College Basketball

2024-25 College Basketball odds: Six early championship futures bets to make now

Published Apr. 10, 2024 9:34 a.m. ET

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Jason McIntyre

Co-Host of THE HERD and FOX Sports Betting Analyst

What a season! 

Now that UConn has won back-to-back titles, it's time to look ahead to next year. 

Teams will scramble to the transfer portal to improve their rosters, while others will lose studs to the NBA. 

RELATED: 2025 March Madness odds: Duke opens as early favorites; Huskies move up

From a betting perspective, this is the perfect time to make some very early futures bets for next season, because you can get better numbers.

With recruits and transfers still on the move, this is a little bit of a gamble, but let’s try to nail next year’s winner. 

Here are my six early favorite futures bets to make now — with odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. 

Duke: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)

You absolutely must have a futures ticket on Duke next year. 

Regardless of what happens with guards Tyrese Proctor, Caleb Foster (I expect both to return) and Jeremy Roach, they’re going to be in the mix to win the title because of the top recruit in the country, 6-foot-11 monster Cooper Flagg. 

All the toughness that Duke has lacked the last two seasons, that’s what he brings to the table. 

Flagg is a lock to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and will be a contender for the player of the year. If even two or three of the guards return for the Blue Devils, pencil them in for 30 wins.

Gonzaga: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)

The best team on the West Coast next year will be Gonzaga. 

In addition to their starting backcourt returning, they added one of the best transfers in the country in Michael Ajayi. 

Gonzaga is going to be very well-rounded and feels like a No. 1 seed with a good path to the Final Four.

Iowa State: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)

Iowa State hurt me badly last month, losing to Illinois as a favorite in the Sweet 16. 

But I’m going back to them here under one big assumption: TJ Otzelberger doesn’t take the Kentucky job. 

If he stays in Ames, the Cyclones return four of their top six players, as well as two impact transfers, and they’ll likely be the top team in the Big 12 with an inside track on a top-two seed again.

Alabama: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)

Today, I’d take a flier on Alabama, but next week, it might look terrible. 

Three of their four best players, led by point guard Mark Sears, have a year of eligibility left. If all three stay, I expect them to return to the Final Four. 

But all three might test the draft waters or consider playing overseas. 

Nate Oats is a fantastic coach who has won NCAA tourney games at Buffalo and been to the Sweet 16 three times in four years with Alabama.

St. Mary’s: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total)

St. Mary’s isn’t sneaking up on anyone anymore. 

That first round loss to Grand Canyon hurt. 

The backcourt of Aidan Mahaney and Augustas Marciulionis is terrific, but if they can add an athletic wing defender or two, they’re an under-the-radar Final Four threat.

UCLA: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total)

Tough to call a blue blood a long shot, but keep an eye on UCLA. 

They didn’t even make the tournament last season, going with a freshman-heavy squad. 

But adding two impact players through the transfer portal to join budding star Dylan Andrews is enticing. 

If post player Adem Bona sticks around, UCLA will have major value next season.

Jason McIntyre is the co-host of The Herd and a FOX Sports gambling analyst, and he also writes about the NFL and NBA Draft. He joined FS1 in 2016 and has appeared on every show on the network. In 2017, McIntyre began producing gambling content on the NFL, college football and NBA for FOX Sports. He had a gambling podcast for FOX, "Coming Up Winners," in 2018 and 2019. Before arriving at FOX, he created the website The Big Lead, which he sold in 2010. You can find him on Twitter @JasonRMcIntyre.

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