North Carolina Now Favored to Win Title

No American sporting event owes its popularity to gambling the way the NCAA basketball tournament does. But what's a bettor to do if he makes some bad opening round picks and knows he has no chance of winning his pool after the first weekend?

The answer is start placing bets on the Sweet 16.

The folks at Bodog have released the full set of betting odds for the rest of the tournament, and North Carolina enters the Sweet 16 as the favorite to win the national championship. The Tar Heels are listed at 3/1 odds, followed by fellow No. 1 seeds Louisville (4/1), Pittsburgh (6/1) and Connecticut (6/1).

Other bets worth noting: Arizona and Xavier are the longest shots on the board at 50/1. Sam Young of Pittsburgh is the favorite to win the Most Outstanding Player award, at 6/1. (UPDATE: Tyler Hansbrough is now listed as the favorite at 5/1.) And if you really want to go out on a limb, you can get 150/1 odds on every Big East team getting eliminated before the Final Four.

My own bet would be to lay a wager on Memphis to win it all at 13/2 odds. But that's why I always lose money this time of year.

NCAA Tournament Action

GREENSBORO, NC - MARCH 21: Wayne Ellington #22 of the North Carolina Tar Heels drives against Garrett Temple #14 of the Louisiana State University Tigers during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum on March 21, 2009 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Wayne Ellington;Garrett Temple

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PORTLAND, OR - MARCH 21: A Washington Huskies cheerleader performs during a break in the action against the Purdue Boilermakers during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Rose Garden on March 21, 2009 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

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KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 21: Manny Harris #3 of the Michigan Wolverines jumps to the basket for a lay up against Taylor Griffin #32 of the Oklahoma Sooners in the first half during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Sprint Center on March 21, 2009 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Manny Harris

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KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 21: Zack Novan #0 and Zack Gibson #32 of the Michigan Wolverines vie for the loose ball with Blake Griffin #23 of the Oklahoma Sooners in the first half during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Sprint Center on March 21, 2009 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Zack Gibson;Zack Novak;Blake Griffin

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KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 21: Willie Warren #13 of the Oklahoma Sooners makes contact as he goes to the basket with Zack Gibson #32 of the Michigan Wolverines in the first hafl during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Sprint Center on March 21, 2009 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Willie Warren

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KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 21: Taylor Griffin #32 of the Oklahoma Sooners goes up for the short jump shot against DeShawn Sims #34 of the Michigan Wolverines in the first half during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Sprint Center on March 21, 2009 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Taylor Griffin;DeShawn Sims

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PORTLAND, OR - MARCH 21: JaJuan Johnson #25 of the Purdue Boilermakers goes up for a shot over Jon Brockman #40 of the Washington Huskies in the second half during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Rose Garden on March 21, 2009 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** JaJuan Johnson;Jon Brockman

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KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 21: Taylor Griffin #23 of the Oklahoma Sooners and Zack Novak #0 of the Michigan Wolverines vie for position to the loose ball in the first half during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Sprint Center on March 21, 2009 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Zack Novak;Taylor Griffin

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KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 21: Head Coach Jeff Capel of the Michigan Wolverines yells from the sideline during their game against the Oklahoma Sooners in the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Sprint Center on March 21, 2009 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jeff Capel

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PORTLAND, OR - MARCH 21: Lewis Jackson #23 of the Purdue Boilermakers goes up for a layup as Quincy Pondexter #20 of the Washington Huskies looks on during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Rose Garden on March 21, 2009 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Lewis Jackson;Quincy Pondexter

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

3-24-2009 @ 11:40PM

tore1961 said...

V wildcats are going to eat the field this year

3-24-2009 @ 11:42PM

i would agree

3-26-2009 @ 6:06AM

rugbymom said...

Nova sucks. A bunch of mainline snobs. Couldn't win a title without its star snorting coke. The Red Reign will win over all. The Cards are going all the way.

3-26-2009 @ 1:10PM

Peteypoo said...

You mean Obama's picks failed!!! Surprise Surprise!!! Kind of the norm with that idiot

3-26-2009 @ 4:27PM

Janice said...

I love it when sore losers like Peteypoo talk. Music to my ears. Keep talking.. HAHAHA!!!!

3-26-2009 @ 5:35PM

Fred said...

I wondered how long UCONN would remain #1. After all, Pitt beat them twice and made them look like a bunch of panty-wasters. If NC plans on beating Pitt they'd better man-up. The best way to find yourself sitting on the floor in Pittsburgh is to run your mouth too much. I know, I grew up there.