Steve Starr
- BetOnline, Bovada, and BetUS have updated the 2021 NCAA March Madness tournament odds
- Gonzaga (-190) is a heavy favorite to win the college basketball National Championship
- Find spreads and totals for both of Saturday’s Final Four games below
The NCAA men’s basketball tournament is down to four: Gonzaga and Baylor – two of the top teams in college hoops this season, a No. 2 Houston club who had a historically-easy path until now, and No. 11 UCLA, who became just the second school ever to go from the First Four to the Final Four.
Let’s look at the futures market and then review the latest spreads and totals for this weekend’s games. And as always, make sure to refer to our Ultimate March Madness Betting Strategy Guide if you need any tips or advice.
2021 College Basketball National Championship Odds
 |  |  |
|
| Gonzaga | -190 | -190 | -250 |
| Baylor | +260 | +260 | +230 |
| Houston | +650 | +750 | +500 |
| UCLA | +2000 | +1800 | +1600 |
Can anyone beat Gonzaga?
After winning their four tournament games by an average of 24 points, Gonzaga (-190) is poised to become the first undefeated team since Indiana in 1976. The Bulldogs have won 29 of 30 contests by double digits and oddsmakers are expecting a blowout when Mark Few’s club meets up with UCLA (+2000) on Saturday.
Advancing to its first Final Four since 1950, Baylor (+260) might be the only squad capable of stopping Gonzaga. Before having their season derailed by a 21-day COVID delay, the Bears won 18 straight games, including a 13-point victory over Illinois.
UCLA is headed to its 18th* men’s Final Four, trailing only North Carolina (20) for most all-time.
Houston, Gonzaga and Baylor have 11 COMBINED Final Four appearances.
*Excludes vacated 1980 appearance pic.twitter.com/NGAD1mTVUC
— ESPN (@espn) March 31, 2021
However, that same COVID pause caused their scheduled game against Gonzaga to be canceled, providing a little mystery heading into Monday night’s NCAA Championship game if everything goes as expected.
But first, Baylor has to defeat Houston (+650) on Saturday night. The Cougars must prove their not pretenders after beating nothing but high seeds (No. 15 Cleveland State, No. 10 Rutgers, No. 11 Syracuse and No. 12 Oregon State) en route to the Final Four.
NCAA Tournament Final Four Odds
| Spread | Money Line | Total |
| Houston | +5.0 (-105) | +175 | Ov 134.5(-110) |
| Baylor | -5.0 (-115) | -210 | Un 134.5 (-110) |
| UCLA | +14.0 (-105) | +700 | Ov 145.0 (-115) |
| Gonzaga | -14.0 (-115) | -1200 | Un 145.0 (-105) |
Zags and Bears will cover in semifinals
Gonzaga is favored to two touchdowns over UCLA – the largest Final Four point spread in at least 25 years. The last two schools to stay undefeated at this point lost their national semifinal games (in 2015 Kentucky lost to Wisconsin and in 1991 UNLV was beaten by Duke), but it’s hard to smell an upset here. The Bruins are just the fifth No. 11 seed to make it this far and the others all flamed out. Take the Zags and the points.
We also like Baylor to cover the five points against Houston. While opponents are shooting a miserable 37 percent against the Cougars (the lowest in the tournament), that can be explained to the low-level of competition they’ve faced. Meanwhile, the Bears have proven they can win even when they’re not hitting shots, enjoying a +15 turnover edge in the past two games.
See below the top sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
