UConn entered this season as the favorite to win the national title and clinched its second straight championship. The Huskies aren't far from the top of the odds list to win a third straight title, but Duke and Kansas opened as favorites. BetMGM To win the 2025 title.
The Blue Devils and Jayhawks are both +1100 to win it all. UConn is right behind it at +1200. Houston is fourth at +1400.
After winning the 2023 title, the Huskies opened at +1200 to win the 2024 title. They shared first place with Duke and Kentucky. While both teams had strong regular seasons, and Duke made the Elite Eight, UConn quickly emerged as the favorite to win it all as the season progressed. The Huskies were the least likely to win it all heading into the Final Four.
UConn is already its first back-to-back champion since 2007 and now has a chance to pull off its first three-peat since UCLA won seven in a row from 1967-73. However, coach Dan Hurley will have a lot to replace. Dominant center Donovan Clingan and freshman Stephon Castle will likely turn pro. Both are expected to be first-round picks in the NBA Draft. Tristen Newton, the NCAA Tournament's most outstanding player, and Cam Spencer, the team's second-leading scorer, are leaving in their fifth year. With all of these players leaving, there's a lot of confidence that Hurley still has that high level of UConn, even though the defending champions aren't far from the top of the odds.
Meanwhile, Duke will likely lose Kyle Filipowski in the draft but is bringing in top recruits Cooper Flagg and Khaman Malloach and is expected to bring back Jeremy Roach. The Blue Devils are the No. 1 team on CJ Moore and Sam Vecenie's list of top 25 teams so early on next season. The pressure is always on at Duke, but big things are expected in John Scheyer's third year.
Kansas is always in the mix as a perennial power under Bill Self and entered this season ranked No. 1. Injuries left the Jayhawks with a shortened roster by March, and it showed, but Hunter Dickenson is expected to return and SLV added Zeke Mayo from the transfer portal. Mayo was the Summit League Player of the Year for South Dakota State and led the Jackrabbits to the NCAA Tournament.
The rest of the top 10 is full of blue bloods, as always. Kentucky, North Carolina and Baylor are all +1800. Alabama and Arizona +2000.
2025 men's college basketball national title odds
(John Scheer Image: Lance King/Getty Images)
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