At the onset of 2020 College basketball wagering futures come favorites that would come as no surprise. To begin with the defending champion Virginia Cavaliers opened with the perennial power Kentucky Wildcats as the co-favorites to win the 2020 national championship. It comes as no surprise that other blue blood powers would follow. Big names such as the Duke Blue Devils, Michigan State Spartans, Michigan Wolverines, Gonzaga Bulldogs, North Carolina Tar Heels, and Villanova Wildcats are all top public picks.
Favorites and Odds
Of course, Virginia and Kentucky opened as 7/1 College basketball wagering favorites for the 2020 title. Next at 8/1 are Duke and Michigan State. Michigan opened at 12/1 with Gonzaga, North Carolina, and Villanova at 14/1. On the next level at 20/1 were the Arizona Wildcats, Kansas Jayhawks, and Louisville Cardinals. And at 30/1 are the Auburn Tigers, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Oregon Ducks, Tennessee Volunteers and Florida State Seminoles.
Tony Bennett’s New Challenge
Certainly, Virginia is coming off one of the greatest redemptions in college basketball history. Nobody will ever forget the Cavaliers 2018 Offshore betting disaster when as a top seed in March Madness they were upset by last seed Baltimore County. Head coach Tony Bennett was panned for what was perceived to be an over emphasis on defense. The only way the Cavs would ever live down that catastrophe was to come back and win it all. Which is exactly what they did. Of great concern are the departures of key assets such as Final Four hero Kyle Guy.
Calipari Faces Heat
On the whole head coach John Calipari has been a College basketball wagering success at the University of Kentucky. Yet for all of the one and done top NBA draft picks he recruited Calipari has only one national title in ten years. Furthermore, U of K has not made the Final Four since 2015. Calipari was offered the UCLA job last spring so he was able to leverage that into a lifetime deal to stay at Lexington. Much of Kentucky’s status as a favorite is based on name brand. The reality remains to be seen.
Coach K Reloads
Duke has long been one of the most hated teams in college basketball. Cause by Zion Williamson did the Blue Devils actually win fans last year. Williamson has departed for the riches of the NBA. Which means that head coach Mike Krzyzewski must again reload. Not that he won’t. Cause by annual recruiting classes that rank among the highest in the land does Duke maintain favorite status. In the same way as Kentucky have the Blue Devils made the Final Four last in 2015. In other words, Duke is way past due in the eyes of the public.
Winston Will Sparty On
Extending the reputation of Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo is a 2018-19 season of tremendous achievement. Michigan State won the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles. More emphatically the Spartans made the Final Four. Most important of all they were one of the most profitable teams on the college basketball board. MSU covered 27 of 39 games. Now comes the best news of all. Big Ten Player of the Year Cassius Winston will return for his senior season. Of all the favorites on the board Michigan State could be the most substantive.