March Madness Final Four Predictions, Odds, Picks 2025: Anything Can Happen in March

• The Huskies have won four Final Fours since 2011, by far the most in the country in that span

• The 2023 NCAA Tournament was the first time that a No. 1, 2, and 3 seed failed to make the Final Four

• The highest combination of seeds in a Final Four happened in 2011 when the seeds totaled 26 

The 2024 Final Four featured two No. 1 seeds, one No. 4 seed, and one No. 11 seed, which resulted in a far more predictable Final Four than the previous year. 

Could we have another crazy Final Four, like in 2011 and 2023? 

All signs are pointing to teams like the Duke Blue Devils, Auburn Tigers, and Houston Cougars cruising to a Final Four appearance in 2025.

However, as we have seen for decades, anything can happen in college basketball during the month of March, especially with talented mid-major teams like New Mexico, UC San Diego, and Saint Mary’s knocking on the door.

Find our favorite teams to make the March Madness Final Four below!

March Madness Final Four/Championship Odds 

The difference between March Madness Final Four odds and NCAA Tournament championship odds is that it only takes four wins in the NCAA Tournament to make the Final Four, but six games (two more) to win the whole tournament.

Therefore, Final Four odds will always be shorter (more likely) than NCAA Tournament championship odds.

March Madness Final Four Predictions - Favorites to Make Final Four 

In the section below, we cover our March Madness Final Four predictions, which include the teams listed below.

Favorite: Houston Cougars

Here’s why Houston is one of the most dangerous programs in the country every single season: physicality and discipline.

The Cougars consistently rank in the top three in KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency and the top seven in offensive rebounding percentage. 

In fact, they have been a top-five defensive team since the beginning of the 2022-23 season and a top-seven offensive rebounding team, including this year, since the beginning of the 2019-20 season.

Now, what makes Houston not only one of the most dangerous teams in the country but also a team seemingly destined for a Final Four appearance is its 3-point shooting and ball protection.

In previous seasons, the Cougars weren’t a great 3-point shooting team; however, they are firing at a 40% clip from 3-point range with just a few games left in the 2024-25 regular season.

Houston also ranks in the top ten nationally in turnovers per game, proving it is a true championship contender.

Avoiding injuries will be key for a deep run, but this Cougs team has everything needed to win a championship.

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Favorite: Auburn Tigers

As alluded to above, the Auburn Tigers have been historically good on the offensive end of the floor. It is a bit frightening.

Auburn has the most efficient offense (KenPom) in the country, scoring the fifth-most points per game on roughly 48% shooting from the field and 36% from 3-point land. 

The Tigers also rank in the top 20 nationally in offensive rebounding percentage, assists per game, and turnovers per game; they have no holes in their offense whatsoever.

As a matter of fact, the Tigers are pacing to have the highest adjusted offensive efficiency (KenPom) rating since 2002.

With Johni Broome anchoring a fringe top-10 defense, which ranks in the top three in block percentage, and leading the team in points and rebounds per game on the other end, this Auburn team is in good hands.

Chad Baker-Mazara, Denver Jones, Miles Kelly, and Tahaad Pettiford can lead the team offensively on any given night, making this team nearly unstoppable.

This team is an obvious favorite to make the 2025 Final Four.

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Underdog: St. John’s Red Storm

For the value we are getting at +440, I like for the Rick Pitino-led St. John’s Red Storm to win their first four games of the NCAA Tournament.

As of late February, the Red Storm have only lost four games all season long, totaling seven points. Seven. 

That is the difference between an undefeated season and a four-loss season, which is still, of course, amazing.

Since their loss to Georgia, which was certainly their worst loss of the season, the Johnnies have rattled off 19 wins in 21 games.

During that stretch, they are crushing opponents on the glass and in the turnover margin; however, 3-point shooting has been a significant issue that could hold them from being a title-contending team.

Still, I wouldn’t count out Kadary Richmond and RJ Luis Jr, one of the most talented duos in the country.

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Stay Away: Purdue Boilermakers

Let’s get one thing out of the way.

What head coach Matt Painter has been able to do with this Purdue Boilermakers squad after losing back-to-back Wooden Award winner Zach Edey and not bringing in any substantial portal players or recruits is unbelievable.

Painter continues to be one of the elite development coaches in college basketball.

For further evidence, look no further than point guard Braden Smith, one of the best point guards in the country.

Smith is averaging roughly 16 points, 9 assists, and 5 rebounds per game on efficient shooting from the floor and from behind the arc.

His presence as a floor general who can create, shoot, pass, rebound, and defend is massive.

Additionally, Trey Kaufman-Renn has taken an incredulous step forward in his offensive development, as he went from averaging 6.4 points per game to 18.4 points per game. 

He has filled a huge role in the paint with Edey now playing in the NBA.

However, Purdue is nowhere near deep enough to contend for a National Championship.

Besides Smith, Kaufman-Renn, and sharpshooting two-guard Fletcher Loyer, the Boilers don’t have a player averaging more than 6.2 points per game. Yikes.

An elite defensive team like Tennessee or Auburn would expose the Purdue offense. And, unfortunately, the Boilers’ defense is nowhere near strong enough to win a championship.

Without Edey anchoring the paint, Purdue is susceptible to teams will great size, interior scoring, and penetration.

Purdue’s 3-point defense has also been mediocre relative to the past few seasons. 

While Purdue’s ability to stay relevant on a national level is incredibly impressive, it does not have the personnel to make another Final Four run.

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Who Will Win the March Madness Final Four - My Pick 

Houston Cougars

The Cougars have been to five consecutive Sweet 16s, including two Elite Eights and one Final Four appearance. Frankly, luck has not been on their side. There isn’t really another way to put it.

Houston lost lead guard Jamal Shead to an injury in last season’s NCAA Tournament. The Cougs would have more than likely found themselves in the 2024 Final Four if not for that injury.

In 2022, they only scored 44 points against Villanova in their Elite Eight game due to a 1-for-20 shooting performance from behind the arc and still lost by just six points.

An argument could absolutely be made that this team should have been to three of the past four Final Fours. 

As long as they stay healthy, and don’t suffer any impossibly poor shooting droughts like they did in 2022, the Cougs should find their way to a second Final Four in the past six years!

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Who Won the March Madness Final Four in 2024

The 2024 Final Four included two No. 1 seeds (Purdue Boilermakers and UConn Huskies), one No. 4 seed (Alabama Crimson Tide), and one No. 11 seed (N.C. State Wolfpack).

UConn and Alabama faced off in one of the Final Four matchups, with the Huskies winning by double-digits via a dominating second half. 

On the other side of the bracket, the N.C. State Wolfpack battled with the Purdue Boilermakers but fell short in their unlikely quest to make the National Championship game, leaving Purdue and UConn. 

Unfortunately for the Boilermakers, they were unable to secure the program’s first title, as the Huskies crushed them from start to finish.

In 2024, UConn added a sixth National Championship banner and the second one in the past two seasons. Can the Huskies become just the second program in college basketball history to win three consecutive titles?

March Madness Final Four History

The first year of the NCAA Tournament was in 1939, and it featured eight teams; however, it was not until the 1960s that the phrase “Final Four” was first used in reference to the tournament. The term became even more popularized in 1975 when Ed Chay, a Cleveland sports writer, used it in an article. 

The phrase “March Madness” was first used in conjunction with basketball by an assistant executive secretary (Henry V. Porter) for the IHSA (Illinois High School Association.) Interestingly enough, he used this phrase to describe basketball in the month of March in 1939, which just so happened to be the first year of the NCAA Tournament.

Past March Madness Final Four Winners

Check out the past 15 years of March Madness Final Four teams, beginning with the most recent seasons:

How to Choose the Best Sportsbook for Betting on the March Madness Final Four

With so many online sportsbooks available, choosing which one to use can be overwhelming, especially if you are new to sports betting. However, this section can hopefully make the process a little clearer.

Several factors can go into choosing a sportsbook, including the user interface, app navigability, betting odds, betting types, payment options, and the sports offered. Bettors who are more experienced (and bet more frequently) often have numerous online sportsbooks, so they can always find the best odds and promotions to get a betting edge.

Some of the most popular sportsbooks are BetMGM, Caesars, and FanDuel; the table below should simplify the process for you, detailing pertinent information for each online sportsbook! Let's have a look.

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How to Read March Madness Final Four Odds

If you are a new bettor and reading betting odds overwhelms you, do not worry. We will break it down as simply as possible for you ahead of March Madness, one of the biggest sporting events in the world!

If there is a minus sign (-) in front of a team’s Final Four odds, then they are a favorite, meaning their implied probability is greater than 50%. For example, if the Houston Cougars have Final Four odds of -115, then you would have to bet $115 to win $100. 

Conversely, if a team is an underdog, then they will have a plus sign (+) in front of their Final Four odds. If the Creighton Bluejays are +450 to make the Final Four, then a bettor would have to bet $100 to win $450.