The games that truly count in our memory banks are close at hand. Teams are ready to attempt to get to that one shining moment. At Online Sports Betting, we look some teams that may not be on that first tier to win it all. So, yes, we look at Mens NCAA Basketball March Madness Longshots headlining those colleges that might have been looked over and maybe one or two from way downtown.
- WHAT: 2024 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament
- WHEN: March 19th, 2024 - April 8th, 2024 on CBS, TBS, TNT, and TruTV
- WHERE: Across the country ending in Glendale, Arizona
- WHY: To crown the national champion this March Madness
The bettors want to go for the bigger money potential. The Mens NCAA Basketball March Madness Longshots examine teams that may have fallen off the radar for whatever reason. So, March Madness Betting 2024 futures can be daunting. After all, look at all those crazy upsets every year. Below lies our table of teams who could surprise thanks to Bovada Online Sportsbook.
| NCAA Men's March Madness Futures |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marquette | +3000 | +2000 | +2400 |
| Baylor | +3000 | +3300 | +3300 |
| Illinois | +3500 | +2500 | +3000 |
| Duke | +3500 | +4000 | +3300 |
| Alabama | +4000 | +4000 | +3600 |
| Kansas | +5000 | +3300 | +3700 |
| Gonzaga | +5000 | +5000 | +6200 |
| Florida | +6000 | +6600 | +6400 |
| BYU | +7000 | +4000 | +5600 |
| Wisconsin | +7000 | +5000 | +6000 |
March Madness Longshots Are Never Easy
March Madness Longshots are never easy. Honestly, so much can go wrong. Who is this year's San Diego State or Miami of Florida? Hey, there was that year where Saint Peter's made it all the way to the Elite Eight. Again, anything is possible this time of year. In three weeks, we will have one national champion. Right now, there ar 68 teams all who have a chance. Some have the best odds and some others do not.
Inevitably, March Madness brackets will descent into a huge pit of darkness by the end of the opening weekend or sooner. The same can be said about picks to win the National Championship. Does anyone remember what happened to Purdue? Absolutely! Any 1 or 2 seed can fall in the first round now. Even Connecticut was a four seed in their region in 2023. Last year also saw no top seeds make the Elite Eight.
How deep do we descend into madness in 2024? That is a question with no clear answer. Conversely, we have a few longer shots to consider for this tournament.
How To Consider Illinois And Wisconsin
The March Madness Longshots figure how to consider Illinois and Wisconsin. Yes, Purdue gets immediately dismissed in our eyes because a deep run is just not in a team like that. We may be wrong here at OnlineSportsBetting but Purdue reminds us too much of a worse version of Gonzaga. They are a great team but not a tournament team. Wisconsin weathered a Purdue team that had 32 attempts from the free-throw line and several iffy calls to win in overtime.
The other thing is that both Wisconsin and Illinois have had some glorious moments. Wisconsin nearly won the Big Ten Tournament falling narrowly to Illinois. Yes, the Fighting Illini were a bit too much late but the Badgers showed a resolve that kept them in games. One huge concern will be that 3-8 record over the final 11 regular season games. There is that 5 seed issue (the 5-12 matchup). However, the +7000 on Bovada is intriguing.
Then, there is Illinois. Though the East is quite stacked with Iowa State and UConn, Terrence Shannon Jr. and the Fighting Illini are one of those goofy teams that can outscore their defensive deficiencies. Defensively, the elite Big 10 teams are not quite where they were in previous years. However, that is part of what makes this so much fun. Illinois can easily drop 90 or 100 points on some tournament teams.
Again, the risk is considerable with teams that have Sweet 16 maybe an Elite Eight ceiling. The South region is not as packed as others though. Illinois has a very slight chance but Wisconsin carries a better one. Again, the Fighting Illini are at +3500 on Bovada.
How About More March Madness Longshots?
So, how about more March Madness Longshots? Do not expect to see Kansas here. However, BYU and Washington State might have a place at the table. The two Cougars teams not named Houston have +7000 and +14000 odds respectively via Bovada. Those numbers do not improve much elsewhere. That is fine. Again, BYU is here on the strength of their three-point shooting. They have four players who shoot at least 37% from beyond the arc.
As for Washington State, this is a team that is one dangerous seven seed (BYU is a 6). The East is a region that can be considered quite stacked. UConn will be tested considerably. Washington State went 13-3 in their final 16 games including a sweep of Arizona. Their prowess on defense boosted them into the Top 25 in terms of defensive efficiency. Jaylen Wells is one to watch. This Cougars team plays noticeably more relentless when he is on the court.
There is a belief that if UConn somehow stumbles, these could be two teams to keep an eye on in the East. Both are immensely challenging to scout but Washington State has the better defensive intensity needed to thrive in March Madness.
What About Even More Chaos?
Finally, what about even more chaos? This tournament already has most scratching out enough notes to write a mini novella. A few squads lurk in the shadows. Then, there is what Danny Sprinkle did at Utah State. Great Osobar and Darius Brown II are names bettors will hear plenty from. If the team plays on both sides of the court like they can, that +25000 number may shorten come next week considerably.
Does a team like James Madison have a run in them or even Florida Atlantic? Earlier in the season, that answer would have been yes but now there are too many questions.
Online Sportsbook Reviews
Please check out these online sportsbook reviews where more picks can be made for March Madness. Good luck!
