The 2026 edition of March Madness is approaching. The annual NCAA basketball tournament begins with Selection Sunday on March 15. The first four games take place not long after that, on March 17 and 18. The tournament heats up near the end of the month with the Sweet 16 on March 26-27, and the Elite Eight on March 28-29. The Final Four battle on April 4, and the NCAA Championship game takes place on April 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
When the tournament got down to the Final Four in 2025, all four number one seeds were in the mix: Auburn, Florida, Duke, and Houston. In the end, the Florida Gators defeated the Houston Cougars by a score of 65-63 to give Florida its first championship since it won back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007.
While all four number one seeds made it to the Final Four in 2025, that is not the norm when it comes to March Madness. 2025 was just the second time that happened. The other was in 2008. Further, three No. 1 seeds have made the Final Four five times. Which is to say, one needs to look down the rankings at potential upsets and underdogs when picking the teams that will make the Final Four.
Below, we look at the betting odds, picks, and predictions for the best value bets to make the Final Four of the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball championship.
| To Make 2026 Final Four |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | -150 | -150 | -150 |
| Duke | -120 | -125 | -115 |
| Arizona | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Houston | +160 | +160 | +150 |
| Florida | +200 | +185 | +225 |
| Illinois | +225 | +250 | +225 |
| Iowa State | +300 | +260 | +275 |
| Connecticut | +375 | +400 | +375 |
| Purdue | +550 | +550 | +550 |
| Kansas | +600 | +550 | +600 |
| Arkansas | +900 | +800 | +600 |
| Gonzaga | +950 | +950 | +950 |
| St. John's | +1000 | +1200 | +1400 |
| Alabama | +1200 | +1200 | +1200 |
| Michigan State | +1300 | +1200 | +1200 |
| Louisville | +1500 | +1400 | +1400 |
| Nebraska | +1500 | +1400 | +1400 |
| Tennessee | +1500 | +1400 | +1400 |
| Vanderbilt | +1500 | +2000 | +1800 |
| Virginia | +2000 | +2000 | +1400 |
The Florida Gators are the No. 7 ranked team in the latest AP Poll, surging five spots from the previous week. Florida is the No. 1 team in the SEC with an overall record of 21-6, and a conference mark of 12-2. The Gators have recent wins over Vanderbilt, Alabama, and Kentucky. Those victories helped the club move up the rankings, as well as the betting odds to make the Final Four. Florida is currently on a seven-game winning streak, and the team only plays one ranked opponent in its last four games of the season, meeting No. 20 Arkansas at home on February 28. They close out their season with a rematch against Kentucky, who they defeated 92-83 at home on February 14.
The defending national champs have won 11 of their past 12 games. Their only loss during that stretch came on January 24 when Auburn defeated Florida 76-67. Most of the teams’ victories came by double digits. If the team can enter March Madness with momentum, they have a chance to win back-to-back titles.
The winners of the 2023 and 2024 national championships, the UConn Huskies, entered the 2025 tournament as the No. 8 seed in the West Region. The team failed to become the second team to earn three consecutive championships when the Florida Gators defeated them 77-75 in the Round of 32. This year, the Huskies could be back in the mix to make the Final Four.
UConn is currently the No. 6 team in the AP Poll, falling one spot from the previous week. The Huskies had a tremendous run from November 23 through February 14, going unbeaten in 18 straight games. That run began following a November 19 71-67 loss to Arizona, and ended on February 6 with an 81-72 setback to St. John’s. The team is 3-1 in its past four, with its loss coming to Creighton (91-84) on February 18. UConn is in second place in the Big East with a 15-2 conference record and an overall mark of 25-3, which is a better season record than St. John’s (22-5), who are No. 1 in the conference at 15-1.
With coach Danny Hurley leading a veteran core of Solo Ball, Silas Demary, Alex Karaban, and Tarris Reed into March Madness, the UConn Huskies are a good value pick to make the Final Four in 2026.
The Fighting Illini of Illinois are currently the No. 10 team in the AP Poll. The team sports a 22-6 overall record and a 13-4 mark in the Big Ten, putting them in second place in the conference behind the Michigan Wolverines, one of the betting favorites to win the 2026 NCAA National Championship.
Last year, Illinois made it to the Round of 32 after being a No. 6 seed. The team was eliminated in that round by Kentucky, losing 84-75. The last time the Fighting Illini made the Final Four was 2005, when they finished second to North Carolina in the national championship game.
Things have not gone well for Illinois as of late. The team is 2-3 in its five most recent outings, losing to Michigan State (85-82), Wisconsin (92-90), and UCLA (95-94). Illinois can take some solace in those defeats since they all took place in overtime. However, those losses might give some bettors pause when the pressure of March Madness ramps up for the club.
Illinois has a huge game scheduled for February 27 when they play the No. 3 ranked Wolverines at home.
Illinois is a young team, but they are effective in scoring. However, defense is a weak spot for the club, which is something to consider when picking the team to make the Final Four in 2026.
Prior to making any bets on your NCAA Basketball picks, you definitely should be checking out the latest NCAA Basketball Vegas odds. You can also look at the latest Vegas March Madness betting odds. You should also be taking advantage of these Vegas betting site bonuses to make the most of your NCAA Basketball betting.
