Odds to Win the 2022 NCAA Men’s March Madness

The 2021-22 men’s college basketball season kicks off on Nov. 9, believe it or not. The majority of programs will be busy playing in early season tournaments in an effort to be prepared for their respective conference seasons. 

The top of this year’s betting board in the race to March Madness features many familiar names though, surprisingly, there is one that you will not find near the top. Here’s a look at this year’s favorites, as well as a sleeper or two, to win the 2022 NCAA March Madness. 

Gonzaga No. 1 Again

It shouldn’t come as a shock that the Bulldogs are the nation’s preseason No.1 and the overall betting favorite at +550 to win this year’s national championship. Head coach Mark Few and company almost had the school’s first title last season. Gonzaga went 31-0 all the way to the championship game where the Bulldogs lost to Baylor.

They will try again with National Player of the Year candidate Drew Timme and senior Andrew Nembhard. The Bulldogs also have No. 1 overall recruit Chet Holmgren and five-star prospect Hunter Sallis who will take over at point guard for Jalen Suggs.

What About Baylor?

The Bears won last year’s championship but lose their top three scorers from that team. What’s left will still be a very good team. Baylor is ranked in the preseason top 10. They just don’t have the roster to go as deep as they did in 2021. 

Baylor is given +2500 odds to win a second consecutive national title. Only twice in the past three decades has a team repeated as national champions. The most recent was Florida in 2006 and 2007.

A Basketball School Now

There is great tradition surrounding the Michigan football program. There is now a great tradition around Michigan basketball which has now been to the Sweet Sixteen in each of the past four tournaments. Last year’s team wound up in the Elite Eight. A good nucleus returns and head coach Juwan Howard will contend for another Big Ten title. Michigan is the only other team listed at better than +1000 odds. The Wolverines are given +800 odds to win in 2022.

The Next Tier

The team that knocked Michigan out of last year’s tourney was UCLA. The Bruins return Player of the Year candidate Johnny Juzang and add five-star frosh Peyton Watson. UCLA is listed at +1000 to win it all.

Another blueblood program given favorable odds is Kentucky (+1200). Wildcats head coach John Calipari brought in a ton of transfer experience and looks to get back in the thick of the SEC race. It’s a similar deal for Kansas where Bill Self went the same route – transfers – to rebuild the Jayhawks roster. He may have landed the best one of the bunch in Remy Martin. As a result, Kansas is listed at +1400.

Two other traditional powers land in this tier. It will be Mike Krzyzewski’s last season as the head coach at Duke. He has a roster that features Paolo Banchero who could be the best player in the country as well as a few others. If the Blue Devils can send Coach K off with a title, the winnings payout at +1400.

Villanova has won a couple titles in the past six years. The Wildcats (+1600 at top rated sportsbooks) are another program that has added a number of transfers that will make a huge impact in 2022. 

The Sleepers

Purdue (+1600) had run of three straight Sweet Sixteens (and an Elite Eight) from 2017 to 2019. They were eliminated in last year’s first round. Head coach Matt Painter had a team full of freshman and might have the best big man in the country in Trevion Williams. Watch out for the Boilermakers.

Alabama (+2000) is another program on the rise. Under head coach Nate Oats, the Crimson Tide won the SEC in his second season last year. The Tide has what could be the nation’s best backcourt in JD Davison and Jahvon Quinerly. If those two produce and some role players come through, the Tide could be the surprise of this year’s March Madness.