In a month’s time, it will be March Madness. You don’t have to wait until then to lay down a bet on the NCAA Tournament though. There are several futures bets available right now, including picking the Final Four teams for 2024. Want expert betting advice on it? Then keep on reading!
2024 Final Four Odds
Right now at the best betting sites for basketball, you can find Final Four odds. The thing we love about this bet is there’s more than one way to win. See, the purpose of this bet is just to pick a team that qualifies to the Final Four. Therefore, there are four ways of winning this bet. Take a look at the current teams favored to go dancing this late:
| Team |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| UConn | +155 | +155 | +155 |
| Purdue | +160 | +160 | +160 |
| Houston | +220 | +220 | +220 |
| Tennessee | +275 | +275 | +275 |
| Arizona | +280 | +280 | +280 |
| Auburn | +380 | +380 | +380 |
| North Carolina | +400 | +400 | +400 |
| Alabama | +425 | +425 | +425 |
| Marquette | +450 | +450 | +450 |
| Iowa State | +450 | +450 | +450 |
| Kansas | +500 | +500 | +500 |
Selection Sunday isn’t until March 17. Most bettors wait until then to make their Final Four picks, however, the betting odds won’t be nearly as good if you wait ‘til then. Now is the time to lock in these potentially lucrative lines. Speaking of which, that leads us to our own betting picks.
Final Four Betting Picks
We’re going to lay down four bets here. Realistically, not all four are going to hit. However, one or possibly two striking — at these high prices — will more than makeup for the losses. So don’t be afraid to spread your Final Four picks at this juncture. Here are the programs we have our eyes on:
UConn
The Huskies are the defending college champions, and by all accounts, look primed for another deep postseason run. They are ranked No. 1 with a sizzling 22-2 mark. You can argue that no team has gone back-to-back in college hoops in almost two decades, but remember, this bet is strictly about being one of the final four left standing in the NCAA Tournament.
What we really like about this UConn squad is the staunch defensive ability. Call us old school, but we’re still very much in the “defense wins championships” camp. And boy, does this Huskies team play hard on that end of the floor.
As of late, UConn is putting the clamps on opponents — ranked Creighton to 48 points, Xavier had 22 at halftime, among other performances. This coincides with the return of Donovan Clingan to injury. We don’t expect the Huskies to stay this defensive stingy in the tourney, but anything even close and they’ll be a hard out for any program.
Purdue
The Boilermakers have been right up there with UConn as the best team in the nation since the season started. They too are 22-2 with a No. 2 ranking. You honestly don’t need to overthink bets on either, just throw money on them cause they’ve earned it.
Purdue’s success starts and ends with Zach Edey. He’s all but solidified himself as the Wooden Award winner (again) after going on a tear since the calendar turned to 2024. The seven-foot-four mammoth ranks third nationally on points (23.3) and rebounds (11.7).
It’s been said before, but we’ll say it again: the Boilermakers being embarrassed by a No. 16 seed in last year’s tourney might actually help their cause in 2024. The example everyone uses is Virginia, who also lost to a No. 16 seed as a No. 1. They won the title in the year after and we certainly believe Purdue could do the same.
St. Mary
Anyone remember how mad last year’s tourney was? Mad enough that no No. 1 seed made the Elite Eight. Mad enough that no seed higher than No. 5 made the Final Four. Now we expect a regression to the mean in 2024 hence why we chose top programs like UConn and Purdue. Still, it might make sense to get a flyer bet or two in here.
Saint Mary’s is that pick from us. They are leading the West Coast Conference — not Gonzaga like usual. Heck, this St. Mary’s just beat the Zags on the road a few short weeks ago. This season, they are 4-2 against Quad 1 teams so we get the feeling this is no fluke. At +1200 odds, it’s tough to find better value than this St. Mary group right now.
Florida Atlantic
Let’s stay on the further end of the risk curve, shall we? Ironically, this FAU team was one of the programs that caused that madness in the 2023 tournament. They were one shot at the buzzer away from reaching the national-title game a year ago. The Owls, as a ninth seed in 2023, upset three ranked teams on their way to the Final Four.
But here’s why we’re choosing them in 2024 again: FAU is even better now. It’s why they’re 3-1 against Quad 1 teams, including a win over mighty Arizona. Throw in the experience (and heartbreak) of last season, and FAU might have another Cinderella run in them.
How To Bet On NCAA Tournament?
Want a one-stop shop to bet on the upcoming NCAA Tournament? Then look underneath at our top-rated bookies (per our newest sportsbook reviews). Any one of these sites has you covered for March Madness betting, which by the way, could be free of cost too. See, there are free-play sign-up bonuses available across these sites. Some of our favorite promos are also listed in the table so get in on it!
