The second half of the regular season for college basketball is here and before you know it, conference tournaments will arrive. Then, as everyone knows, it will be time to get ready for March Madness, which is easily one of the best and most popular times to place sports bets. With plenty of time until things arrive, though, Duke and Auburn are the co-favorites to win the 2025 NCAAB national title.
Which team will come out on top? As things stand, Auburn is ranked the No. 1 team in the country. The Tigers improved to 17-1 on the season after a thrilling win over then No. 6 Tennessee over the weekend. It was a monster result for head coach Bruce Pearl, who was all smiles after the win. It no question sent a statement to the rest of the SEC as well.
| NCAAB title odds |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn to win | +430 | +430 | +430 |
| Duke to win | +430 | +430 | +430 |
| Houston to win | +850 | +850 | +850 |
| Iowa State to win | +950 | +950 | +950 |
The last thing is that we’ve won four games now in the last possession — four of the last six," Pearl said after beating Tennessee. "Last year, we had 20 wins by double-digits. And, so, whether this team is better or not or whatever we are, this league is better. And, so, it’s gonna be a battle every night. But we are happy with this one, because that’s a great team.”
According to the best sports betting sites, Auburn and Duke indeed hold the top basketball betting odds at +430 to win the National Championship Game. Auburn is hoping to win the SEC Tournament this year too, while Duke will be ready to send a message in the ACC Tournament. Things are going to be tight between the two. With that said, who do we think will lift the trophy come early April?
In this week's AP Top 25, Auburn is No. 1 and the Tigers have played or will play numbers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 23 and 24. Insanity
— Jason Caldwell (@ITATJason) January 27, 2025
Auburn is our pick to win the March Madness tournament in 2025
It may come as a surprise to some people, but Auburn is our pick to win the March Madness tournament in 2025. Pearl has his team operating at a high level and there's no question that Johni Broome deserves to be in the player of the year conversation. He's certainly one of the best players in the SEC, as he has helped this team look fantastic.
It's not only Broome, though, as there's plenty of depth for both ends of the floor. In the win over Tennessee, it was a bit of a defensive battle, but the fact of the matter is that the Tigers were able to get the job done late thanks to some timely plays - the Vols weren't able to match that intensity. Yes, people love Duke and Cooper Flagg, but our belief is that Auburn is more balanced.
“You’re looking at the National Player of the Year.
I know Cooper Flagg is doing some phenomenal things, but for this, this is one of those Heisman moments. That was a National Player of the Year moment.” @TheRonSlay on Auburn’s Johni Broome pic.twitter.com/NbKvQegtjA
— The Next Round (@NextRoundLive) January 27, 2025
Interested in placing a wager or two for the 2025 March Madness event? The good news is that sportsbooks like Bovada, BetOnline and others will have plenty of welcome bonuses for you to take advantage of. On top of that, there will be special March Madness codes for sports fans to use for sign-up purposes as well. Betting on March Madness only makes things more fun to watch.
If things play out the way we think they will, then look for both Auburn and Duke to hold No. 1 seeds for the NCAA Tournament. Then, there could be a scenario where they both end up meeting either in the Final Four or in the title game. Fans would love to see that go down. Should that happen, we'd stick to our guns and predict Auburn to post a close, but memorable victory.
There will be other top contenders for the 2025 NCAA Tournament
When looking at things as a whole, there will be other top contenders for the 2025 NCAA Tournament. In addition to Duke and Auburn, we think that Tennessee and Rick Barnes will be able to make a big-time splash. It will really depend on whether or not Chaz Lanier can be at his best.
When he's on his game, Lanier is arguably the best player in the SEC. However, he's been a bit inconsistent with the ball in his hands over the past two weeks or so. Thankfully for the Vols, Zakai Zeigler has looked like a superstar guard, but Tennessee will need to be able to rely on Lanier in the tourney.
Elsewhere, Houston, Iowa State and Alabama are definitely going to be programs to keep a close eye on as well in terms of high NCAA basketball betting odds. What makes March Madness betting so great is that there are always some unreal upsets being posted, so you never know what to expect. Again, we're going with Auburn to win the title, but don't be surprised to see some stunning results throughout.
