College basketball futures odds: Proven expert reveals picks, best bets, top predictions for 2024-25 eason

UCLA is the only team to three-peat in the NCAA Tournament era, winning seven consecutive titles from 1967-73. UConn will take aim at a third straight championship during the 2024-25 college basketball season after going 68-11 with 12 straight NCAA Tournament wins (and covers) over the last two years. The Huskies lost four starters from last year’s roster, but head coach Dan Hurley turned down the Lakers opening and still has a loaded roster. They are the co-favorites in the 2024 college basketball futures odds, listed at 8-1 in the 2025 NCAA Tournament championship odds alongside Duke.

Kansas (10-1), Alabama (12-1) and Houston (15-1) are among the other 2024-25 college basketball championship contenders. There is not a clear favorite heading into the season, so which teams have value that you should snag now with your 2024-25 college basketball bets? Before making any college basketball picks or 2024 college basketball futures bets, be sure to see the latest college basketball predictions from SportsLine expert Thomas Casale. 

A frequent guest on national radio and TV shows to discuss college sports, Casale has been betting — and winning — for more than 30 years. He’s done well in college basketball, going 341-208 (62.1%) over the last three campaigns. He joined SportsLine in 2024 and promptly went 28-14-1 (67%) in CBB, returning $1,215 to $100 players. Anyone who has followed him at sportsbooks and on betting apps is way up.  

Now, he has revealed his top 2024-25 college basketball futures bets. You can head to SportsLine to see them. 

Top 2024-25 college basketball futures bets

One of Casale’s top 2024-25 college basketball best bets: He is high on the Gonzaga Bulldogs (18-1) as a team with value to win the national championship. Gonzaga is coming off its ninth straight trip to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament, using a late surge down the stretch of the regular season to earn a No. 5 seed in the Big Dance. The Bulldogs return star point guard Ryan Nembhard and forward Graham Ike, who averaged a team-high 16.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. 

Head coach Mark Few bolstered his roster with the addition of Arkansas transfer Khalif Battle, who can create his own shot opportunities throughout the season. Battle averaged 14.8 points and 3.3 rebounds per game last season, scoring at least 20 points in seven straight games to close the campaign. Casale notes that Gonzaga returns almost 77% of its scoring from last season to go along with multiple key additions, so he likes their chances of making another deep NCAA Tournament run. See Casale’s best college basketball futures bets at SportsLine. 

How to place 2024 college basketball futures bets 

Casale has revealed four conference winner bets and two more NCAA Tournament bets, including a longshot play that pays higher than 30-1. You can see all of Casale’s top 2024 college basketball futures picks here.

Which 2024 college basketball futures odds should you target, and which longshot play could lead to a massive payday? Visit SportsLine now to see the 2024 college basketball futures bets, all from the expert who went 28-14-1 on his SportsLine college basketball picks last season, and find out. 

2025 NCAA Tournament championship odds

See picks at SportsLine 

Connecticut Huskies 8-1
Duke Blue Devils 8-1
Kansas Jayhawks 10-1
Alabama Crimson Tide 12-1
Houston Cougars 15-1
Gonzaga Bulldogs 18-1
Iowa State Cyclones 20-1
Arizona Wildcats 22-1
Baylor Bears 25-1
North Carolina Tar Heels 25-1
Auburn Tigers 28-1
Arkansas Razorbacks 30-1
Kentucky Wildcats 35-1
Michigan State Spartans 35-1
UCLA Bruins 35-1
Indiana Hoosiers 40-1
St. John’s Red Storm 40-1
Florida Gators 40-1
Creighton Bluejays 50-1
Illinois Fighting Illini 50-1
Tennessee Volunteers 50-1
Ole Miss Rebels 60-1
Purdue Boilermakers 60-1
Michigan Wolverines 80-1
Oregon Ducks 80-1
Xavier Musketeers 80-1
Texas Longhorns 80-1
Kansas State Wildcats 80-1
Texas A&M Aggies 80-1
Ohio State Buckeyes 80-1
Texas Tech Red Raiders 80-1
Miami (FL) Hurricanes 100-1
BYU Cougars 100-1