After a full season of college basketball action, it all comes down to the national championship game of March Madness. The last two teams standing in the NCAA Tournament battle it out in this game every year with the chance to be called national champions.
This pinnacle of college basketball marks the final opportunity for March Madness Championship betting, drawing significant attention as one of the most heavily wagered-on events each year. Fans and bettors alike eagerly await this game to place their bets.
Jump toWho Will Win the March Madness Championship?
From a probability standpoint, a one-seed is likely to win the national championship. In the history of the NCAA Tournament, 22 teams have won the title as a one-seed. No other seed number has won more than five national titles in the history of this tournament.
And with top-four seeds winning all, but three of the national championships all-time, you can expect a high seed to lift the trophy. These are FanDuel odds:
*March Madness Championship betting odds are subject to change.
You can bet these odds for the March Madness Championship game now. They are the most up-to-date odds from Fanduel.
Ways to Bet on the March Madness Championship
There are several ways to bet on the NCAA Tournament national championship game. While there are fewer games to wager on than there were in previous rounds, there are still a lot of betting options to choose from.
These types of bets are particularly appealing, as they cover this massive sporting event from a variety of angles.
Championship Betting Parlay
Just because there is only one game on the college basketball schedule when the championship game is reached doesn’t mean a parlay bet can’t be placed. Many sportsbooks offer parlay betting in multiple markets during the same game.
While these bets should be done judiciously and do not typically yield as high a return as single bets, they can be a fun way to have some title game action.
Over/Under Betting
Over/under betting asks bettors to predict what the total combined score of the championship game will be. For this type of bet, it does not matter which team does the scoring, and it does not matter who wins the game.
All that matters is whether a bettor is able to predict whether the total scoring will be over or under the total set by oddsmakers.
Bet Against the Spread
Betting against the spread is perhaps the most common form of betting during the March Madness championship game. In this market, a point spread is applied to the score of one of the teams involved in the game.
The favorite has points taken off of their point total, while the underdog has points added to their score. The team with the superior point total after the spread is applied to the winner for the purposes of this bet.
It is worth remembering that the point spread market does not require underdogs to win their games outright. Instead, underdogs simply need to lose the national championship game by fewer points than the point spread number to cover the spread.
Live Betting Options
In addition to pre-game betting markets, live betting is also available at most sportsbooks during the national title game. Popular betting markets like the spread, moneyline, and total have their odds updated throughout the game based on what is happening on the floor.
If you miss the tip for the national title game, this option still gives you the chance to have action on this huge game.
Prop Betting
Prop bets were originally from the Super Bowl but now have become another fun betting option in significant games like the March Madness championship game. They pertain to the performance of individual players or on novelty markets, such as the first team to score 10 points.
For a game of this magnitude, some sportsbooks offer a wide range of prop bets. Those with an in-depth knowledge of one or both teams can likely find a prop line or two they can get the better of.
Tips For Championship Betting
Betting on the national championship requires bettors to look at the strengths and weaknesses of both teams. Given that both teams have won at least five straight games, it can be difficult to look at the shortcomings of the participants in this game.
But these tips for betting on the national championship game can help bettors objectively analyze the championship game to come.
Watch the Final Four Games
It may sound obvious, but one of the best things a bettor can do before betting on the national championship is to watch the games during the NCAA Tournament. The Final Four is the most recent game that the participants in the national championship have played in.
But bettors would be best served to watch games throughout the tournament to get a feel for how a team is playing.
Do Your Research
In addition to watching the games, bettors should also do their research on teams throughout the tournament. Researching the performance of each finalist and comparing their performances in the tournament to their regular season output is a valuable move.
Doing so can highlight spots where regression is possible or even likely. Arming yourself with information is always a good idea, and research is a good way to do just that.
Look at Common Opponents
One area worth researching, in particular, is whether the national championship finalists have played any common opponents. A common opponent can often serve as a barometer as to how two teams stack up against one another, as they had to perform against a team made up of the same players.
Of course, context is important when it comes to common opponents. If the common opponent was dealing with an injury or other extenuating circumstance against one finalist and not the other, that could skew this research in a big way.
Look at Coaching Matchup
There may not be a more important game to look at the coaching matchup than the national championship game. The March Madness championship game is the culmination of the life’s work of every player on the floor. Because of that, nerves can be a factor.
A coach who can calm his players down and keep them focused on the ultimate prize in college basketball is incredibly valuable.
On top of being a calming presence, a coach needs to be able to out-scheme another elite coach in the championship game. With both teams and coaches being among the best in the sport by this point in the tourney, having a coach that isn’t on the level of guys like Jay Wright and Mike Krzyzewski can be the difference between winning and being a runner up.
Make a Pick and Enjoy the Game
Once you have picked out your bets for the national championship game, it is important to just relax and enjoy the game. Second-guessing those decisions will do nothing to change the outcome of the game that is going to take place. And additional second-guessing could lead to additional bets being placed without proper rationale being put behind them.
Marquee sporting events like the Super Bowl and March Madness championship game are exciting to bet on. But they are also challenging because they are the only game on in their sport at the time they are played. Bettors shouldn’t overextend themselves and should simply make their bets and enjoy the show.
Championship Betting History
Researching the current tournament and learning everything possible about the two finalists is important. Also important is looking back at the history of the national championship game to pick up historical trends on this important contest. Doing so can help bettors determine the likelihood of certain results playing out.
Teams and Coaches with Most NCAA Championships
The team with the most national championships all-time is UCLA. The Bruins have won 11 national championships in their 12 appearances in the championship game. Kentucky is behind the Bruins in second place with eight national titles. North Carolina has the third most with six national championships. Duke and Indiana have five each to round out the top five.
In terms of active college basketball coaches, Mike Krzyzewski of Duke has the most national championships with five. Roy Williams of North Carolina has the second-most championship wins among active coaches with three. Jay Wright of Villanova and Rick Pitino, who is currently at Iona, have two national championships apiece.
Total Points Scored in Last 10 Championship Games
Looking at the past winners of the NCAA Tournament is useful when making picks for this year’s national championship. Looking at the scores of the previous championship games is useful as well.
Doing so can help bettors compare the previous point totals in those games to the total set by bookmakers in this national title game. Here is a look at the last 10 national title games to illustrate this point.
| Year | Winner | Loser | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | UConn | Butler | 53-41 |
| 2012 | Kentucky | Kansas | 67-59 |
| 2013 | Louisville | Michigan | 82-76 |
| 2014 | UConn | Kentucky | 60-54 |
| 2015 | Duke | Wisconsin | 68-63 |
| 2016 | Villanova | North Carolina | 77-74 |
| 2017 | North Carolina | Gonzaga | 71-65 |
| 2018 | Villanova | Michigan | 79-62 |
| 2019 | Virginia | Texas Tech | 85-77 |
| 2020 | N/A | N/A | —- |
| 2021 | Baylor | Gonzaga | 86-70 |
| 2022 | Kansas | UNC | 72-69 |
| 2023 | UConn | San Diego St | 76-59 |
Here, you will see that there is no consistent scoring pattern in these national championship games. Some of these games saw winning scores in the 80s, while some saw winners take the title with 60 or fewer points.
There is also no clearly defined pattern pertaining to the margin of victory. Some title games were decided by the final shot, while others were blowouts from start to finish.
The main takeaway here is that bettors need to analyze each championship game individually. The matchups on the floor between each player on the court are more important than what took place in previous championship games. The sooner a bettor realizes that the better their national championship game picks will be.
