Duke men's basketball takes over as betting favorite to win NCAA championship

Updated March 25, 2025, 11:24 a.m. by Brayden Stamps 1 min read
NCAAB News

RALEIGH, N.C.

(WGHP) With dominant wins in their first two NCAA tournament games, the Duke Blue Devils are now the betting favorite to win the national championship.DraftKings Sportsbook and Fanduel Sportsbook list the Blue Devils as the favorite to win the title at +230 odds.

BetMGM lists Duke as the favorite to win it all with +225 odds.PROVIDENCE, RI - MARCH 19: The March Madness logo shown on the floor before the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament - First & Second Rounds Practice Day at the Amica Mutual Pavilion on March 19, 2025, in Providence, Rhode Island.

(Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)What's next for the Blue Devils?The 33-3 No.

1 seed Blue Devils will now prepare for a Sweet Sixteen matchup against 24-12 No.

4 seed Arizona Wildcats on Thursday at 9:39 p.m.

in Newark, New Jersey.No.

1 Duke blasts No.

9 Baylor in second round of NCAA TournamentDuke and Arizona have already faced off once this season in non-conference play with the Blue Devils taking the 69-55 win on the Wildcats' home court in Tuscon, Arizona on Nov.

22, 2024.TUCSON, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 22: Cooper Flagg #2 of the Duke Blue Devils falls into the crowd attempting to control a loose ball during the second half against the Arizona Wildcats at McKale Center on November 22, 2024, in Tucson, Arizona.

(Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)Duke's superstar freshman Cooper Flagg starred in that November contest posting team highs in points, rebounds and blocks in the 14-point win.The game will also see an opportunity for Duke fans to match up with an old tournament nemesis as former North Carolina Tar Heels star Caleb Love is Arizona's starting guard.SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - MARCH 23: Caleb Love #2 of the Arizona Wildcats celebrates a three-point basket against the Dayton Flyers during the first half in the second round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Delta Center on March 23, 2024, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)Love famously hit the iconic late three-point shot in UNC's victory over Duke in the two programs' historic Final Four battle in 2022.NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - APRIL 02: Caleb Love #2 of the North Carolina Tar Heels shoots the ball over Mark Williams #15 of the Duke Blue Devils during the second half in the semifinal game of the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Final Four at Caesars Superdome on April 02, 2022, in New Orleans, Louisiana.

(Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)The Blue Devils did shut Love down holding him to 8 points on 3/13 shooting in that November contest.

The guard will likely need to turn back the clock to those Tar Heels days if Arizona is going to pull off the unlikely upset.BetMGM and DraftKings Sportsbook currently have Duke as a 9.5-point favorite in their rematch with Arizona.

Fanduel Sportsbook has Duke as an 8.5-point favorite.How did Duke get here?Duke forward Cooper Flagg, left, cheers from the bench during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Georgia Tech in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, Thursday, March 13, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C.

Flagg was injured in the first half.

(AP Photo/Chris Carlson)The Blue Devils have been among the most dominant teams in the nation throughout the regular season this year.Led by the ACC Player of the Year Flagg and an outstanding supporting cast, the Blue Devils cruised through ACC play nearly unblemished en route to the ACC regular season championship and have spent most of the season ranked in the top 10.Duke defeated UNC in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament and defeated Louisville in the ACC Championship Game to earn a No.

1 seed in the East Region of the bracket.CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 15: Duke Blue Devils players celebrate after defeating the Louisville Cardinals during the championship round of the ACC men's basketball tournament at Spectrum Center on March 15, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

(Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)In the First Round, the Blue Devils beat No.

16 seed Mount St.

Mary's Mountaineers by a score of 93-49.

In the Second Round, Duke beat the No.

9 seed Baylor Bears 89-66..

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