Top 10 bets to win the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball championship
Here, we take a look at 10 team to bet that we think will make a deep run and potentially cut down the nets in Indianapolis on 6 April.
(All odds provided by bet365 Sportsbook & Racebook)
10. St. John’s +5000
There were times in the season where St. John’s looked shaky, especially in that double-digit loss to Kentucky a couple months back.
However, the Red Storm is playing its best basketball, stringing together 11 wins in a row, including a battle against Providence on Saturday that saw seven ejections.
The nucleus of the team is big man Zuby Ejiofor, scoring a team-high 16.2 points per game along with grabbing a team-leading 7.4 boards per game. If that wasn’t enough, he’s also the team’s leading assist man with 3.5 per contest. The offense flows and goes through him, but he is complimented by Bryce Hopkins, Oziyah Sellers, and Ian Jackson who all average double figures in scoring.
St. John’s will be a very difficult opponent come March.
10 straight road wins for the Johnnies???? pic.twitter.com/m0MBTqyRH2
— St. John's Men’s Basketball (@StJohnsBBall) February 15, 2026
9. Texas Tech +2500
After a disappointing loss to Central Florida, followed by a close loss to Kansas a few weeks ago, Texas Tech put a few wins in a row together, highlighted by Saturday’s massive victory over Arizona on the road.
Arguably one of the best players in the country, JT Toppin averages just under 22 points per game with 11 boards. Teams really need to focus on him defensively, but the Red Raiders are not a one-man wrecking crew.
Christian Anderson is one of the best floor generals in all of college basketball. He dishes out 7.7 dimes per game, and he can score at will, dropping in nearly 20 points per game.
The team shoots the rock extremely well. As a team, they knock down 39% from three-point land, including two of their top three scorers shooting better than 43% from distance.
8. Purdue +2000
Guard play is a big key for Purdue basketball to be successful this season. Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer are one of the better guard combos in college. Both shoot the ball from three very well and Smith is second in the country with 8.9 assists per game.
The big men are no slouches though. Trey Kaufman-Renn is the center of attention when the ball goes inside. He can score with his back to the basket, or he can square a defender up and take him off the dribble getting to the rim. His footwork is very impressive and can really leave defenders in foul trouble because they can’t recover in time after his move has been made.
What a week ahead. pic.twitter.com/Tkq6FzMPAb
— Purdue Men's Basketball (@BoilerBall) February 16, 2026
7. Michigan State +4500
Size and athleticism is what makes Michigan State special this year. The big man duo of Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper give the opposition a lot of issues getting to the rim or grabbing offensive rebounds. The Spartans’ length affects many shots inside the paint and they really do a good job of cleaning up the glass. Legendary head coach Tom Izzo must also love that those two are very productive from the foul line and they get there often.
Running the show for the Spartans is Jeremy Fears Jr. who leads all over college basketball with 9.2 assists per game and he also leads Michigan State in scoring with 15 points per game.
The most exciting thing about this team is when they are in transition, because if you don’t pick up Coen Carr in the open floor, he is going to add you to his highlight reel with a monster dunk. The man can simply jump through the gym and he is not afraid to meet anyone at the rim.
6. Florida +1400
The defending National Champions, the Florida Gators are back in the mix this year and have won 10 of their last 11.
Returning pieces Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon are the team’s top two scorers, combining for just more than 30 points. The Gators also have one of the best rebounders in the country in Rueben Chinyelu who comes away with 11.8 boards per game.
Key offseason additions were transfers Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee who both average double figures for Florida.
The biggest red flag with Florida is shooting from three. They are sub-30% from three-point land so they need to be able to score inside and at the line to be successful which they have managed to do thus far.
5. Duke +700
Cameron Boozer is having one of the best freshman seasons in Duke’s iconic history. Averaging 22.8 points and 9.9 rebounds, Boozer can score at all three levels. He has no issue knocking down a three, or taking you off the dribble and pulling up in the midrange, or using his strength to get all the way to the basket for an old-fashioned three-point-play.
Isaiah Evans is a very confident spot-up shooter who will give you close to 15 points per game and his speed makes him a good on-ball defender.
With 10 games against ranked teams, Duke has come away with eight victories so they are playing the best of the best and still being successful.
4. Iowa State +1500
The Big 12 is a powerhouse conference this year in college basketball and Iowa State is in the mix inside the top three of the standings.
The Cyclones just blew out the Kansas Jayhawks at home because of how great their defense played, holding a high-powered Kansas offense to just 56 points.
Tamin Lipsey runs the offense and along with his five assists, he averages 13 points per game despite his shooting struggles from three this season. That lack of three-point threat from Lipsey is picked up from the best shooter in college, Milan Momcilovic. Milan is just shy of 100 three pointers made this year and he also shoots 51.6% from distance. If you lose sight of him, he is going to make you pay. He is the type of player who can fill it up and get hot enough to carry you through March.
The Shot#Cyclones | #C5C | @MilanMomcilovi5 pic.twitter.com/VSkozE5lcp
— Iowa State Men’s Basketball (@CycloneMBB) February 15, 2026
3. Houston +800
Staying in the Big 12, Houston sits a top of the conference with a record of 11-1 in Big 12 play and 23-2 overall.
The team is led by guaranteed lottery pick Kingston Flemings, who does not play like a freshman. He is fearless and loves to be the guy in the big moments. He’s accompanied by returning Cougars Emanuel Sharp and Milos Uzan in the backcourt. All three of these guys are also menaces on defense and make the lives of ball handlers hell.
Then you get to the athletic forwards in Joseph Tugler and Chris Cenac Jr. If you are driving to the paint and think you have a clean look at the rim, you don’t. These two can cover so much ground with their length and then their leaping ability is going to cause a lot of issues when trying to get a shot off.
The Cougars only give up 61 points per game so you better be able to lock in defensively to have a shot at beating this team.
2. Arizona +475
The final Big 12 team we are taking a look at is the previously undefeated and previously No. 1 team in the nation, the Arizona Wildcats.
Arizona headed into the week at 23-0 but suffered back-to-back losses to Kansas and Texas Tech. Both games were decided by less than four points so Arizona was in both games and I honestly believe a loss isn’t the worst thing for this time. It humbles them and can light a fire under them.
Koa Peat, a freshman, is 6-foot-8 and 235 pounds making him a very tough man to guard with his size and ability. Brayden Burries is the Wildcats’ leading scorer with just shy of 16 points per game.
The interior presence of 7-foot-2 Motiejus Krivas from Lithuania is a problem that many teams are struggling to figure out. The big man has fouled out only once this season so he has been able to stay on the floor. His size gives great angles for entry passes from outside the paint, and once he catches it deep, you might as well set up for the next possession because he is going to get to where he wants to be.
1. Michigan +450
It is difficult to pick the current favorite to win it all, but if you have watched the Michigan Wolverines play and blow out some of the bigger names in college, you will understand. Sure, they have had a couple of games where they don’t look like themselves or playing to their full capability, but the majority of the season shows the opposite.
Yaxel Lendeborg might be the best transfer in college this season. Previously at UAB, Lendeborg cashes in 14 points, seven boards, and three assists per game for the Wolverines along with impressive rim protecting on the defensive end.
Another massive addition from the transfer portal was Elliot Cadeau who played at North Carolina last year. Cadeau is the primary ball handler for Michigan and has improved his shooting, now knocking down nearly 40% of his three-point attempts.
Aday Mara, another portal addition, played at UCLA and brings his 7-foot-3 frame to this roster. It’s no surprise at his size that he is second in the country with 2.8 blocks per game.
Another dominant outing from Yaxel ?? pic.twitter.com/nNA7oo1TFW
— Michigan Men's Basketball (@umichbball) February 16, 2026