Final Four 2026 betting odds, lines, favorites: Houston Cougars favored to win national championship next season
The Florida Gators may have won the national championship 65-63 over the Houston Cougars on Monday night, but oddsmakers at BetMGM have the Cougars as the favorites to cut down the nets in 2026. Houston has the best odds to win the 2026 national championship at +900, followed by the Duke Blue Devils (10-1), UConn Huskies (14-1) and Louisville Cardinals (17-1).
Houston guard Milos Uzan is expected to turn pro, but Emanuel Sharp and Joseph Tugler could return to fortify a Cougars team that easily could have won Monday night.
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The Gators have 20-1 odds to repeat, tied for the seventh best with five other teams (BYU, Kentucky, Arkansas, Kansas and Alabama).
It's widely expected that 2025 Naismith Award winner and likely 2025 NBA Draft No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, as well as other Duke standouts, will declare for the draft, but the Blue Devils still have the second-best odds of any college basketball team to win it all.
Auburn (18-1) and Purdue (19-1) are the only other teams with odds better than 20-1.
Sportsbooks did well on the futures market in the 2024-25 season, as the majority of wagers and money at most books were on the Blue Devils to win — and that included a $500,000 wager on Duke at +350 odds at BetMGM, which didn't cash.
One bettor at BetMGM wagered $100,000 on the Gators at +900 odds to win the 2025 NCAA tournament March 6 and cashed a ticket worth $900,000 after Florida's win.
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Associated Press
3 hours ago
- Associated Press
Astros take lead on wild pitch and defeat Guardians 5-3 in 10 innings
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Miami Herald
5 hours ago
- Miami Herald
East Carolina Football Preview 2025: Can the Pirates Keep the Momentum Going?
East Carolina should be a bowl program every was a long, ugly period from 2015 to 2020 when the Pirates couldn't buy a winning season, and after two of them under Mike Houston in 2021 and 2022, the wheels came off. East Carolina was 3-14 against FBS teams, the 2024 season was going nowhere, and then Houston was gone, Blake Harrell stepped in, and ...The schedule got way the wins that are there, and Harrell and ECU did that, got four victories in a row, got bowl eligible, and closed it all out with a Military Bowl win over NC ECU isn't winning the College Football Playoff National Championship, but it has to win the 50/50 games, maybe sneak by a tough home game - hello, Army, BYU, and/or Memphis - and ...East Carolina should be a bowl program. Harrell should have a good enough team to do it. East Carolina Pirates Preview 2025: Offense X CFN, Fiu | CFN Facebook | Bluesky Fiu, CFN - The Pirate offense wasn't bad over the first half of the season, and then it took off. The easier schedule had something to do with it, but overall, the attack finished 24th in the nation in total yards and averaged 32 points per game. - Kaitin Houser took over the offense at the midway point, and everything clicked. He threw for over 2,000 yards and 18 scores, but he threw 11 interceptions. - The Pirates return enough receivers to be okay, even after losing Chase Sowell to Iowa State. Anthony Smith led the way with 41 grabs, averaging over 19 yards per catch, and in comes Jaquaize Pettaway from Oklahoma to work the tight end depth and options are strong, with Desirrio Riles ready for a bigger role - he caught two touchdown passes on ten grabs. - Leading rusher Rahjai Harris is gone, but London Montgomery and Marlon Gunn are decent veteranswho combined for close to 600 rushing yards and five scores. They'll have to battle for yards behind a reworked line. - Jimarion McCrimon is back at one tackle spot, and 6-6, 326-pound Emannuel Poku will work at either tackle or guard. Everything else is up in the air, but the Kyle Long (Maryland) and 340-pound Leivi Semaia (JUCO) are decent-looking guards who should fit in right away. East Carolina Pirates Preview 2025: Defense - The defense wasn't anything great, but it was wonderful in the red zone, came up with a ton of tackles for loss, and when it allowed 31 points or fewer, the offense did the rest. - The top linebackers are gone. Mike Edwards is done, and Zakye Barker is leaving for SMU, but Dameon Wilson is a former Missouri transfer who should shine in the middle. Kevon Merrell is a safety-sized outside defender who can move. Rhyeem Craig is back at his starting spot at a hybrid edge gig. - The portal is helping the interior with Xavier McIver (Houston), Justin Benton (Houston), and Rion Roseborough (Towson), bringing the 300-plus-pound size to the interior. JD Lampley earned All-AAC honors on the end. He's not a dominant pass rusher, but he's a solid all-around playmaker. - The East Carolina secondary has a nice mix of parts. Ja'Marley Riddle is a terrific young free safety who's all over the field, and in comes veteran playmaker Teagan Wilk, a four-year Pirate who's back after going to Houston last corners are a bit green, but TyMir Brown has been around the program, and Jordy Lowery is coming off a six-pick season at Western Carolina. 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Desirrio Riles, TE Jr. East Carolina Pirates 2024 Fun Stats - 1st Quarter Scoring: Opponents 88, East Carolina 34- Fumbles: East Carolina 19 (lost 12), Opponents 19 (lost 5)- Total Offense: Opponents 4,428, East. Carolina 4,328 East Carolina Pirates 2025 Season Prediction, Win Total, What Will Happen Once again, it'll be a slow start for the Pirates. 2014 was the last time they got out of September with fewer than two losses, and that's not changing with at NC State, at Coastal Carolina, BYU, and Army to deal the first game in October isn't a plus, going to like last year, things should pick up a bit. There won't be a four-game second-half winning streak with Memphis and at UTSA back-to-back, but the Pirates will go into the last two games - at Florida Atlantic comes after UTSA - with a shot to go The East Carolina Win Total At … 5.5Likely Wins: Campbell50/50 Games: Army, Charlotte, at Coastal Carolina, at Florida Atlantic, Memphis, at Temple, Tulsa, at UTSALikely Losses: BYU, at NC State, at Tulane © 2025 The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
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Pacers vs. Thunder odds: Best bets, predictions for NBA Finals Game 2
The Indiana Pacers came into the 2025 NBA Finals as historic underdogs, but somehow managed to steal Game 1 from the Oklahoma City Thunder in a 111-110 thriller, thanks to Tyrese Haliburton's clutch shot with 0.3 seconds remaining. The Thunder are still the prohibitive favorites (-350 at BetMGM) to win the series, but Game 2 all of a sudden becomes a massive one for Oklahoma City. Oddsmakers know this as well, which is why the Thunder are 10.5-point home favorites in Game 2 with a total of 228.5. The betting public is backing the Pacers so far at BetMGM, with 69% of the wagers on Indiana to cover. Advertisement Let us not forget the bettor who wagered $1.05 million on Oklahoma City to win the series at -700 odds in Las Vegas at an MGM book on Wednesday night. He or she will be one of the Thunder's biggest fans on Sunday night. Yahoo Sports asked handicapper Michael Fiddle for his thoughts on some best bets for Game 2 of the finals: Game 2: Indiana Pacers at Oklahoma City Thunder (-10.5, 228.5) Fiddle: "I was on the over in Game 1, and while there was some late under money, the closing price of 230 I thought was right. Game 2 is another over spot. I think they'll be fewer turnovers and more shot opportunities for both teams, but especially Indiana — the Pacers shouldn't have 18 turnovers in the first half again. Both teams are top three in pace and value possessions analytically. Oklahoma City should get to the line a little more often as well. Combine more shots with the clock stopped more often, easy baskets and early-market action, and I do think this is comfortable to go back to the over again. Advertisement "The full zig-zag is priced in at -11 for OKC. I can't get there to back either side. I would understand it if people want to back the Pacers again, but I would be very surprised if the 10.5's weren't taken by tip. I think any 10.5's will be hit and if it gets to 10, those will be snapped up as well. The Pacers at plus-11.5 or OKC at minus-10 will probably be sharp numbers to have by tip. There are more opportunities in the prop market, so it's probably the better place to attack. And if you don't have Oklahoma City futures for the series, I'd say now is the time. "I like Pascal Siakam over 18.5 points. I think a lot of people are going to go to Isaiah Hartenstein overs, but I would be cautious of that. It's going to be a public side, and everyone is talking about the Thunder being outrebounded. I don't think Oklahoma City is going to change — they're going to look at as 'We had a 15-point lead in the 4Q and lost it, let's see what happens.' I think they'll keep looking to play small. I'd look more at Lou Dort. His role will be there and stable, so I like his over 14.5 points plus rebounds plus assists, too." Best bets: Over 228.5, Pascal Siakam over 18.5 points, Lou Dort over 14.5 PRA
