March Madness Final Four Odds
By Chris Wright
Last Updated:
- Sportsbooks are listing odds for teams to make the Final Four in 2025-26.
- Michigan has the shortest odds to make the Final Four as of Dec. 9, 2025, followed by Duke, UConn and Purdue.
- Track the favorites all season ahead of the Final Four in Indianapolis.
The Final Four returns to Indianapolis on April 4, 2025. The national championship is Monday, April 6.
Florida, which ended UConn’s bid at a three-peat in the second round, won the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
Follow this page for the latest odds on teams to reach the Final Four in 2026.
Odds to Reach The Final Four
The college basketball season has started and sportsbooks are offering odds to make the Final Four. Here are the current odds as of Tuesday, Dec. 9, to make the 2026 Final Four, via Bet365 Sportsbook.
Fortunately for March Madness fans of the SEC and elsewhere, Saturday Down South has the country covered via 2026 Final Four odds from an in-depth and expert perspective.
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Scouting Teams with Best Odds in March Madness
Here’s a quick look at the 4 teams with the best odds to reach the Final Four as of Dec. 9, 2025:
Michigan
The Wolverines opened the season ranked No. 7 and quickly established themselves as a legitimate national title threat.
Michigan won the Players Era Championship, pounding then-No. 21 Auburn by 30 points and then-No. 12 Gonzaga by 40 points on back-to-back nights. They now have the shortest odds to make the Final Four at +140 on Dec. 9.
Duke
Jon Scheyer won an NCAA Tournament title as a Duke player and a Duke assistant coach. Now he’s trying to do the same as the Blue Devils’ coach.
Duke reached the Final Four in 2025, losing to Houston.
On Dec. 9, Bet365 Sportsbook lists Duke (+170) with the second-shortest odds to make the Final Four. Duke’s Final Four odds were +320 on Nov. 4, 2025.
For the past decade, Duke has relied on freshmen, and that is the case again in 2025-26. The Blue Devils’ top recruiting class includes Cameron Boozer — son of Duke legend Carlos Boozer.
Purdue
The Boilermakers reached the championship game in 1969 (losing to UCLA) and 2024 (falling to UConn).
They opened the 2025-26 season as the betting favorite to reach the Final Four, with odds as low as +220 on Bet365 on Nov. 4, 2025. Purdue’s Final Four odds are +225 on Dec. 9.
Purdue also is the preseason No. 1 ranked team in the AP poll and the preseason favorite to win the national championship.
Braden Smith (15.8 points, 8.7 assists), who won Big Ten Player of the Year last season, leads the Boilers’ attack.
UConn
The Huskies won back-to-back NCAA Tournament titles in 2023 and 2024 before losing early in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
The starting lineup has been retooled, but the goals remain.
Bet365 listed UConn’s Final Four odds at +210 on Dec. 9, 2025.
Tips to Consider about Final Four Seeds
Since 2000, 16 teams seeded No. 7 or worse have made the Final Four. However, 13 of those lower seeds have reached the Final Four in the 13 most recent NCAA Tournaments.
At least 1 team seeded No. 4 or worse has made the Final Four in each of the past 14 tournaments.
However, March Madness still belongs to the No. 1 seeds. Only 3 times in the past 30 years has a No. 1 seed failed to make the Final Four: 2023, 2011 and 2006. And 11 times in the 2000s, at least 2 No. 1 seeds reached the Final Four.
Is that changing? Perhaps. NIL and relaxed transfer rules have shifted the sport’s power structure and spread out the talent. Here’s a Final Four breakdown, by seeds, from the past 5 NCAA Tournaments
- No. 1 seeds: 6 of 20 made the Final Four
- No. 2 seeds: 4 of 20 made the Final Four
- No. 3 seeds: 1 of 20 made the Final Four
- No. 4 seeds: 2 of 20 made the Final Four
- No. 5 seeds: 3 of 20 made the Final Four
- No. 8 seeds: 1 of 20 made the Final Four
- No. 9 seeds: 1 of 20 made the Final Four
- No. 11 seeds: 2 of 20 made the Final Four
Picking the correct Cinderella is rewarding, but history suggests the very best teams in the regular season tend to make the Final Four as well.
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Future Final Four Sites
The NCAA has selected men’s Final Four sites through 2031.
Managing Editor
A 30-time APSE award-winning editor with previous stints at the Miami Herald, The Indianapolis Star and News & Observer, Executive Editor Chris Wright oversees editorial operations for Saturday Down South.
