The 2023 NCAA men’s basketball tournament moves into the second round on Saturday. Online sportsbooks are already starting to release March Madness odds for the upcoming games now that the first round’s final results are coming through.
March Madness is officially underway with a variety of close contests and large victories. Brackets may already be getting ripped up, but there are plenty of options to consider at sportsbooks. The single-elimination tournament continues up to the Final Four on April 1, and then the NCAA championship game on April 3.
You can find the best odds available for the second round in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament below. A table will provide the upcoming schedule or quickly navigate to a region. This page will be updated with the latest odds available as the first round rolls on.
Jump to Region: East | West | Midwest | South
Best NCAA Tournament Odds
East Region Odds
| Game | Favorite | Underdog | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| (4) Tennessee vs. (5) Duke | Duke () | Tennessee () | |
| (2) Marquette vs. (7) Michigan State | Marquette () | Michigan State () | |
| (3) Kansas State vs. (6) Kentucky | Kentucky () | Kansas State () | |
| (9) Florida Atlantic vs. (16) Fairleigh Dickinson | Florida Atlantic () | Fairleigh Dickinson () |
West Region Odds
| Game | Favorite | Underdog | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| (1) Kansas vs. (8) Arkansas | Kansas () | Arkansas () | |
| (2) UCLA vs. (7) Northwestern | UCLA () | Northwestern () | |
| (3) Gonzaga vs. (6) TCU | Gonzaga () | TCU () | |
| (4) UConn vs. (5) St. Mary’s | UConn () | St. Mary’s () |
Midwest Region Odds
| Game | Favorite | Underdog | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| (1) Houston vs. (9) Auburn | Houston () | Auburn () | |
| (2) Texas vs. (10) Penn State | Texas () | Penn State () | |
| (3) Xavier vs. (11) Pittsburgh | Xavier () | Pittsburgh () | |
| (4) Indiana vs. (5) Miami | Indiana () | Miami FL () |
South Region Odds
| Game | Favorite | Underdog | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| (1) Alabama vs. (8) Maryland | Alabama () | Maryland () | |
| (5) San Diego State vs. (13) Furman | San Diego State () | Furman () | |
| (7) Missouri vs. (15) Princeton | Missouri () | Princeton () | |
| (3) Baylor vs. (6) Creighton | Baylor () | Creighton () |
Types Of NCAA March Madness Bets
Point Spread: For each game, sportsbooks will offer a point spread, which appears as a plus (+) or minus (-) number next to each team. This refers to the margin of victory in the game. For instance, if the point spread on a team is -4.5, a bet would be successful if they win by five or more points. If the spread is +3.5, a bet would cash if the team loses by three or less, or wins outright.
Moneyline: This is a straight bet on the outcome of the game. The points and margin of victory don’t matter. Winning this bet is entirely dependent on picking the correct team to win the game. The odds on these bets will vary, and it is the odds that determine your payout. Plus (+) money odds indicate an underdog, while minus (-) indicates a favorite.
Total: This refers to the total number of points scored by both teams in the game. For instance, if the total is set at 134.5 points, the “over” bet would only cash if the two teams combine to score 135 points or more. The “under” bet would hit if the two teams combine to score 134 points or fewer. Depending on the sportsbook, bettors can also bet on totals for the first or second half.
Futures: This bet allows you to pick the team that will go on to win the entire NCAA tournament. This can be a way to get good odds on a favored team by picking them before the tournament begins or early on in the tournament. If your team is eliminated, obviously, the bet automatically loses at that point. But for bettors who have one favored team, and don’t want to bet by each individual game, it can be a way to capitalize on more favorable odds by picking the eventual tournament winner.
View futures for every March Madness team here.
How March Madness Odds Work
The most important thing to know about how betting odds work is the meaning of the plus (+) and minus (-) before each number. Plus odds indicate an underdog. For instance, if the odds on a team to win are +100, that means you would win $100 on a bet of $100, in addition to the return of your initial stake. If the odds are -100, that means you would need to bet $100 in order to win $100, plus the return of your additional stake.
Teams that are heavy underdogs – for instance, odds of +500 – are typically thought to have a minimal chance of winning. But the potential payout if that team wins – in this case, $500 on a $100 bet – is so great that it’s meant to entice bettors who want to take a chance in the hopes of significant returns. Bettors who backed Furman and Princeton were rewarded with underdog victories.
Conversely, heavy favorites are thought to have a very good chance of winning, but the odds make it so that bettors have to risk more money for a much smaller payout.
How To Bet On NCAA March Madness
- Use the tables above to find the bet and the odds that you like best.
- Click the odds to go to the specific sportsbook that’s offering those odds on that bet.
- If you don’t already have an account with that sportsbook, sign up and create one.
- Select a deposit method and add money to your account.
- You can now place your wager.
