The Duke Blue Devils dropped the hammer on the rest of Division I when they signed Marvin Bagley III, the top-ranked prospect in the nation. Will they go on to become NCAA basketball champions? 2018 odds are available right now at Bovada Sportsbook; at press time, Duke is the +400 favorite on the college basketball futures market, ahead of the Michigan State Spartans (+600) and the Kentucky Wildcats (+750).
Before Bagley announced his intentions on August 14, Duke was the +700 second favorite behind Michigan State (+650) on the 2018 college basketball championship odds list. The Blue Devils shot up to +500 the day after Bagley joined what was already a strong recruiting class for head coach Mike Krzyzewski. Bagley and fellow blue-chipper Wendell Carter Jr. should provide an incredible 1-2 punch in the paint, with point guard Trevon Duval on the perimeter. All three freshmen are expected to be lottery picks in the 2018 NBA Draft.
Will Miles Bridges Be Enough for MSU?
Tom Izzo’s Spartans are often in NCAA betting circles, but unlike the Blue Devils, this year’s team will be relying on veteran talent. Sophomore swingman Miles Bridges was by far the top vote-getter on the AP preseason All-America team, which was announced Monday. The Wooden Award candidate will join sophomore forward Nick Ward and sophomore guard Cassius Winston on a team that could be overvalued as second favorites on the NCAA basketball odds board.
The Wildcats are compelling third favorites after head coach John Calipari added six more five-star recruits to his arsenal over the summer. Swingman Kevin Knox figures to be the most important of the bunch; he’s one of the few ‘Cats with a deft touch behind the arc, after the departures of Malik Monk (now with the Charlotte Hornets) and Derek Willis (now with the Grand Rapids Drive in the G League).
The Arizona Wildcats (+900) are the other top contender on the March Madness odds board, followed by a pack of teams at +1600: the Kansas Jayhawks, the Missouri Tigers, and the defending National Champions, the North Carolina Tar Heels. But for now, it’s the Blue Devils leading the way as the 2017-18 NCAA basketball season gets ready to launch this Friday. Duke’s season-opener is at home against the Elon Phoenix, tipping off at 7 PM ET on the ACC Network. Make sure to visit Bovada for fresh college basketball odds as they become available.
*Odds as of November 7, 2017