Who Is Predicted to Win March Madness 2026?

Millions of people are studying college basketball this week in an effort to make the best March Madness bracket possible.

In most bracket contests, the most important thing you can do is correctly predict the national champion.

Who Is Predicted to Win March Madness This Year?

At the start of the first round, BetMGM’s NCAA basketball odds have predicted Duke () will win the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball Tournament – AKA, March Madness. 

Other March Madness Favorites to Watch

Beyond Duke, the other No. 1 seeds in this year’s bracket are Michigan (), Arizona (), and Florida ().

Houston, a No. 2 seed, played against Florida in last year’s national championship game. The Cougars () have made it to two Final Fours in the last five seasons and are expected to mount a deep run again this year. 

Projecting the 2026 NCAA Tournament Bracket

Odds can be helpful signposts when making big bracket decisions. 

From an online sports betting perspective, the only five teams at 12-to-1 or shorter are the five teams I’ve already mentioned: Duke, Michigan, Arizona, Florida, and Houston.

If you’re trying to pick one of the best teams to win your bracket, you should probably pick one of those five teams. 

For everything else, I’ve written several analysis pieces this week that may help you make good bracket decisions – or even place a winning bet.

You can check out my guide to the most likely NCAA Tournament Cinderella teams here. I also wrote about the most popular early tournament upset picks, as chosen by BetMGM sportsbook players. 

For anyone looking for specific betting insights, I also have high-level breakdowns for both the men’s basketball national championship odds and the women’s basketball national championship odds. 

If you need a new paper bracket, you can access our free 2026 March Madness printable bracket here.