With March Madness about to tip off with the First Four, let’s look at how the sportsbooks forecast the ACC’s teams performing during the 2018 NCAA Tournament. This article will help you fill out your March Madness bracket by comparing the selection committee’s seeding to the oddsmakers’ best predictions of who will advance to the Final Four.
Atlantic Coastal Conference Shines with 9 Teams
The ACC leads all conferences in tournament berths, with nine teams making it from the conference, which also ties a record. The ACC’s previous high was seven teams in 2007, which they got in 2009 and 2016, as well. Last year, the conference broke the record for berths and matched that once again this year.
Class of the Tournament
Virginia is the top seed in the tournament, followed by No. 2 seeds North Carolina and Duke. Clemson, Florida State, Miami, NC State, Syracuse and Virginia Teach round out the rest of the ACC’s participants in the 2018 NCAA Tournament.
Let’s look at the Round of 64 matchups for the top teams in their first game, along with their odds to advance and win the NCAA Tournament. Odds provided by the Bovada.lv sportsbook.
Virginia Cavaliers
Virginia comes as the tournament’s top seed and No. 1 seed in the South Region. The Cavaliers are a hefty -23 against the 16th seed Maryland Baltimore Retrievers in their first game at 9:20 on March 13. The region is a tough draw and oddsmakers have Villanova at +600 to win the tournament ahead of the selection committee’s Cavaliers which at +650 to win the National Title. Virginia is +125 to win the South Region.
Duke Blue Devils
Duke is the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region and has a date No. 15 seed, Iona on Thursday at 2:45 EST. Like Virginia, Duke is a big favorite at -19.5 against the Gaels. They’re third behind Nova and Virginia at +800 to the Big Dance. If you think they walk out of the Midwest as the last team standing – you’ll get close to doubling your money at +180.
North Carolina Tar Heels
UNC got a favorable draw in the West Region, which seems to be the easiest, with top-seeded, Xavier. The Tar Heels, the No. 2 seed, kicks off their tournament against No. 15 seed, Lipscomb on Friday at 2:45 EST. North Carolina is +1400 to win the NCAA Tournament compared to +1500 for higher-seeded, Xavier. We like the odds of UNC taking down the West Region at +300 – it stands out as one of our favorite futures for March Madness.
Best of the Rest
New Mexico takes on No. 5 Clemson on Friday evening with the Tigers as a -5 favorite. They’re 150/1 to win the Big Dance and 15/1 to take down the Midwest Region. No. 8 seed Florida State gets it going on Friday evening as a -1 favorite over the No. 9 seed Missouri Tigers. They’re quite the longshot in to win the tournament, going at 350/1 at Bovada. Miami comes in as No. 6 seed in the South Region and is just a narrow favorite over Loyola Chicago at -1.5. The Canes at 150/1 to win it all and +4000 in the South Region. NC State has a tough draw against Seton Hall but could be a dark horse in the Midwest Region. They’re +2.5 underdogs as a No. 9 seed taking on the No. 8 Pirates. Is it crazy of us to think this team is enticing at +6500 to win the Midwest Region?
Syracuse kicks off the tournament for the ACC in the First Four with a Wednesday 9:10 tip-off. The No. 11 seed in the Midwest Region should not be in the tournament according to some. They’re +2 underdogs to Arizona State. No. 8 seed, Virginia Tech, takes on No. 9 seed, Alabama on Thursday evening. The Hokies have the upper hand according to the oddsmakers at -2.
Good luck!
