Who Will Most Likely Win March Madness In 2023?
As we approach the end of the 2022-2023 college basketball season, there are a few teams that stand out from the rest of the crowd. Those teams include the favorites, such as the Houston Cougars, Purdue Boilermakers, and Alabama Crimson Tide, as well as a few underdog teams. Read on to learn about the odds of each team winning the 2023 NCAA Basketball tournament.
Here are the teams most likely to win March Madness in 2023:
- Houston +600
- Purdue +1000
- Alabama +1000
- Kansas +1100
- UCLA +1200
- Tennessee +1400
- Arizona +1500
- Gonzaga +3000
- North Carolina +3500
Houston Cougars
Last year, Houston sat at the fifth seed during March Madness but still showed their dominance and potential for the future. While beating teams in the tournament last year, two of their best players, Marcus Sasser and Tramon Mark, were sitting out with injuries. With these key additions coming back, and all the momentum that they gathered last year, they currently look like the most put-together team in the nation. Their odds sit at +600.
Purdue Boilermakers
For the 2022-2023 season, Purdue is one of the top teams in the country, consistently in the AP top five and pushing hard towards a potential March Madness title. They are led by Zack Eddy, a Junior 7’4” center, who is also leading them in both points and rebounds this season. While the one game they’ve lost was a bad one, that won't deter Purdue from trying to win it all once March Madness comes around. They are tied with Alabama for the second-best odds, currently sitting at +1000.
Alabama Crimson Tide
Alabama is normally known more for its football excellence, but these last few years have solidified them as one of the best basketball programs as well. Last year, they even reached the March Madness semifinals but ultimately lost to UCLA. This year, Freshman Brandon Miller has been their star, averaging around 20 points and 8 rebounds each game. Alabama is looking to surpass where they ended up last season and win their first NCAA championship in basketball. Their current odds are sitting at +1000, tied with Purdue for the second-best odds in the nation.
Kansas Jayhawks
Among the blue-blood basketball schools, Kansas has had a historic NCAA basketball history. They have even won four championships, the latest being just last year. As a result, they have kept that momentum and are poised to make another deep run. Jalen Wilson has been their highly-anticipated best player; he averages over 21 points and 8 rebounds per game. While Kansas’ odds are lower than some others, they have the history to possibly bring them back to the promised land that is an NCAA championship. Their current odds sit at +1100.
UCLA Bruins
A longstanding powerhouse of basketball excellence, the UCLA Bruins hold the record for most National Championships, with 11 titles. Last season, the third one helmed by coach Mick Cronin, the Bruins made it to the Sweet Sixteen after cracking the Final Four the season before. The team is led by Senior guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. who is averaging just over 16 points and 7 rebounds a game this season. The Bruins are on track to finish the regular season with a great record and make a serious title run in March Madness. The Bruins’ odds have been steadily climbing and are currently at +1200 to win the tournament.
Tennessee Volunteers
Currently ranking top five in the AP Top 25, the University of Tennessee is yet again a potential contender for this year’s NCAA Championship title. Though the team has never gotten past the Elite Eight stage and was knocked out in an upset by Michigan in 2022. With a combination of talented guards on the roster, the Volunteers hope to take their excellent season record so far and run it all the way to their first Final Four appearance. Their odds to win the 2023 NCAA tournament are currently +1400.
Arizona Wildcats
Though the University of Arizona has only won the NCAA tournament once (in 1997), they have historically done well in the tournament and even made it to the Sweet Sixteen last year as a top seed before being defeated by the Houston Cougars. With the leadership of Junior forward Azuolas Tubelis, who averages nearly 20 points and 10 rebounds a game this season, the Wildcats are poised to make a run. In the 2023 edition of March Madness, Arizona is again predicted to at least get as far as they did last year. Their odds are currently +1500 to win the tournament.
Gonzaga Bulldogs
After a disappointing run last year, the Chet Holmgren-led Bulldogs seemed to be doomed going into the current season. This changed, however, as Drew Timme decided he was going to return for another year with the team. Timme is a two-time second-team All-American and has the ability to propel this team into the finals. The Gonzaga team has lost a few games already this season, but once March Madness comes around, many analysts believe they have an underdog shot of winning it all. The Bulldogs’ current odds to win March Madness are +3000.
North Carolina Tar Heels
Last year’s runner-ups are back in the mix this year. While their Cinderella story fell short last year, as the eighth-seeded Tar Heels lost to Kansas in the National Championship Game, they have another shot in 2023. Although this team looks good on paper and is still a great bet for the tournament, they have lost a handful of games this year, some of which were bad losses. They did, however, start the year off winning five in a row and showing that they were not a fluke in last year's tournament. As most of their starters are returning this year, along with their leader Armando Bacot, this team is loaded and ready to go for the 2023 March Madness tournament. North Carolina’s odds to win the NCAA Tournament are +3500.