With the Sweet 16 winding down, there is no time like the present to set our eyes on March Madness‘ Elite Eight odds.
We saw a handful of Sweet 16 underdogs move on to the final eight teams, including the Illinois Fighting Illini, Alabama Crimson Tide and Clemson Tigers.
The barking underdogs could be a sign of things to come for every team not named the UConn Huskies, who look like an unstoppable, well-oiled machine.
Below we look ahead at the Elite Eight lines for Saturday’s matchups featuring UConn against Illinois and Alabama vs. Clemson.
All odds are provided by FanDuel Sportsbook.
March Madness Elite Eight odds
Clemson vs. Alabama odds
| Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Clemson +3.5 (-115) Alabama -3.5 (-105) |
Clemson (+132) Alabama (-160) |
Over 164.5 (-110) Under 164.5 (-110) |
UConn vs. Illinois odds
| Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|
| UConn -8.5 (-110) Illinois +8.5 (-100) |
UConn (-375) Illinois (+290) |
Over 154.5 (-110) Under 154.5 (-110) |
March Madness Elite Eight prediction
Two traditional football powers face off in the Elite Eight on Saturday.
Money has been flowing in on Alabama for their matchup with the Clemson Tigers.
Alabama opened as a two-point favorite and has since been bet up to -3.5, with a few -3’s hanging around there on the betting market.
The line is not four anywhere else on the legal betting market at the time of writing.
Interestingly enough, the nation’s No. 1 offense in points per game has been getting money from bettors but the under is also gaining some traction, opening at 166 and moving down to 165 or 164.5.
Clemson allows opposing teams to shoot just 41 percent and ranks 33rd in KenPom in adjusted defensive efficiency.
The Tigers will need that defense to be every bit of elite against Alabama.
I’m grabbing the under in this one, at 165 on BetRivers, as Clemson is a live underdog and plays solid enough defense.
The Tigers held New Mexico to 56 points and Baylor to 64 points.
PICK: Clemson vs. Alabama under 165 points (-109, BetRivers)
Betting on March Madness 2024?
For those interested in futures in the other regions, with four matchups set Friday, here’s a look at those markets in the Midwest and South brackets.
March Madness region winner odds
Midwest region winner
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Purdue | +125 |
| Tennessee | +210 |
| Creighton | +450 |
| Gonzaga | +500 |
South region winner
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Houston | +100 |
| Marquette | +210 |
| Duke | +350 |
| NC State | 14/1 |
It’s a surprise to nobody that Purdue and Houston are big favorites to jump into the Final Four, as they are -220 to advance past Gonzaga.
That opponent will be their toughest competition of the whole tournament, as Creighton or Tennessee are some of the more talented groups in basketball.
Creighton is particularly interesting as an excellent 3-point shooting and free-throw shooting team.
That’s a dangerous combination, as it can jump out to leads and hold the advantage at the charity stripe whenever possible.
Look for whoever wins the Creighton-Tennessee matchup to be a tough out against Purdue.
The Marquette Golden Bears should arguably be the favorite of the South Region if, for nothing else, they have the easiest matchup of the four Friday favorites to advance to the Elite Eight.
Marquette is laying 6.5 points to No. 11 seed NC State.
Coming in as -310 favorites Friday, getting Marquette at +210 is likely solid value in another matchup against Houston or Duke.
Should Duke pull the upset, Marquette could be a slight favorite against the Blue Devils, and if the Houston Cougars advance they will be a definite underdog.
Of course, they need to get past NC State first, but that’s what this market is about: projections.
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