By Chris Havlicek
Updated 3/26/24 2:49pm ET
In most years, the NCAA Tournament’s opening weekend generates excitement from fans, bettors and oddsmakers. However, most sportsbook directors have reported losses or profits that underdelivered, due to minimal upsets.
For just the fifth time since 1979, the top two seeds in all four regions reached the Sweet 16. Furthermore, only one school seeded lower than sixth has advanced this far and that is NC State, which hails from a major conference. Cinderella did not emerge.
With so many favorites advancing, the public predominantly cashed several moneyline parlays this past weekend, spoiling the house’s bottom line. We see that occasionally occur during the NFL regular season. However, unlike football, March Madness only provides a few days of heavy volume.
The Sweet 16 now contains blue bloods and established programs. Most notably, only the SEC’s Kentucky and Auburn failed to survive. Meanwhile, the ACC and Big East combined for a 14-1 record.
| CONFERENCE | RECORD | WIN PCT% |
|---|---|---|
| ACC | 8-1 | .889 |
| Atlantic 10 | 2-2 | .500 |
| American | 0-2 | .000 |
| Big 12 | 7-6 | .538 |
| Big East | 6-0 | 1.000 |
| Big Ten | 6-4 | .600 |
| Mountain West | 4-5 | .444 |
| Pac-12 | 6-3 | .667 |
| SEC | 5-6 | .454 |
| West Coast | 2-1 | .667 |
The defending champion UConn Huskies remain the favorites to at +210, while the Houston Cougars are next at +600.
Top 10 National Championship Odds: (Courtesy of Fanduel)
UConn Huskies +210
Houston Cougars +600
Purdue Boilermakers +600
Arizona Wildcats +850
Tennessee Volunteers +1100
North Carolina Tar Heels: +1300
Marquette Golden Eagles: +1600
Iowa State Cyclones: +2000
Duke Blue Devils +2300
Creighton Bluejays: +2300
Photo Courtesy: Shutterstock
