Betting on the Future: Six Early Favorites for the 2024-25 College Basketball Title
What a season!
With UConn’s consecutive championships, it is time to focus on the upcoming season.
While some teams may lose star players to the NBA, others will rush to the transfer portal in an attempt to bolster their squads.
Related: March Madness 2025 odds: Huskies advance, Duke enters as the early favorite
From a betting standpoint, you can obtain better figures now, therefore now is the ideal moment to place some very early futures bets for the upcoming season.
This is a bit of a bet because recruits and transfers are still in the mix, but let us try to predict the champion for next year.
Here are my top six early picks for futures wagers, along with the odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook.
Duke: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
You have to be on Duke’s futures roster for the upcoming season.
They will have a chance to win the championship regardless of what happens to guards Tyrese Proctor, Caleb Foster (I anticipate them returning), and Jeremy Roach because they have the best recruit in the nation, 6-foot-11 giant Cooper Flagg.
He brings with him all the tenacity that Duke has not had the last two seasons.
Flagg is a surefire candidate for player of the year and the top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. If the Blue Devils manage to get back two or three guards, they should be able to win 30 games.
Gonzaga: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Not only did their starting backcourt return, but they also brought in Michael Ajayi, one of the greatest transfers in the nation.
Gonzaga feels like a No. 1 seed with a strong chance to make it to the Final Four and will be extremely well-rounded.
Iowa State: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Last month, I was severely saddened by Iowa State’s Sweet 16 loss to Illinois as the favorite.
However, I am returning to them here under the supposition that TJ Otzelberger declines the Kentucky position.
With two major transfers and four of their top six players returning, if he stays in Ames, the Cyclones should be the best team in the Big 12 with a good chance of finishing in the top two seeds once more.
Alabama: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
I would take a chance on Alabama today, but it might not look good the next week.
Point guard Mark Sears leads their squad of four standout players with one year remaining on their eligibility. I anticipate that all three will make it back to the Final Four.
However, all three might take a look at playing abroad or test the draft waters.
Fantastic coach Nate Oats has led Buffalo to victory in NCAA tournament games and Alabama to three consecutive Sweet 16 appearances in four years.
St. Mary’s: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total)
St. Mary’s is no longer ambushing people without warning.
It hurt to lose to Grand Canyon in the first round.
Aidan Mahaney and Augustas Marciulionis make up a fantastic backcourt, but they could be a sneaky Final Four contender if they can add one or two athletic wing defenders.
UCLA: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total)
It is difficult to consider UCLA a long shot, but keep an eye on them.
With a roster heavy on freshmen, they failed to even qualify for the tournament the previous season.
However, it is tempting to add two impact players to Dylan Andrews, a rising star, through the transfer site.
Post player Adem Bona might be a significant asset to UCLA next season if he stays.
In addition to being a FOX Sports gambling expert and co-host of The Herd, Jason McIntyre blogs about the NFL and NBA Draft. Since joining FS1 in 2016, he has made appearances on all of the network’s programs. McIntyre started creating wagering material for FOX Sports in 2017 focusing on the NFL, college football, and NBA. In 2018 and 2019, he hosted the “Coming Up Winners” gambling podcast on FOX. He founded and sold the website The Big Lead in 2010 before to joining FOX. He may be reached at @JasonRMcIntyre on Twitter.