West Coast Conference Tournament Odds, Predictions & Favorites to Win in 2025

• Saint Mary’s won the regular season and the conference tournament last season (2023-24); it was the first time since the 2011-12 season that Gonzaga did not win at least a share of the regular season title and the conference tournament.

• Gonzaga opened as the favorite to win the WCC this season at -300 (via BetMGM).

• The last time Gonzaga did not win the WCC in consecutive years was in the 1990-91 and 1991-92 seasons; Pepperdine won the season and tournament in both.

The 2024-25 college basketball season is working through the non-conference part of the schedule. While the West Coast Conference is a little different this year, one thing isn’t—Gonzaga opened as the favorite to win the conference. Again.

Gonzaga has been the face of the WCC for years. The Bulldogs have won the WCC or shared the regular season title in 22 of the last 24 years. So, when they opened as the betting favorite to win this year, it was not surprising even though Saint Mary’s won both last season.

Saint Mary’s will not give the title back, of course. Just because Gonzaga has dominated the conference, that doesn’t mean the Bulldogs will do it again. Keep reading for the latest odds to win the WCC and our preview and picks.

Odds to Win the West Coast Conference Tournament Title

Here are the odds of winning the West Coast Conference (WCC) listed at FanDuel Sportsbook. To place a bet, click on the words ‘Bet Here’ located below the player’s odds.

Bettors new to FanDuel can claim the following welcome promo: Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets if Your Bet Wins.

2024-2025 West Coast Conference Odds: Favorites

It is not unheard of for a team to dominate a conference, but to say the Bulldogs have dominated the WCC in recent years does not do them justice. Since the 2000-01 season,  three teams have won the WCC—Gonzaga, Saint Mary’s, and Pepperdine.

Of those seasons, Gonzaga has won the WCC outright or shared the regular season title 22 times—out of 24! Pepperdine shared the 2001-02 title with Gonzaga. Saint Mary’s won the title outright twice (2011-12, 2023-24).

As for the conference tournament, only three teams have won it since the 2000 edition (1999-2000 season): Gonzaga (19), Saint Mary’s (4), and San Diego (2).

Saint Mary’s took both last season, but the Bulldogs are a heavy favorite to take the conference back. But no one other than Gonzaga has won the conference outright in back-to-back seasons since Pepperdine won three in a row in the early 90s (1990-93).

Can Saint Mary’s break the Gonzaga stranglehold on the WCC? Or will the Bulldogs take it back? Or could we see a new contender emerge? Only time will tell.

Let’s take a closer look at three of the top contenders to win the WCC in 2024-25.

Gonzaga Bulldogs: -650 at FanDuel

• 2023-24 Recap: 27-8 overall, 14-2 in conference

• Lost in conference tournament title game to Saint Mary’s

• Lost in Sweet 16 Round of March Madness tournament

Mark Few has done an incredible job keeping Gonzaga a conference powerhouse and national championship contender for a quarter of a century. This year’s team should be no different, with the bulk of last year’s team back.

The only noteworthy loss is Anton Watson, who the Boston Celtics drafted. Of the four transfers and one recruit in the 2024 class, Khalif Battle has made the biggest impact, averaging 13.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game across the eight games played.

They got the 2024-25 season off to a hot start with a dominant win over then-No. 8 Baylor, followed by four more wins. Their only loss was to West Virginia, 86-78, which they followed up with a solid win over then-No. 14 Indiana, 89-73.

So, for now, the Bulldogs appear to be the usual dominant team fans know and love. Fans will get a better idea of what the team Is made of when it faces No. 4 Kentucky on Dec. 7.

Saint Mary’s Gaels: +650 at FanDuel

• 2023-24 Recap: 26-8 overall, 15-1 in conference play

• Had the best regular season record and won the conference tournament

• Lost in First Round of March Madness Tournament to Grand Canyon

Gales head coach Randy Bennett will have his work cut out for him if Saint Mary’s is going to have a shot at doing the improbable and defending its conference title. Several key players from last year’s team chose to move on to their next opportunity in the offseason:

• Aidan Maheny (transferred to UConn)

• Joshua Jefferson (transferred to Iowa State

• Alex Ducas (graduated; signed with Oklahoma City Thunder).

Chris Howell, Mason Forbes, and Jensen Bradtke also left. Arizona transfer Paulius Murauskas has helped replace that lost production and averages 13.1 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. Freshman Mikey Lewis is chipping in 10.8 ppg.

This season got off to a nice start with a seven-game win streak, but then they sputtered against Arizona State and lost their first game of the season, 68-64, to end November. They nearly got their second loss in their next game vs. UTSA but held on to win in OT 82-74.

They do not face a ranked opponent until they meet Gonzaga on Feb. 1. That gives head coach Randy Bennett plenty of time to work out the kinks before they face the Bulldogs. At that point, we’ll get a good idea of their chances of winning the conference.

San Francisco Dons: +2500 at FanDuel

• 2023-24 Recap: 23-10 overall, 11-5 in conference play

• Lost to Gonzaga in the semifinals of conference tournament

• Lost in the first round of the NIT

The Dons improved in Chris Gerlufsen’s second season last year, but Gerlufsen will have his work cut out for him if the team is going to take another step forward this season. Eight players from last year’s roster moved on (two graduated, five transferred, and one got drafted).

Of the four transfers and three players in the recruiting class, freshman Tyrone Riley has been the most significant contributor, with 13 points and 5.1 rebounds.

This season, the Dons got off to a 4-0 start before dropping back-to-back games against Memphis and Clemson. But they have rebounded since the loss to Clemson with a pair of wins.

The Dons were a mediocre small school team last year and do not appear to have improved. Things could change as the season goes on. After all, Gerlufsen is working with a relatively new roster. But eight games in, there is no reason to think they’ll flip a switch anytime soon.

West Coast Conference Odds: Picks and Predictions

Favorite - Gonzaga (-650 at FanDuel)

Betting on a market with -650 odds is not something I’d typically recommend, but there is no reason to think anyone in the WCC can keep up with the Bulldogs. If you wanted to put up $650 or a chance to win $100, you’d probably win. But that is a lot to commit for a relatively small return.

Dark Horse/Long Shot - Saint Mary (+650 at FanDuel)

Saint Mary’s is in a bit of a rebuild/retool this season. But with a head coach who has been in charge of the program for over two decades, they could pull it off (maybe). Of the teams not named Gonzaga, they are the only team that has even a remote shot at pulling off an epic upset.

West Coast Conference: History

The WCC began as the California Basketball Association in 1952 and became the West Coast Athletic Conference from 1956 to 1989 when the name was shortened to West Coast Conference. However, the conference didn’t start holding a tournament until 1987.

In the early years of the conference and the tournament, several teams excelled. San Francisco won the regular season title in seven of the first 13 seasons and won a share of its 14th title in the 1979-80 season (tied with Saint Mary’s).

Pepperdine owned the 80s and early 90s, winning the conference eight times from 1980 to 81 and then through the 1992 to 93 season. But no one has dominated the conference quite like Gonzaga has for the last quarter of a century.

The following table contains the winner of the regular season and the conference tournament from the 2010-11 season to the present:

How to Read West Coast Conference Odds

The odds of winning the WCC are considered a futures market and consist of a three-digit number with either a plus or minus sign. If a team has a minus sign (minus money odds), it is considered the ‘odds-on favorite’ or a ‘heavy favorite’ to win or simply the betting favorite.

However, when you bet on them, you have to risk more to win less. Let’s look at an example to illustrate what I mean: Gonzaga’s odds of winning the WCC are -650. That means a bettor will need to wager $650 in order to win $100.

But if the odds have a plus sign (plus money odds), i.e., Saint Mary’s has +650 odds, a $100 wager will result in a $750 payday, your stake plus $650 in winnings. So, the odds are what you’ll win from a $100 wager.

Teams with minus money odds will have a better than 50% chance of winning, while those with plus money odds will have a 50% (+100) chance of winning or less. You are not required to bet $100, of course. To see what you’d win for any amount of money, check out our odds calculator.

How to Choose the Best Sportsbook for Betting on the West Coast Conference Tournament 

Now that we’ve reviewed some of the conference’s history, how to bet on a winner, the odds, and some of the top contenders, it is time to choose a sportsbook to place your bet with. I’d suggest checking out our full sportsbook reviews to get a good idea of what the major online sportsbooks have to offer.

But if you just want an overview of some of the popular online sportsbooks, check out the following table: