Kansas Atop NCAA Tournament Betting Lines

After they were named the top seed in the NCAA Tournament it should come as no surprise that the Kansas Jayhawks are the favorites to come out on top in March Madness at online sportsbook Bovada.

The Jayhawks are atop the March Madness futures at Bovada at +500 to win it all. Since they’re the title favorite Kansas is obviously the favorite to win the South region of the bracket. On the futures the Jayhawks are +150 to win the South, followed by the Villanova Wildcats at +300 and the Miami Hurricanes at +750.

If you’re betting on the Jayhawks in their tournament opener you may want to beware as they were a No. 1 in 2010, 2011 and 2013 and failed to cover each time

In the East region the Bovada oddsmakers agree with the selection committee after posting the No. 1 seed North Carolina Tar Heels as a +200 favorite. The Xavier Musketeers may be the No. 2 seed, but they’re fourth on the odds list at +600. Getting picked ahead of Xavier are the West Virginia Mountaineers at +400 and the Kentucky Wildcats at +500

Where it really gets interesting is in the West and Midwest regions.

In the West the Oregon Ducks are the No. 1 seed, but the Bovada favorites are the No. 2 seed Oklahoma Sooners are +225. The Ducks are right behind at +325, while Duke, who are the No. 4 seed, comes next at +450.

The Midwest favorites are the No. 2 seed, the Michigan State Spartans, at +175. The Virginia Cavaliers were selected as the No. 1 seed, but at Bovada they’re +250. The No. 3 seed Utah Utes aren’t getting much respect at +900; that puts them behind the Purdue Boilersmakers at +600 and the Iowa State Cyclones at +750.

Turning back to the tournament futures you would expect another No. 1 seed to come after the favored Jayhawks. That’s not how they see it at Bovada. Following the Jayhawks on top at +500 is Michigan State at +550. Another No. 1 seed shows up next with North Carolina at +700, but the No. 4 seed from the East, Kentucky, checks in next at +1000.

The rest of the No. 1 seeds are Virginia at +1200 and Oregon at +1400. If you think Duke is headed for a tournament repeat they can be had at +2500 odds.