As it stands today, the Duke Blue Devils are the top favorites to cut down the nets at the end of March Madness, the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, as national champions. They passed Tennessee in the national AP rankings this week after the Volunteers lost at Kentucky, and the two wins Duke has posted over Virginia (who has beaten everyone else they have played) may be the clearest sign that Duke is a breed apart from the rest of the ACC, and the rest of the nation. Take a look at why many smart NCAAB betting enthusiasts have picked the Blue Devils to go all the way.
Which Team Oddsmakers Like to Win 2019 March Madness?
In their first 24 games of the season, Duke has gone 22-2 straight up and 15-9 against the spread. On several books, they are a favorite at +170 to win the NCAA Tournament (which means that if you wagered $100, you would win $170 and walk away with $270. Zion Williamson and R.J. Barrett could be the first two picks in the NBA draft, and Cam Reddish could go in the first round as well. With that kind of talent on the roster, it’s no wonder that Duke has played so well, particularly after the turn of the calendar to 2019. One reason why you should consider Duke despite their relatively low value on the moneyline takes us back to their February 13 win at Louisville. With 10 minutes left in the second half, Louisville was up by 23 points. At that point, in a timeout, coach Mike Krzyzewski told his team that they would come back and win. It was Cam Reddish who drained the three-pointer to tie with 1:28 left and made two free throws to take the lead with 14 seconds left. Duke started the second half going just 2 for 17, but then they went 9 for 13 down the stretch. Duke also used a combination of a full-court press and a 2-2-1 zone to produce 13 turnovers in the second half and lock down the Louisville shooters. Despite the fact that the Cardinals won the battle of the boards, 41-39, Duke got the rebounds they needed down the stretch, while Louisville folded. The fact that Duke was able to come back in such a manner should keep any team that they would play the rest of the way well aware that, no matter how well a game is going for them, Duke has the weapons to mount a comeback.Hoops Update with @TheAndyKatz! 🏀 AP Poll vs. Power 36 🏀 Update on Nick Ward & Michigan State 🏀 UNC/Duke preview 🏀 @IlliniMBB – welcome to the Power 36 🏀 Fan questions pic.twitter.com/zhYhwBl19m
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) 18 de febrero de 2019
What’s the Danger in March Madness?
The danger, of course, is that March Madness eliminates you after one loss. Remember Virginia last year? They entered the tournament as a 1-seed but lost to Maryland-Baltimore County in the first round, the first loss for a 1-seed to a 16-seed ever. Virginia has pushed forward this year with a 21-2 record (17-6 against the spread). Both of those losses, though, have come to Duke. Even so, you can bet on Virginia to win the title at +800 on several books. Then there’s Tennessee. They sit at +750 odds on several books, and they are 23-2 straight up and 13-10-1 against the spread. They beat Gonzaga, who was ranked #1 at the time, back in December, but that loss to Kentucky knocked them out of the top spot. There are some other teams who could make a deep run this year. There’s Michigan, who made it to the finals last year, as well as the defending champion Villanova Wildcats. Michigan State, Kansas, and North Carolina — along with Kentucky — are all strong possibilities. Nevada has had a terrific season, although their conference affiliation hurts their strength of schedule. They do have a 16-7-1 record against the spread this season, though.Contender Odds to win March Madness
- Duke +170
- Tennessee +750
- Kentucky, Virginia +800
- Michigan +850
- Gonzaga +900
- Michigan State +1100
- Kansas +1800
- Nevada +2200
- North Carolina +2500
- Villanova +4000
