2025 NCAA Tournament First Round Betting
Although baseball is getting ready to kick off and basketball and hockey are entering their stretch runs, March belongs to college basketball. The sporting world will turn its collective attention to this three-week event that will bring together millions of fans and casual observers in heartache and celebration. The 2025 NCAA Tournament has First Four games on Tuesday, March 18 and Wednesday, March 19 and then the real action begins with First Round games taking place on Thursday, March 20 and Friday, March 21. The Duke Blue Devils begin the 2025 NCAA Tournament as the betting favorite and they are the No. 1 seed in the East Region. They will begin play on Friday against the winner of the game between American and Mount St. Mary’s. The Florida Gators are the No. 1 seed in the West Region and they are the second choice in March Madness futures. The Gators begin play on Friday against Norfolk State. The Auburn Tigers are the No. 1 seed in the South Region and they are third in March Madness futures. They will play in the First Round on Thursday against the winner of Alabama State and Saint Francis. The Houston Cougars are the top seed in the Midwest Region and they are fourth in NCAA basketball futures. They will play SIU Edwardsville in the First Round on Thursday.
NCAA Basketball Betting Lines
2025 NCAA Tournament First Round/Round of 64 (All Times Eastern)
Thursday, March 20
(8) Louisville vs. (9) Creighton, 12:15 p.m. | CBS
(4) Purdue vs. (13) High Point, 12:40 p.m. | truTV
(3) Wisconsin vs. (14) Montana, 1:30 p.m. | TNT
(1) Houston vs. (16) SIU Edwardsville, 2 p.m. | TBS
(1) Auburn vs. (16) Saint Francis/Alabama St., 2:50 p.m. | CBS
(5) Clemson vs. (12) McNeese, 3:15 p.m. | truTV
(6) BYU vs. (11) VCU, 4:05 p.m. | TNT
(8) Gonzaga vs. (9) Georgia, 4:35 p.m. | TBS
(2) Tennessee vs. (15) Wofford, 6:50 p.m. | TNT
(7) Kansas vs. (10) Arkansas, 7:10 p.m. | CBS
(4) Texas A&M vs. (13) Yale, 7:25 p.m. | TBS
(6) Missouri vs. (11) Drake, 7:35 p.m. | truTV
(7) UCLA vs. (10) Utah State, 9:25 p.m. | TNT
(2) St. John's vs. (15) Omaha, 9:45 p.m. | CBS
(5) Michigan vs. (12) UC San Diego, 10 p.m. | TBS
(3) Texas Tech vs. (14) UNC Wilmington, 10:10 p.m. | truTV
Friday, March 21
(8) Mississippi State vs. (9) Baylor, 12:15 p.m. | CBS
(2) Alabama vs. (15) Robert Morris, 12:40 p.m. | truTV
(3) Iowa State vs. (14) Lipscomb, 1:30 p.m. | TNT
(5) Memphis vs. (12) Colorado State, 2 p.m. | TBS
(1) Duke vs. (16) Mount St. Mary's/American, 2:50 p.m. | CBS
(7) Saint Mary's vs. (10) Vanderbilt, 3:15 p.m. | truTV
(6) Ole Miss vs. (11) North Carolina/San Diego State, 4:05 p.m. | TNT
(4) Maryland vs. (13) Grand Canyon, 4:35 p.m. | TBS
(1) Florida vs. (16) Norfolk State, 6:50 p.m. | TNT
(3) Kentucky vs. (14) Troy, 7:10 p.m. | CBS
(7) Marquette vs. (10) New Mexico, 7:25 p.m. | TBS
(4) Arizona vs. (13) Akron, 7:35 p.m. | truTV
(8) UConn vs. (9) Oklahoma, 9:25 p.m. | TNT
(6) Illinois vs. (11) Xavier/Texas, 9:45 p.m. | TNT
(2) Michigan State vs. (15) Bryant, 10 p.m. | TBS
(5) Oregon vs. (12) Liberty, 10:10 p.m. | truTV
NCAA Tournament First Round Format
The NCAA Tournament Selection Committee ranks the whole field from 1 to 68, which are known as the seeds, in order to create the bracket. After that, the committee assigns a seed between No. 1 and No. 16 to each of the four regions. The term "seed line" refers to the same four seeds in each location. In the First Four, eight teams compete for the last four spots in the field of 64. The final at-large teams to receive bids to the tournament are the two paired teams that compete for a seed line in the No. 10 to No. 14 range, which fluctuates from year to year depending on the true seeds of the teams overall. Two of the paired teams battle for No. 16 seeds. In each region, the top four seeds overall are ranked No. 1 in their region. Because the regions are paired, if every No. 1 seed made it to the Final Four, the top seed would play No. 4, and the number two seed would play No. 3. In order to avoid pairing the No. 5 true seed with the No. 1 true seed, the No. 2 teams are ideally positioned. By summing up the genuine seed values and comparing them across regions, the committee makes sure that the top four seeds in each region are competitively balanced. To balance the actual seed distribution, some teams will be transferred across the regions if there is a large divergence.
In recent years, there has been an additional factor at play too. The top four seeds have been given as much preferential treatment as possible regarding where games are played. The Selection Committee tries to slot them as close to home as possible, and while the system isn’t perfect, it does help the favorites significantly. The winners of the First Four games are placed in the bracket of the First Round of the NCAA Tournament late in the week. This means there are two No. 1 seeds and two teams that are either No. 5 seeds or No. 6 seeds that won’t know their opponent in the NCAA Tournament First Round until Tuesday or Wednesday.
2024 NCAA Tournament First Round/Round of 64 Results
March 21-22 - East Regional - Boston, Massachusetts:
(1) UConn 91, (16) Stetson 52
(8) Florida Atlantic 65, (9) Northwestern 77 (OT)
(5) San Diego State 69, (12) UAB 65
(4) Auburn 76, (13) Yale 78
(6) BYU 67, (11) Duquesne 71
(3) Illinois 85, (14) Morehead State 69
(7) Washington State 66, (10) Drake 61
(2) Iowa State 82, (15) South Dakota State 65
March 21-22 - West Regional - Los Angeles, California:
(1) North Carolina 90, (16) Wagner 62
(8) Mississippi State 51, (9) Michigan State 69
(5) Saint Mary's 66, (12) Grand Canyon 75
(4) Alabama 109, (13) Charleston 96
(6) Clemson 77, (11) New Mexico 56
(3) Baylor 92, (14) Colgate 67
(7) Dayton 63, (10) Nevada 60
(2) Arizona 85, (15) Long Beach State 65
March 21-22 - South Regional - Dallas, Texas:
(1) Houston 86, (16) Longwood 46
(8) Nebraska 83, (9) Texas A&M 98
(5) Wisconsin 61, (12) James Madison 72
(4) Duke 64, (13) Vermont 47
(6) Texas Tech 67, (11) NC State 80
(3) Kentucky 76, (14) Oakland 80
(7) Florida 100, (10) Colorado 102
(2) Marquette 87, (15) Western Kentucky 69
March 21-22 - Midwest Regional - Detroit, Michigan:
(1) Purdue 78, (16) Grambling State 50
(8) Utah State 88, (9) TCU 72
(5) Gonzaga 86, (12) McNeese 65
(4) Kansas 93, (13) Samford 89
(6) South Carolina 73, (11) Oregon 87
(3) Creighton 77, (14) Akron 60
(7) Texas 56, (10) Colorado State 44
(2) Tennessee 83, (15) Saint Peter's 49
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