Although Gonzaga remains the College Basketball odds favorite to win the 2022 National Championship, they are no lock. Specifically for the 2022 NCAA Tournament, there are plenty of strong candidates. The Kentucky Wildcats, Arizona Wildcats, and Auburn Tigers have shown power. In comparison, the Purdue Boilermakers, Duke Blue Devils, Kansas Jayhawks, and Baylor Bears remain strong. Also, the Villanova Wildcats and Texas Tech Red Raiders bring true ability. Gonzaga has not faced the level of competition that these other betting favorites have. To illuminate, the West Coast Conference is not the big-time.
March Madness 2022 NCAA Basketball Tournament
| Date: | March 15 Through April 4, 2022 |
|---|---|
| TV Coverage: | CBS and its Affiliates |
2022 March Madness Odds at SBG
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Gonzaga Bulldogs | +500 |
| Auburn Tigers | +800 |
| Purdue Boilermakers | +900 |
| Duke Blue Devils | +1000 |
| Arizona Wildcats | +1000 |
| Kentucky Wildcats | +1000 |
| Baylor Bears | +1400 |
| Kansas Jayhawks | +1400 |
| UCLA Bruins | +1800 |
| Villanova Wildcats | +1800 |
| Illinois Fighting Illini | +2000 |
| All Other Programs | +3000 or higher |
2022 College Basketball March Madness SBG Odds Overview
Through the years, Gonzaga has transformed from a Cinderella Giant Killer to be a national online betting power. The Bulldogs have made the NCAA Championship Game twice in the past five years. Including last year, but lost both times. Also, Gonzaga faces its share of criticism for playing in the relatively weaker West Coast Conference. The WCC allows the Zags to pace themselves more than power five programs. And that has left them soft when it has been time to finish. Thus, many gamblers believe that the Bulldogs’ March Madness failures stem from its weaker competition in the regular season.
There is an NCAAB betting myth that the NCAA Tournament produces Cinderella teams. Namely, Gonzaga was a big part based on past upsets that put them on the national stage. However, the truth is that as the NCAA Tournament progresses, the better teams usually advance. Consider that Loyola-Chicago is the only recent Cinderella that made it to the Final Four.
Certainly, the NCAA Tournament produces its share of upsets each year. And that is part of its draw. “Bracket Buster” wins by underdogs keep gamblers guessing. But as the tournament progresses towards the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight, gamblers will encounter more name brands.
Most important of all, keep in mind is that March Madness is a name-brand event. College basketball is not a huge draw in the regular season. Thus, a significant amount of squares money changes the odds when tournament time arrives. Squares that ignore college basketball in the regular season bet without much knowledge. Thus, they gravitate to the more traditional big brands such Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, Villanova, and UCLA Bruins.
College Basketball March Madness Conclusion
In like manner to the Super Bowl, the NCAA Tournament had humble beginnings. But the Big Dance has become the second biggest event on the sports betting calendar each year.
In fact, the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament is the second biggest draw in Las Vegas. That is for both wagering action and hotel rooms booked. The do-or-die aspect of the NCAA Tournament is one attraction. So too are those 68-team brackets irresistible to the masses. Accordingly, they serve as a natural draw for betting action. This will be the first time since 2019 that fans will be allowed in the stands, adding to the excitement.