teams competing for a title. Florida and Auburn are the 1 seeds, with a surprising showing from 6-seed Ole Miss.

NCAAB handicapper Matt MacKay is here to share his favorite teams to target in the National Championship Outright Winner futures market before the Sweet 16 tips off later this week. Follow Matt's X account for more NCAAB betting insight and free picks during March Madness.

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National Championship Outright Winner - Best Bets

Duke Blue Devils (+230) Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds

I'm all in on Cooper Flagg and the Duke Blue Devils. It's a chalky play but Duke is arguably the most balanced team left in March Madness. Ranked 10th or better in offensive and defensive rating, the Blue Devils coasted by a quality Baylor defense, scoring 89 points in a rout against the Bears in the Round of 32.

Flagg's return has rejuvenated Duke's title aspirations. Florida has become the trendy pick in the March Madness futures market. Duke does get a tough matchup against Caleb Love and the Arizona Wildcats in the Sweet Sixteen, but I think they'll showcase their talent and dominate the rest of the tournament en route to a National Championship.

Houston Cougars (+550) Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds

Houston's clamp-down defense is a matchup-nightmare for any opponent. Under head coach Kelvin Sampson, the Cougars are the top defensive team remaining in March Madness, while LJ Cryer and Milos Uzan are a dynamic back-court tandem on offense.

Emanuel Sharp and J'Wan Roberts are two of the most physical players amongst Houston's starting five and can score at will, each averaging 10.9 or more points per game. Purdue's weak defense presents a quality Sweet Sixteen matchup, paving a path to face the winner of Tennessee vs. Kentucky.

At +550, Houston is a team holding a ton of value with a realistic shot at winning the National Championship. The Big 12 conference is being overshadowed by the Big Ten and SEC, however, I think the Cougars are built to go all the way.

Bet half a unit at this price for a solid payout on Houston at +550 odds.

Michigan Wolverines (+8000) Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds

Michigan is quickly gaining steam to continue stacking wins in the NCAA Tournament after their comeback win against 4-seed Texas A&M. The Wolverines' pair of seven-footers, Danny Wolf and Vladislav Goldin, are lethal in the paint, winning rebounds and finishing contested shots to keep Michigan in contention against more talented offenses.

Guard play is key for Michigan as it enters a Sweet Sixteen matchup against 1-seed Auburn. The Tigers have looked like the most vulnerable 1 seed in this tournament and there's a real possibility that the Wolverines upset Johni Broome and the rest of Auburn's roster on Friday night.

This would likely result in a familiar foe matchup in the Elite Eight against 2-seed Michigan State. The Spartans beat the Wolverines twice in the regular season but Michigan's battle-tested and scrappy enough to contend against most teams, including Michigan State in a revenge matchup.

At 80-1 odds, let's sprinkle a 0.25 unit wager on Michigan to run the tables with its bigs to secure 20 units of profit with a National Championship win under first-year head coach Dusty May.

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