SportsBetting3.com has the ultimate Final Four betting guide. See which sportsbooks we recommend. Next, learn the best Final Four betting opportunities. Review our historical data to identify profitable bets.
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Final Four 2024
National Semifinal: April 6, 2024
- #1 UConn 86 – #4 Alabama 72
- #11 NC State 50 – #1 Purdue 63
National Final: April 8, 2024
- #1 UConn 75 – #1 Purdue 60
Current Matchups
Markets
Odds to win the National College Basketball Championship
|
Team |  BetMGM |
|---|---|
| Auburn | +750 Bet |
| Duke | +900 Bet |
| Tennessee | +1000 Bet |
| Gonzaga | +1400 Bet |
| Houston | +1400 Bet |
| UConn | +1500 Bet |
| Alabama | +1600 Bet |
| Kansas | +1600 Bet |
| Iowa State | +1700 Bet |
| Kentucky | +1700 Bet |
| Florida | +2000 Bet |
| Marquette | +4000 Bet |
| Oregon | +4000 Bet |
| Illinois | +5000 Bet |
| Michigan | +5000 Bet |
| North Carolina | +5000 Bet |
| UCLA | +5000 Bet |
| Arizona | +6000 Bet |
| Arkansas | +6000 Bet |
| Baylor | +6000 Bet |
| Cincinnati | +6000 Bet |
| Michigan State | +6000 Bet |
| St. John's | +6000 Bet |
| Texas A&M | +6000 Bet |
| Maryland | +6600 Bet |
| Memphis | +6600 Bet |
| Creighton | +8000 Bet |
| Mississippi State | +8000 Bet |
| Ohio State | +8000 Bet |
| Oklahoma | +8000 Bet |
| Ole Miss | +8000 Bet |
| Purdue | +8000 Bet |
| Texas Tech | +8000 Bet |
| BYU | +10000 Bet |
| Indiana | +10000 Bet |
| Louisville | +10000 Bet |
| Missouri | +10000 Bet |
| Rutgers | +10000 Bet |
| Texas | +10000 Bet |
| Dayton | +12500 Bet |
Table of Contents
- Best Bets
- Highlights Video
- All-Time Final Fours
- Tips
- Buzzer Beaters
- Resources
- Final Four Appearances
- Live Final Four Odds – Tap Here
| Event | Site | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Selection Sunday | TBS 6:00PM ET Live Stream | Sunday, March 17, 2024 |
| First Four | Dayton, OH | March 19-20, 2024 |
| First & Second Rounds | Various Locations | March 21 & 22 |
| First & Second Rounds | Various Location | March 23 & 24 |
| Sweet 16 & Elite 8 | Boston, MA & Los Angeles, CA |
March 28-30 |
| Sweet 16 & Elite 8 | Dallas, TX & Detroit, MI |
March 29-31 |
| Final Four | Phoenix, AZ State Farm Stadium |
April 6 & 8, 2024 |
Printable Bracket
Men’s tournament Printable Bracket – Tap Here
Final Four Betting Opportunities
The following are popular Final Four betting options. Remember, these are the last 3 college basketball games of the season. We explain props, fading the public and common straight bets below.
Final Four Prop Bets
Important Note: Some states expressly forbid individual college athlete prop bets. The following wagers may not be available depending on your particular state laws.
| BetMGM Bet |
|
|---|---|
Illinois State
Cornell
12:00pm EST | Pending BetMGM |
Purdue Fort Wayne
Michigan
1:00pm EST | Pending BetMGM |
Kent State
Alabama
1:00pm EST | Pending BetMGM |
Sacred Heart
Miami (OH)
1:00pm EST | Pending BetMGM |
Illinois
Missouri
1:00pm EST | Pending BetMGM |
Binghamton
Army
1:00pm EST | Pending BetMGM |
Bryant
Towson
1:00pm EST | Pending BetMGM |
Central Arkansas
Oklahoma
1:00pm EST | Pending BetMGM |
Carefully handicap each Final Four team. Sift through all prop bets for the best opportunities. The following examples explain common Final Four prop bets.
Total Points Each Team
Don’t confuse this prop with an over under total bet. A straight total bet estimates a combined total. These prop bets estimate each team’s total points separately.
Total Team Points – Team One
- Over/Under 68
Total Team Points – Team Two
- Over/Under 62½
Look at Team Two’s number. A ½ point total means no tie bets are possible. There are only two possibilities: over or under.
Compare this to Team One’s number. If the result is exactly 68 all bets tie. That means there are 3 possibilities: over, under or tie.
Similar first half props might be offered.
Tip
Add both team’s predicted points together. Compare this number to the game’s total line. Are they consistent? Differences may indicate line moves ripe for sharp betting opportunities.
Team to score the first 10 points in the Championship game
- Duke +160
- Gonzaga -210
Which team will score the first 10 points?
Note each team’s juice. Minus numbers indicate the most likely result. Bettors must risk the amount listed to make $100. Plus numbers indicate the least likely. Bettors must risk $100 to win the amount listed.
Tip
Taking the most likely team isn’t necessarily an obvious winner. The least likely team could be a better value. Always research scoring trends of each team.
Individual Player Props
Note: Some states and jurisdictions prohibit prop bets on college athletes.
Top players will have prop bets for:
- Points Scored
- Rebounds
- Assists
- 3 Pt Shots Made
- Blocks
- Free Throws Made
If you’ve studied the players on likely Final Four teams all season, here’s your chance to cash in. These props reward smart college basketball handicappers.
Carefully match each player against the team’s opposition. For example, is it likely a player can score 15 pts against a strong man-to-man defense? Take the under. But against a zone? Take the over if they can penetrate to the paint.
Likewise, can a good defensive player tally blocks against a team with more than one good shooter? If so, take the over. If not, take the under.
Tip
Foul shots might be one of the easiest prop bets to take. Just research each player’s season shooting percentage, including recent tournament numbers. Read more about props betting.
Fade the Public
Suppose North Carolina vs. Kentucky opens Kentucky -6. Kentucky must win by 7 or more points.
First research North Carolina’s record against the spread. Check how often they’ve covered as underdogs.
Second check the line. Suppose it’s moved to Kentucky -8. Remember the sportsbook wants to balance its action. Increasing the line – giving more points to North Carolina – makes taking the underdog Tar Heels more attractive. Don’t continue following the public!
Take North Carolina if they’ve consistently won against the spread. Bet against the public when line moves present an opportunity!
Tip
Wait until 30 minutes before tipoff to see which underdogs get money. This is sharp action coming in. Bet with the sharps.
Spread and Total Straight Bets
Finding good spread bets isn’t hard if you can handicap college basketball. Look for matchups where the sportsbook’s spread overestimates a favorite’s ability to cover. Here you’ll take the underdog.
Also look for matchups where the sportsbook’s spread underestimates a favorite’s ability to cover. Here you’ll take the favorite. It’s OK to be a chalk eater. A small win is better than a big loss.
You can identify good total betting opportunities from a sportsbook’s spread and total numbers. See our over-under calculations. You have an edge if the total isn’t consistent with the calculation.
If the projected total is under the sportsbook’s total, bet the under. If the projected total is over the sportsbook’s total, bet the over.
Tip
Review SB3’s live college basketball odds here. Also review our spread betting and total betting video tutorials.
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| #1 BetMGM REVIEW | New Customers - Up to $1500 Paid Back in Bonus Bets Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days One new customer offer/Add'l Terms Bet Now 21+ Playable in Ohio only Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-589-9966 |
Last Year’s Final Four Highlights
Best Final Fours All Time
2012 Kentucky Wildcats
A near-perfect 32-2 season produced another win for John Calipari’s Wildcats. Coming off a SEC championship loss to Vanderbilt, Kentucky steamrolled its way to the Final Four.
A 69-61 close call with Louisville, reminiscent of an epic December battle just months earlier, sent the Wildcats to the Championship against Kansas. There they finished the first half 14 points ahead, later winning 67-59.
1982 North Carolina Tar Heels
A stacked Tar Heels team featuring James Worthy, Sam Perkins and a young Michael Jordan barely made the Final Four, squeaking by a determined James Madison team in the first round.
Coach Dean Smith steered them past Houston the first Final Four game, notching a five point win. Then the Tar Heels faced Georgetown in the National Championship. Foreshadowing future greatness, Michael Jordan sank a jump shot with 15 seconds to go, giving North Carolina a 63-62 lead.
Georgetown turned the ball over to James Worthy on the next possession, ending their attempt to win at the buzzer. The 1982 Tar Heels are considered North Carolina’s greatest team of all time.
1992 Duke Blue Devils
Respect to Mike Krzyzewski’s 1992 Blue Devils, the forefathers of today’s Duke Dynasty.
After a dominant 28-2 regular season, Duke was behind in its Elite 8 matchup versus Kentucky. But Christian Laettner’s legendary buzzer beater sent the Blue Devils to the Final Four. Many still hate Laettner! His last name is a four-letter word, still sour in mouths of Duke’s competitors.
Duke edged by Indiana 42-37 in the semifinal game, later crushing Michigan’s Fab Five 71-51 in the National Final. Grant Hill and Laettner led Duke in final, while Bobby Hurley was named the tournament’s most outstanding player.
1979 Michigan State Spartans
Michigan State, Indiana State, DePaul and Penn made the Final Four.
In the end, Earvin Magic Johnson led the Spartans 75-64 over Larry Bird and the Indiana State Sycamores.
1976 Indiana Hoosiers
Indiana, Michigan, UCLA and Rutgers
Topping a perfect 32-0 season wasn’t a challenge for Quinn Buckner and Kent Benson of Indiana, defeating Michigan 86-68 in an uneventful Final Four. It was Coach Bobby Knight’s first National Championship.
1988 Kansas Jayhawks
Kansas, Oklahoma, Arizona, Duke
Incredibly, #6 seed Kansas pulled the ultimate upset against #1 Oklahoma, winning the game 83-79. Danny Manning led the Jayhawks. It was Kansas’ first national title in nearly 50 years.
Final Four Betting Tips
- Refresh your bankroll before Final Four Betting begins. Deposit early to avoid last minute credit card processing glitches.
- Monitor Final Four prop bets closely. Visit your sportsbook’s prop page regularly.
- Shop college basketball lines at multiple sportsbooks. SB3 has live odds here.
- Consider a 2 team parlay on the first two Final Four games if the numbers are favorable. Otherwise stick to straight bets only: spread, total or money line.
Best March Madness Buzzer Beaters
It takes less than 1 second! Watch on our March Madness Betting page.
Tournament Resources
March Madness
- March Madness Bracket Betting – Learn to bet on the March Madness tournament bracket, plus pick up some invaluable tournament betting strategies.
- March Madness Point Spreads – Review the latest point spreads for upcoming March Madness events.
- March Madness Moneylines – We’ve got the latest March Madness moneylines, plus a handy tutorial explaining how to place this simple bet.
- March Madness Prop Bets – We’ve got the latest March Madness prop bets and handy betting tutorial all in one article.
- March Madness Final Four Appearances – See which teams have made the most Final Four appearances in recent history.
- March Madness Over Under Trends – Our classic study looks at over-under total betting trends for the tournament broken down by seed and conference to identify unique betting opportunities.
Final Four
- Odds to Make the Final Four – See current futures odds to make the Final Four.
- Best Final Four Overtime Games – Review the best Final Four overtime games in history, including game results and summaries.
College Basketball Betting Resources
- College Basketball Betting Guide – Learn how to bet on college basketball with point spreads, totals, and moneylines, plus exotic bets like parlays and prop bets.
- College Basketball Betting Sites – We’ve analyzed and reviewed the best legal sportsbooks for college basketball betting.
- College Basketball Odds – Point spread, total, and moneyline odds for upcoming College Basketball games, including March Madness and the Final Four.
- College Basketball Prop Bets – See prop betting lines and odds for upcoming College basketball games, including March Madness and the Final Four.
- College Basketball Futures Odds – Learn more about how to bet on college basketball futures. Review odds to win the National Championship and key D1 college basketball conferences, plus odds to win the John R. Wooden Award.
- Final Four Betting Odds – The latest Final Four futures odds, men’s basketball tournament schedule, matchup odds, and prop bets.
- March Madness Betting Odds – Review odds to win the NCAA men’s college basketball tournament, then learn how to bet on the tournament with the latest matchup lines and odds.
- Basketball Halftime Middling – Learn how to identify halftime middling opportunities that can help you make money betting on college basketball.
- College Basketball Conference Futures Odds – See odds to win college basketball conferences, including the SEC, Pac-12, American, ACC, WCC, Big 10, Big East, and Big 12.
- Undefeated College Basketball Teams – See which teams are still undefeated in the current regular season.
- Early Season College Basketball Betting Tips – The first couple weeks of college basketball present a unique opportunity to get an edge as oddsmakers try to get their lines right. Learn a couple quick ways to improve your NCAA basketball handicapping techniques.