- The public has had almost 24 hours to bet on the 2025 NCAA Tournament after Selection Sunday
- Sportsbooks are reporting which March Madness teams the public is targeting in the first round and to win the title
- Below, see the public’s favorite March Madness picks after Selection Sunday
The 2025 March Madness bracket is set and money is already pouring in on the NCAA Tournament. The March Madness first-round odds have already shifted significantly in a handful of games, as have the March Madness championship odds. ESPN Bet has shared its early March Madness public betting splits with SBD. Continue reading to see who the public is targeting in the first-round matchups and to win the 2025 NCAA Tournament as a whole.
Public’s Favorite March Madness Moneyline Picks
Odds and splits from ESPN Bet on March 17. Claim SBD’s ESPN Bet promo code for the NCAA Tournament.
The public’s favorite moneyline play for the first round, at least at ESPN Bet, is Texas A&M to win as a -340 favorite against Ivy League-champion Yale. That comes as a surprise to me given that Yale pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the first round last year also as a #13 seed, beating #4 Auburn (78-76). Yale doesn’t have Danny Wolf, who transferred to Michigan, but they do have three key contributors from last year’s team back: John Poulakidas (19.2 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 1.3 APG), Bez Mbeng (13.4 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 5.6 APG), and Nick Townsend (15.4 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 3.6 APG).
The Aggies have lost five of their last seven straight up. Yes, that was in a gauntlet of an SEC schedule, but this isn’t likely to be a hyper-confident A&M team on Thursday, and I am strongly considering taking Yale as an upset pick when I publish my expert bracket.
As is often the case when we’re dealing with the masses, there isn’t a single underdog among the public’s favorite moneyline bets.
Public’s Favorite March Madness ATS Bets
I’m much less surprised at the public’s favorite ATS bet: #5 Michigan -2.5 against #12 UC San Diego. This has all the hallmarks of a pick that the public would love. It’s a big brand vs a relative unknown, and there’s plenty of recency bias at work; Michigan is one of the hottest teams in the country and pulled off three straight upsets to win the Big Ten Tournament, overcoming an 11-point second-half deficit against Wisconsin in the final with millions watching.
The public has also been hammering North Carolina, which many pundits agree shouldn’t be in the tournament, in its First Four game against San Diego State on Tuesday night. The Tar Heels opened as 2.5-point favorites in Dayton and that’s already been bet up to UNC -3.5.
Public’s Favorite March Madness Championship Picks
With Cooper Flagg, the favorite in the Wooden Award odds for national player of the year, set to return from a two-game absence caused by an ankle in the ACC Tournament, the public is all over the Duke Blue Devils to win their sixth national championship in school history (and first in a decade). Duke is getting a massive 40% of handle in the March Madness champion market, which is nearly double the next-highest team: Florida at 21%.
Together, Duke and Florida account for 61% of all the money bet on the national champion at ESPN Bet, leaving just 39% for the other 66 teams in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
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Selection Sunday has come and gone, and March Madness is officially underway. As basketball fans across the country eagerly fill out their brackets and make their predictions, it’s interesting to take a closer look at the most popular picks following Selection Sunday.
One of the most popular picks this year is Gonzaga. The Bulldogs have been dominant all season, boasting an impressive record and securing the top overall seed in the tournament. Led by star player Jalen Suggs, Gonzaga is a favorite among many fans and analysts to make a deep run in the tournament and potentially win it all.
Another popular pick is Illinois. The Fighting Illini have been on a tear in recent weeks, winning the Big Ten tournament and earning a number one seed in the NCAA tournament. Led by dynamic duo Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn, Illinois is a popular choice to make a deep run in the tournament and potentially challenge Gonzaga for the title.
Michigan is also a popular pick among fans and analysts. The Wolverines have been solid all season, earning a number one seed in the tournament and boasting a talented roster led by standout freshman Hunter Dickinson. Michigan is seen as a strong contender to make a deep run in the tournament and potentially win it all.
Other popular picks include Baylor, Iowa, and Alabama, all of whom have had strong seasons and are considered serious contenders to make a deep run in the tournament. With so many talented teams in the field this year, it’s shaping up to be an exciting and unpredictable March Madness.
As fans eagerly watch the games unfold and their brackets play out, it will be interesting to see which teams live up to expectations and which ones fall short. With so much talent and parity in this year’s tournament, anything can happen, making March Madness one of the most exciting times of the year for basketball fans everywhere.
