UConn Men Complete NCAA Title Repeat, Perfect Tourney Run ATS
2024 March Madness Betting Recap: Huskies Turn Big Betting Profit
The repeat is complete.
UConn overwhelmed Purdue 75-60 in the NCAA men’s basketball final on Monday in Glendale, Ariz., becoming the first school to win back-to-back national championships since Florida in 2006 and 2007.
It was the culmination of one of the greatest runs in NCAA Tournament history. One that saw the top-seeded Huskies wallop their tournament opponents by an average of 23.3 points. Furthermore, all six victories came by double digits, making that 12 consecutive tournament wins by at least 10 points dating to last year.
Let’s take a deeper look at the numbers in our 2024 March Madness betting recap.
UConn Rolls Over the Competition
Unsurprisingly, UConn was a popular pick to beat Purdue. On BetMGM, in particular, the Huskies brought in 73% of the money. The spread opened at UConn -5.5 and was -7.5 as of Monday morning before closing at -6.5. And yes, the Huskies covered, just as they have done in every NCAA Tournament game since 2022.
Above everything, that might be the most impressive aspect of this 2024 March Madness betting recap. The Huskies are believed to be the first team to go 12-0 ATS in back-to-back title runs.
Conceivably, if a bettor had started with $100 and rolled over the winnings while betting on the spread in just this tournament alone, they would be up almost $5,000.
As the top overall seed in the college basketball rankings, UConn was favored to win every game this tournament. By comfortable margins, of course.
- First Round vs Stetson: -10000
- Second Round vs Northwestern: -1250
- Sweet 16 vs San Diego State: -954
- Elite Eight vs Illinois: -420
- Final Four vs Alabama: -500
- National Championship vs Purdue: -324
Now, none of those March Madness odds are very appealing. However, if you were to roll them over, one after the other, a parlay would have netted +134 at close. Just think about the profit one could turn.
Newton Takes Home Top Honor
Zach Edey was unguardable at times, especially early as Donovan Clingan had no answer for the two-time Naismith Player of the Year. Edey had 16 points in the first half and 37 for the game, the highest-ever scoring effort in a losing effort in the NCAA title game.
As impressive as he was, the Boilermakers’ 7-footer — a +210 favorite for NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player — did not go home with any additional hardware.
Such honors are generally reserved for players on the winning team, and that remains the case. UConn guard Tristen Newton was tabbed the tournament’s MOP. Newton, who led the Huskies with 20 points and seven assists, was a +400 pick heading into the title game. Only Edey and Clingan (+220) had better odds.
Newton was the Huskies’ top offensive threat this season, averaging 14.9 points and 6.2 assists on his way to becoming a consensus First Team All-American and the Bob Cousy Award winner as the nation’s best point guard.
He was just as impressive in the NCAA Tournament, recording 14.5 points and 7.2 assists through six games.
Portnoy Wins Big
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy had reason to celebrate UConn’s victory. Portnoy was among the biggest winners in this 2024 March Madness betting recap, collecting $2.76 million on the Huskies.
Portnoy cashed in off a $600,000 futures wager on UConn from March 20.
“The greatest bet of my life,” Portnoy posted on the social media site X, formerly known as Twitter. “The biggest win of my life by a mile.”
Portnoy, who signed a multi-year deal with DraftKings in February, formerly won $1 million after betting on his alma mater Michigan to beat Alabama in the College Football Playoff semifinals. He then took home nearly twice that much after doubling down on the Wolverines against Washington in the NCAA title game.
Perhaps, if Portnoy is still feeling bold, he can put his winnings on UConn to complete the three-peat next season. The Huskies opened +1200 in the 2024-25 futures market, the second-shortest odds behind Duke (+1000).
Sportsbooks See Record Action
Monday marked the 10th meeting between No. 1 seeds in the NCAA title game and the first since 2021 when Baylor bested Gonzaga 86-70. The enthusiasm for the dynamite matchup carried over to the betting market, with sportsbooks collecting record handles.
DraftKings said Monday was the most bet-on college basketball ever for the sportsbook, while FanDuel saw a 42% increase on handle over the previous year.
For March Madness scores, betting analysis and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
