March Madness Odds: First Round Spreads & Totals

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The 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament is officially underway, with the field of 68 teams battling for championship glory. From early upsets by Howard and Texas to the expected dominance of No. 1 seeds like Michigan, Duke, Florida, and Arizona, the tournament is already living up to its reputation for excitement and unpredictability.

Why it matters

The NCAA Tournament is one of the most anticipated sporting events of the year, with millions of fans filling out brackets and tuning in to watch the action unfold. The early results and betting odds provide valuable insights into the potential for upsets, close games, and the overall strength of the top teams and conferences.

The details

Michigan, boasting a remarkable 31-2 record and a Big Ten regular-season title, enters the tournament as a heavy favorite. Duke, Arizona, and defending champion Florida also hold top seed status, indicating their strong performance throughout the season. These teams are heavily favored in their first-round matchups, with Michigan facing Howard and Arizona taking on Long Island University. However, the First Four already delivered surprises, with 16-seed Howard defeating UMBC and 11-seed Texas overcoming NC State. Several other lower-seeded teams, like SMU (11-seed) and Lehigh (16-seed), are favored in their opening-round games, suggesting potential for further upsets. The game between Santa Clara (10-seed) and Kentucky (7-seed) is expected to be a nail-biter, with a spread of just 3.5 points, while the contest between Missouri (10-seed) and Miami (7-seed) is also predicted to be tight, with Miami favored by only 1.5 points.

• The 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament is officially underway.
• The First Four games have already been played.