Popular March Madness markets
March Madness betting splits
Highest ticket percentage:
• UConn 17.3%
• South Carolina 14.8%
• UCLA 11.1%
Highest handle percentage:
• UConn 30.3%
• South Carolina 23.9%
• UCLA 12.4%
Biggest liabilities:
• UConn
• USC
• South Carolina
All data courtesy of BetMGM.
Aisha Quiñones’ 2026 March Madness futures bets
| Bet | Odds | Bet Date | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Title: UConn | -300 | February 12 | 0.5 |
| Final Four: Vanderbilt | +6000 | February 12 | 0.5 |
| To Make NCAA Tournament Field of 68: USC | +15000 | February 12 | 0.5 |
What makes this UConn group especially dangerous in a tournament setting is lineup flexibility. The Huskies can play small to maximize spacing or lean into length and rebounding without sacrificing offensive flow. Geno Auriemma’s teams historically peak in March by tightening rotations and sharpening execution, and this roster already looks comfortable in high-pressure moments.
With experience, depth, and star power aligned, the Huskies enter the Final Four conversation as the most complete team in the country and the safest pick to cut down the nets again.
Vanderbilt’s defensive structure forces opponents into uncomfortable possessions, and they’ve shown the ability to control pace against both fast and methodical teams. That adaptability is key in navigating the bracket. Vanderbilt also benefits from continuity, plus experienced contributors who understand roles and rarely beat themselves with turnovers or poor shot decisions.
If their defense dictates games early in the bracket, a Final Four appearance becomes a realistic outcome rather than a surprise.
Losing a dominant offensive centerpiece like JuJu Watkins changes the ceiling, but it doesn’t eliminate USC’s foundation. The Trojans still possess athleticism, length on the perimeter, and a defensive identity capable of keeping them competitive against top-tier opponents.
From a résumé standpoint, USC’s schedule strength and defensive efficiency should keep them firmly within the at-large conversation. They may win differently with fewer offensive explosions & more grind-it-out results, but consistency and competitiveness across conference play are enough to secure a spot in the Field of 68.
Understanding March Madness futures odds
Sportsbooks will post odds for the NCAA women’s basketball championship as early as the summer before the season starts. These odds are constantly adjusted throughout the offseason as players get hurt, suspended or are traded. Once the season begins in November, title odds will change as often as daily as teams win and lose games and as players get hurt or suspended. Sportsbooks will also adjust the March Madness futures odds based on handle and liability to certain teams.
March Madness futures odds will usually look like this:
This means that on a $100 bet, you’ll stand to win $800 if the Hoosiers win the NCAA women’s basketball title. If it’s close to the end of the regular season or even during the tournament and college basketball has a very dominant team, you might see that a team is has a minus sign (-) ahead of its odds.
- South Carolina Gamecocks -165
This means that you would need to bet $165 to win $100 on a South Carolina championship.
Above we have posted the American odds for March Madness futures. However, these are easy to convert to decimal odds or fractional odds with our odds converter tool.
How to bet college basketball futures
Learning how to successfully bet on March Madness is one of the hardest things to do in sports betting. The lose-and-go-home format and the fact that a school needs to win six straight games against quality opponents means that the favorites don’t always take home the title.
Another factor that comes into play is that the tournament bracket isn’t set until Selection Sunday. As the college basketball season winds down, you can be pretty sure that the big favorites will slide into the bracket as top seeds. But for teams in the middle of the pack, nothing is certain.
As always when betting futures odds, be sure to look into injuries and suspensions. You might find some current value in a team that is expecting to get a key player back before March Madness begins.
Where to bet on Women’s March Madness
If you’re in a state that allows mobile, or online betting, make sure you know which sites are the best March Madness betting sites. Great betting sites offer sharp odds, quick payouts and are safe and secure when it comes to depositing and withdrawing your money.
Past Women’s March Madness champions
Women’s March Madness trends
• The last four winners of the tournament all entered the season as the No. 1 seed.
• Since 1982, a No. 1 seed has made the Final Four every year.
• UConn has the most women’s NCAA titles of all-time (11), including four straight years of successfully defending the championship from 2013-2016.