NCAA Betting Odds for March Madness 2026

Who is the favorite to win March Madness?

Duke are the favourites to win the NCAA National Championship. Most of the best Canadian betting sites give them around +320 odds to win the title, but odds vary between sportsbooks. For example, Sports Interaction gives the Blue Devils +320 odds while has them at +325. 

You need to keep in mind that NCAA basketball odds change every day. This is why it’s so important you track the odds and understand them. An injury to a major player like Cameron Boozer could see Duke’s odds drop. If one of the other contenders like Michigan or Florida starts the NCAA Tournament strong, they could become the new favourites. 

Hype is also always a big factor on NCAA betting odds. The tournament is where careers are made. If an underdog catches fire, you should expect their odds to change. 

Finally, the tournament draw can have a massive impact on NCAA National Championship favourites. A top team like Duke could become an outsider if their draw pits them against another favourite. On the other hand, if a favourite gets knocked out early, every other top team on their side of the bracket will become attractive options for college basketball bettors. 

_{Odds last checked: 17th March 2026}

Popular Bet Types 

Who will win the tournament is just one of many markets available at March Madness betting sites in Canada. Here are some of the other main markets you will see at most top sportsbooks.  

Moneyline

A moneyline bet is a simple wager on who will win a game. It doesn’t matter how many points the team wins by or what the total score is. As long as you pick the correct winner, you will win your bet. Because moneyline bets are so simple, they are usually the most popular NCAA March Madness bets. 

Points Spread

Betting on the points spread (a.k.a., against the spread) is wagering on the margin of victory. Sportsbooks set a spread based on the quality of the two teams. You then wager on whether the favourite will win by more than the spread or if the underdog will lose by less than it. For example, if the spread is -6.5 points, the underdog needs to win or lose by six points or fewer. The favourite would have to win by at least seven points. 

Total (Over/Under)

A totals bet is a wager on the total number of combined points scored by both teams. They are often called over/under bets because you bet on whether the total will be over or under the line set by the sportsbook. 

MVP odds

While the NCAA basketball tournament doesn’t have a traditional MVP award, you can bet on who will be the Most Outstanding Player (MOP). This market is one of the most popular every year, with players like Kemba Walker and Anthony Davis having won it in the recent past. 

Props

Prop bets are wagers on outcomes not directly related to the outcome of the game. For example, you could bet on whether Cameron Boozer will score more than 20 points in a game. That would be a player prop. Team props, on the other hand, relate to overall team performance, like whether a team will make more than a certain amount of three-pointers. 

History and Trends 

The NCAA March Madness tournament is one of the most exciting events in sports because anything can happen. That said, it’s still worth looking back in history to see trends and possible patterns that you can exploit for your college basketball bets. 

One of the biggest trends that all fans know is that the favourite rarely wins. As we’ll show below, the preseason favourite has failed to win any of the last 10 NCAA men’s national tournament championships. Kansas in 2022 are the only winners who ranked in the top five according to NCAA basketball odds. Florida, last year’s winner, entered the season as 22nd favourites. 

This trend isn’t a hard and fast rule - nothing is when you bet on college basketball— but it’s worth keeping in mind before you bet on the 2026 March Madness tournament. The 2025-26 preseason NCAA betting odds had Duke as third favorite with +1400 odds. Florida (+1600) and Michigan (+2000), meanwhile, ranked sixth and seventh. 

Previous Winners

To give you a better idea of which kind of teams have won March Madness over the last 10 seasons, here is a full list of winning teams, their preseason odds, and their odds ahead of the national championship game. 

Wins and Appearances 

37 different universities have won the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, but only a few teams have really dominated the competition. UCLA has won March Madness more than anyone, with 11 titles. 

The Bruins haven’t made it to the national championship game since 2006, but their record is sure to last a few more years. Kentucky, which has the second most national championships, only has eight tournament wins. However, the Wildcats have appeared in the most tournaments all-time. 

Kentucky has played in 62 March Madness tournaments, eight more than second-placed North Carolina (54) and 10 more than third-ranked Kansas (52). UCLA has only played in the Big Dance 51 times.  

How and Where to Bet on the NCAA

How to Bet on March Madness

Betting on the NCAA is legal in Canada and very easy to do. If you’re not sure where to start, here is step-by-step guide that you can follow for your bets:

1. Choose a Bookmaker: Before you can bet on March Madness, you need to pick a sportsbook. We recommend bet365, Sports Interaction, and other top sports betting sites, but the best for you is a personal decision. Read sportsbook reviews and pick the site that best meets your needs. 
2. Sign Up: Once you’ve chosen a sportsbook, go to its website and select Sign Up or Join to create your account. Fill out the registration form with your personal information and make sure to opt in to bonus offers (if necessary). 
3. Deposit Funds: If you’re not automatically prompted to make a deposit, find the sportsbook cashier page and select Deposit. Choose your preferred payment method, enter your bank/card/e-wallet information, and make your first deposit. 
4. Browse Markets: For March Madness betting, look for the college basketball or NCAA basketball betting menu. Then, browse the options for a bet you like. Make sure to do your research into the team and their opponent. If you can, you should also compare NCAA betting odds at other sites before placing your wager. 
5. Place Bet: If you find a bet you like, select it and enter the amount you want to wager on your betslip. Take a moment to review it and place your bet.  

Where to Bet on March Madness

Below you'll find out rop six choices of online sportsbook that you can use to bet on March Madness in Canada: 

How to Read NCAA Odds

NCAA betting odds in Canada typically use the American odds format. This format uses positive and negative numbers to represent how much money you can win from a $100 bet and how much you need to bet to win $100. 

The best way to explain how to read betting odds is with an example, so let’s use Duke and Arizona and say that these two teams are playing each other. If Duke has -150 odds to win and Arizona has +150 odds, Duke would be the favourite. This is because their odds are lower.

Negative odds represent how much you need to wager to win $100, so you’d need to bet $150 on Duke to win $100 in profit. Positive odds tell you how much you will win from a $100 wager. So, if you bet $100 on Arizona, you’ll get $150 in profit.