The No. 1 overall seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament is not the betting favorite to win the national champions, according to opening lines from Caesars Sportsbook. Top overall seed Alabama has the second-best odds to cut down the nets on the first Monday night in April, opening at 7-1. No. 1 seed Houston, the top team in the Midwest Region, has the best odds at 6-1. Fellow No. 1 seeds Kansas and Purdue tie for the third-best odds on the board at 10-1.
Alabama earned the top overall seed by the selection committee after it won both the SEC regular-season title and SEC Tournament, the latter of which was seemingly the differentiating factor in separating it from the rest of the No. 1 overall seed contenders. At 29-5, its win total is tied for third-most among all teams in the tournament, and the top-five offense is built around superstar freshman, Brandon Miller.
Houston was named the No. 2 overall team in this year’s bracket by the committee, and by virtue earned a favorable draw geographically as the top seed in the Midwest Region. Though the status of star guard Marcus Sasser, who suffered a groin injury during the AAC Tournament, is a question, the Cougars remain the team to beat in the eyes of Vegas.
Betting lines don’t completely correlate by seed line, though. The four No. 1 seeds are all favorites, and No. 2 seed Texas, UCLA and Gonzaga all trail shortly behind; however, No. 3 seed Gonzaga has the next-best odds at 15-1, tied with No. 4 seed UConn. Marquette has the worst odds among No. 2 seeds at 20-1.
You can see the updated odds from Caesars Sportsbook below.
National championship odds
- Houston: 6-1
- Alabama: 7-1
- Kansas: 10-1
- Purdue: 10-1
- Texas: 12-1
- UCLA: 12-1
- Arizona: 12-1
- Gonzaga: 15-1
- UConn: 15-1
- Marquette: 20-1
- Tennessee: 25-1
- Baylor: 25-1
- TCU: 40-1
- Miami: 40-1
- Creighton: 40-1
- Indiana: 40-1
- Kentucky: 40-1
- Xavier: 50-1
- Virginia: 50-1
- Texas A&M: 50-1
- Kansas State: 50-1
- Saint Mary’s: 50-1
- Arkansas: 60-1
- Iowa State: 60-1
- San Diego State: 65-1
- Memphis: 75-1
- Maryland: 75-1
- West Virginia: 100-1
- Auburn: 100-1
- Illinois: 100-1
- Iowa: 125-1
- Providence: 125-1
- Michigan State: 150-1
- Penn State: 150-1
- Northwestern: 150-1
- Missouri: 150-1
- Utah State: 200-1
- Mississippi State: 200-1
- USC: 200-1
- Pitt: 250-1
- Arizona State: 250-1
- NC State: 250-1
- Boise State: 250-1
- VCU: 300-1
- Charleston: 300-1
- Florida Atlantic: 300-1
- Drake: 300-1
- Oral Roberts: 300-1
- Nevada: 500-1
- Kent State: 500-1
- Furman: 500-1
- Iona: 500-1
- Louisiana: 750-1
- UC Santa Barbara: 1000-1
- Kennesaw State: 1000-1
- Grand Canyon: 1500-1
- Princeton: 1500-1
- Vermont: 1500-1
- Montana State: 1500-1
- Colgate: 1500-1
- UNC Asheville: 1500-1
- Northern Kentucky: 2000-1
- Howard: 2500-1
- Texas A&M CC: 2500-1
- Southeast Missouri State: 3000-1
- Texas Southern: 3000-1
- Fairleigh Dickinson: 3000-1