NCAA TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP GAME HISTORY

The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament determines winner of the national championship of the major college basketball teams in Division 1. The event takes place over a three-week period in March and April with schools facing off into a single elimination bracket. 

The tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985 with four 16-team regional brackets.

The field grew by one team in 2001 with an opening round game determining who would advance to the first round. In 2011, three more squads were added as two games took place in the restructured first round of the tournament on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The winners of those contests advanced to the second round (formerly the first round).

After those “First Four” outcomes, the field of 68 becomes 64, and the attention picks up on Thursday and Friday with 32 games being played.

The Final Four is determined with the four teams winning each regional meeting for the right to go to the National Championship.

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP BETTING OUTCOMES

* There was no line on this game due to no wagering on Nevada schools in 1990

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP BETTING RESULTS

NCAA TOURNAMENT BETTING RECAPS - LAST SIX YEARS

2022

Kansas secured the NCAA Tournament Championship for 2022 with a narrow victory over the Cinderella school UNC. It's odd to say that UNC was a Cinderella team, but the Tar Heels entered the dance as an 8-seed, uncertain through most of the season if they would even make it in. The Tar Heels didn't win, but they did cover the +4-point spread.

Kansas' victory marks the second straight season in which a Big 12 school seeded No. 1 won the March Madness Tournament.

2021

In the 2021 NCAA Tournament, top overall seed Gonzaga went into the championship game with a perfect record and the school from Spokane finally got stopped. The winner, Baylor, dominated the Bulldogs for a wire-to-wire 86-70 victory. The Bears cashed as underdogs (+4.5), earning the school its first championship. It was the first championship for the Big 12 since Kansas cut down the nets in the 2008 event.

Prior to the draft, the Baylor Bears were listed as a 5/1 betting choice to win the NCAA Tournament in the futures market.

2020

The 2020 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. The Kansas Jayhawks were listed as the top contenders (+450) to win the event, followed by Gonzaga and Baylor at 8/1 odds.

2019

In 2019, Virginia claimed its first-ever national championship on the hardwood in an overtime win against Texas Tech, a team making its first appearance in the title game. The OT battle in the championship final was the first since 2008 when Kansas topped Memphis. It was also the third time an ACC team was crowned champ (Duke twice, Virginia once) in four times the city of Minneapolis has hosted the Final Four.

The Cavaliers started the season as an 18/1 choice to cut down the nets in March but prior to first round tournament action, the consensus future price on UVA was +700.

2018

In 2018, Villanova rolled to a 79-62 victory over Michigan as a big favorite (-6.5), the largest spread in the title game since 2010. The Wildcats claimed their third title since 1985, and second in the past three seasons. They also ended up winning each of their NCAA Tournament games by double-digit points.

The Wildcats were expected to contend all season long and they began the tournament as 11/2 betting favorites. It was the second straight year that the tournament favorites captured the championship.

2017

In 2017, North Carolina stopped Gonzaga 71-65 as a short favorite (-1.5). The victory for the Tar Heels was defined as "redemption" after the school lost in the 2016 championship to Villanova on a buzzer-beater.

The Tar Heels were listed between 5/1 and 6/1 in most futures betting markets.