As confetti fell on the courts in Glendale, Ariz., following UW's second consecutive national championship, bettors began to focus on the odds to win the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The 2024 finalists, the Huskies, and runner-up Purdue are among the top teams on FanDuel and DraftKings' list of 2025 potential teams. At the top of the list are teams with important questions to answer. THE TOP 5 Duke (+1000 on DraftKings, +1100 on FanDuel) is the favorite. Manager John Scheyer has a strong roster of new players that he can mix in with players who could return to the rotation and additions from the transfer portal. The Blue Devils' headliner will likely be Cooper Flagg, a generational talent who led Duke to a top-rated recruit. The next three teams on DraftKings' list tied at +1400 are Kansas, UW, and North Carolina. Jayhawks coach Bill Self was already planning for the 2024-25 season when his injury-plagued team was on the verge of stalling in the NCAA Tournament last month. South Dakota State sharpshooter Zeke Mayo feels better after announcing he will play for the Jayhawks after entering the transfer portal as a top target. With fast-rising freshman Stephon Castle developing very quickly and a guaranteed NBA lottery pick in June, UW will need to get close to the quality of depth this season. right. Sophomore center Donovan Clingan probably won't be far off, and Alex Karavan will likely be drafted as well. But the good news for Huskies fans is that Dan Hurley has built a program with the best momentum in the nation, a place where top recruits and transfers want to play. North Carolina, another blue blood, is in a similar situation when it comes to recruiting pipeline and sustained success. On DraftKings' list, Houston, Alabama and Arizona are tied for fifth place at +1,600. Right behind Duke on FanDuel is Kansas State (+1200), followed by Alabama (+1500), Houston (+1500) and North Carolina (+1500). The next wave UConn (+1800) didn't put him in the top five on FanDuel, but it's hard to imagine the Huskies dropping any further. Purdue is +2800 on DraftKings and +3000 on FanDuel. The other schools were Baylor, Iowa State, Gonzaga, Auburn, and Arkansas that had sportsbook scores of +3000 or higher and were recognized as having a chance to win the title in 2025. . The Razorbacks' odds on DraftKings have increased from +7,000 to +3,000, an obvious sign of respect for incoming coach John Calipari, who left Kentucky. However, oddsmakers don't seem to place much weight on Calipari leaving Lexington, with the Wildcats' odds increasing from +1,600 to just +2,000 after the announcement. Long Shots Some traditionally strong basketball schools are assigned long odds and could be targets for some speculators dreaming of a big hit a year from now. Just outside the +3000 threshold are Illinois, Michigan, Texas, and Tennessee, all of whom carry great reputations and typically high expectations. Further down the list is Southern California (+8,000 on DraftKings), where new coach Eric Musselman is poised to bring a strong transfer class to Los Angeles. Texas A&M (+9000) is heading higher. And what about coach Tony Bennett and Virginia's bounce back? The Cavaliers are +12000 on the DraftKings board. One of his best stories of the 2024 NCAA Tournament was the rise of No. 11 seed North Carolina State, which charged to the Final Four. Want to crush the sportsbook? Give the Wolfpack a shot at +15000 (DraftKings). The Final Key Perhaps the most important thing when trying to crack the books is to be careful and aware of the top-rated transfer players. Keep an eye on Kentucky's Aaron Bradshaw and Florida Atlantic's veteran star Jonelle Davis. They could be the final piece of the championship puzzle for the top contenders. Arizona's 7-foot center Oumar Baro could also have a big impact in determining his own future within the transfer portal. –Field level media
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