Florida vs Houston National Championship: Opening Odds for Spread, Moneyline, and Total Points

• The Florida Gators and Houston Cougars will battle for the 2025 national championship
• The Gators open as slight chalk in the opening Florida-Houston odds
• Check out the championship point spread, game total, and moneyline for Monday night in San Antonio

West Region #1 Florida (35-4, 24-14-1 ATS) takes on Midwest Region #1 Houston (35-4, 23-15-1 ATS) in the final of the 2025 NCAA Tournament on Monday, April 7, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

The red-hot Gators have been money-makers in all five of their March Madness contests, while Houston has covered in four of their six games. The betting market gives Florida a slight edge as 1.5-point favorites for the championship clash.

Florida vs Houston Odds

The Gators sit at -118 on the moneyline to grab their third national title trophy. The Cougars enter at -102 as they hunt for the program’s first-ever NCAA championship.

Odds as of April 6 at BetMGM. See the latest sportsbook promotions for March Madness.

Florida was pegged at +380 in the March Madness championship futures after Selection Sunday, while Houston was listed at +600.

Clayton’s Heroics Push Gators Past Tigers

Walter Clayton Jr. delivered when it mattered most, pouring in 34 points to power Florida past SEC rival Auburn 79-73 in their national semifinal matchup. The smooth-shooting All-American has torched opponents throughout the tournament, strengthening his case for Most Outstanding Player honors.

The Gators punched their ticket to the title game by stringing together five impressive wins, starting with a 95-69 blowout of Norfolk State. They followed by ending UConn’s title defense with a 77-75 thriller, then dismantled Maryland 87-71 before completing a remarkable comeback against Texas Tech in the Elite Eight. That 84-79 victory saw Clayton pour in 30 points after Florida erased a late double-digit deficit.

Todd Golden’s squad enters the championship riding a 10-game heater while going an impressive 13-4 ATS in their last 17 games. The Gators’ offense has been virtually unstoppable, torching the nets at 41.2% from beyond the arc during their tournament run.

Cougars’ Defense Stifles Duke’s High-Powered Attack

Kelvin Sampson’s defensive juggernaut relied on their trademark intensity to knock off tournament favorite Duke in the Final Four. The victory propels Houston to their first championship appearance since consecutive runner-up finishes in 1983 and 1984.

The veteran-laden Cougars bring college basketball’s longest active winning streak (18 games) into Monday night’s championship battle. Houston’s calling card remains their suffocating defense, which ranks 1st nationally in adjusted efficiency according to KenPom and has held tournament opponents to just 60.8 points per game.

Houston’s march to the title game included a dominant 78-40 win over SIU Edwardsville, a gritty 81-76 victory against Gonzaga, a nail-biter over Purdue (62-60), and a masterclass against Tennessee (69-50) before taking down Duke 68-67 in Saturday’s semifinal in epic comeback fashion. Fifth-year guard LJ Cryer has led the balanced Cougar attack with 15.4 PPG while knocking down triples at a 42% clip.

Title Game Showcases Offense vs. Defense Clash

Monday’s championship presents the classic battle of unstoppable force versus immovable object. Florida’s high-powered offense averaging 86.2 points during their tournament run squares off against Houston’s brick wall defense that’s suffocated opponents all season.

The betting public has backed Florida throughout the tournament, but sharp money could land on Houston’s defense-first approach. BetMGM trading manager Christian Cipollini noted earlier that sportsbooks faced significant liability on both Final Four winners, setting up what promises to be a heavily-wagered championship game.

Vegas oddsmakers have set a relatively low total of 140.5 despite Florida’s offensive firepower, reflecting respect for Houston’s ability to dictate tempo and disrupt even the most efficient attacks. The Under has hit in 5 of Houston’s last 6 games, while Florida games have gone Over in 10 straight contests.

The national championship tips off at 9:20 pm ET at the Alamodome.

The highly anticipated National Championship game between the Florida Gators and the Houston Cougars is just around the corner, and fans and bettors alike are eagerly awaiting the opening odds for the spread, moneyline, and total points.

As of now, the opening odds for the spread have the Florida Gators as 3.5-point favorites over the Houston Cougars. This means that in order for bettors to win their bet on Florida, the Gators must win by at least 4 points. On the other hand, if a bettor chooses to wager on Houston, the Cougars can either win the game outright or lose by 3 points or less for the bet to be successful.

Moving on to the moneyline odds, Florida is currently listed as -165 favorites, while Houston is sitting at +145 underdogs. This means that a bettor would need to wager $165 on Florida to win $100, while a $100 bet on Houston would result in a $145 profit if the Cougars come out victorious.

Lastly, the total points for the game are set at 142.5 points. Bettors can choose to wager on whether they believe the total combined score of both teams will be over or under this number. If they believe it will be over, they would bet on the “over”, and if they believe it will be under, they would bet on the “under”.

It’s important to keep in mind that these odds are subject to change as the game approaches and as more information becomes available. Bettors should do their research and stay updated on any developments that could impact the outcome of the game. Good luck to all those placing bets on this exciting National Championship matchup!