With the college basketball season in full swing and March Madness right around the corner, serious championship contenders are starting to emerge. The latest teams to join that group are Tennessee and Iowa State, which have made tremendous leaps in the NCAA basketball championship odds at BetMGM.
But here’s the question, should you bet on either of these squads’ rising stock? Let’s break it down below.
NCAA Basketball Championship Odds & Movement
BetMGM lines as of January 30 show Tennessee with the fourth-best odds to win the National Championship. 5.1 percent of tickets and 5.4 percent of money is currently supporting the Volunteers to win it all. Similarly, Iowa State sits in tenth in the overall odds with more sleeper-like support and 0.9% of tickets and 0.4% of money at BetMGM.
Both teams have made significant progress over the past few games to better their NCAA basketball championship odds.
Tennessee Checks In With Fourth-Best Odds
Tennessee odds went from +1400 last week to the current price of +1100 at BetMGM. That move gives the Volunteers the fourth-best NCAA Basketball Championship odds at the moment: trailing Houston, Purdue, and Alabama in that regard.
The Vols’ recent move from No. 4 to No. 2 in the AP Poll is no surprise, as they have dominated their past few games. A convincing win over No. 10 Texas, along with a cool 7-1 SEC record has helped Tennessee climb to the No. 2 spot. Future games at Auburn (Feb. 4), vs. Alabama (Feb. 15), and vs. Arkansas (Feb. 28) will go a long way in determining the Volunteers’ staying power among college basketball’s elite teams.
Does Iowa State (Really) Have Championship Potential?
Iowa State suffered a humbling 80-77 loss at Texas Tech on Monday, but the oddsmakers still see potential in the Cyclones. Last week, Iowa State had longshot +6600 odds to win the NCAA Basketball Championship. Per BetMGM, that number has been nearly cut in half, as the Cyclones are now +3500 to win it all. The move puts Iowa State alongside fellow Big 12 hopeful Kansas State (+3500) while jumping ahead of teams like Duke (+4000), Kentucky (+4000), and Arkansas (+4000).
Although Iowa State actually dropped from No. 12 to No. 13 in the most recent AP Poll, its track record speaks for itself when it comes to a potential Final Four run. The Cyclones have already defeated No. 11 Baylor, No. 15 TCU, No. 10 Texas, and No. 7 Kansas State this season. It’s safe to say that Iowa State will be battle-tested by the time March rolls around.
Regardless of some streakiness this season, Iowa State has proven capable of beating any ranked opponent in its path. This is a volatile team that could get upset in the first few rounds or make a deep run. The oddsmakers seem to believe in the latter while adjusting their numbers accordingly.
