NCAA Tournament Championship Game History

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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 GAME BETTING HISTORY

The NCAA Tournament Championship game has been a dream for oddsmakers dating back to 1985 when you look at the outcomes.

Although favorites have gone 25-12 straight up (SU) for a 67% winning rate, underdogs have managed to show up and that has led to an 19-18 against the spread (ATS) record in the title games. Over-Under (O/U) Total bettors seeking high-scoring games might not want to look at this matchup, as the 'under' owns a 21-16 (55.5%) record all-time in the championship matchups.

Listed below are the betting results for all of the championship games.

(Seeds)

2023
(4) UConn (-6.5) 76 (5) San Diego State 59
Favorite-Over (131.5)

2022
(1) Kansas 72 (8) UNC 69 (+4)
Underdog-Under (153.5)

2021
(1) Baylor (+4.5) 86 vs. (1) Gonzaga 70
Underdog-Under (159)

2020
No Championship Held (COVID-19)

2019
(1) UVA (-1.5) 85 vs. (3) Texas Tech 77 (OT)
Favorite-Over (119.5)

2018
(1) Villanova (-6.5) 79 vs. (3) Michigan 62
Favorite-Under (144.5)

2017
(1) UNC (-1.5) 71 vs. (1) Gonzaga 65
Favorite-Under (154.5)

2016
(2) Villanova (+2) 77 vs. (1) UNC 74
Underdog-Over (149)

2015
(1) Duke (+1) 68 vs. (1) Wisconsin 63
Underdog-Under (140)

2014
(7) UConn (+2.5) 60 vs. (8) Kentucky 54
Underdog-Under (135)

2013
(1) Louisville (-4) 82 vs. (4) Michigan 76
Favorite-Over (138)

2012
(1) Kentucky (-6.5) 67 vs. (2) Kansas 59
Favorite-Under (138)

2011
(3) UConn (-3) 53 vs. (8) Butler 41
Favorite-Under (132)

2010
(1) Duke (-7) 61 vs. (5) Butler 59
Underdog-Under (128.5)

2009
(1) UNC (-7.5) 89 vs. (2) Michigan State 72
Favorite-Over (153)

2008
(1) Kansas (+2) 75 vs. (1) Memphis 68 (OT)
Underdog-Under (146)

2007
(1) Florida (-4) 84 vs. (1) Ohio State 75
Favorite-Over (140)

2006
(3) Florida (-1) 73 vs. (2) UCLA 57
Favorite-Over (128)

2005
(1) UNC (-2) 75 vs. (1) Illinois 70
Favorite-Under (153.5)

2004
(2) UConn (-5) 82 vs. (3) Georgia Tech 73
Favorite-Over (146)

2003
(3) Syracuse (+5.5) 81 vs. (2) Kansas 78
Underdog-Over (156)

2002
(1) Maryland (-7.5) 64 vs. (5) Indiana 52
Favorite-Under (151.5)

2001
(1) Duke (+4) 82 vs. (2) Arizona 72
Underdog-Over (163.5)

2000
(1) Michigan State (-4) 89 vs. (5) Florida 76
Favorite-Over (145)

1999
(1) UConn (+9.5) 77 vs. (1) Duke 74
Underdog-Over (149.5)

1998
(2) Kentucky (-3.5) 78 vs. (3) Utah 69
Favorite-Over (137.5)

1997
(4) Arizona (+7) 84 vs. (1) Kentucky 79 (OT)
Underdog-Over (158.5)

1996
(1) Kentucky (-14) 76 vs. (4) Syracuse 67
Underdog-Under (156.5)

1995
(1) UCLA (-3) 89 vs. (2) Arkansas 78
Favorite-Over (161)

1994
(1) Arkansas (-6) 76 vs. (2) Duke 72
Underdog-Under (155)

1993
(1) UNC (-2.5) 77 vs. (1) Michigan 71
Favorite-Under (151)

1992
(1) Duke (-5.5) 71 vs. (6) Michigan 51
Favorite-Under (158.5)

1991
(2) Duke (-3) 72 vs. (3) Kansas 65
Favorite-Under (154.5)

**1990
(1) UNLV 103 vs. (3) Duke 73

1989
(3) Michigan (-2) 80 vs. (3) Seton Hall 79 (OT)
Underdog-Under (163)

1988
(6) Kansas (+8) 83 vs. (1) Oklahoma 79
Underdog-Over (157.5)

1987
(1) Indiana (-4.5) 74 vs. (2) Syracuse 73
Underdog-Under (155.5)

1986
(2) Louisville (+1) 72 vs. (1) Duke 69
Underdog-Under (152.5)

1985
(8) Villanova (+9) 66 vs. (1) Georgetown 64
Underdog-Over (112)

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

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP BETTING RESULTS

Favorites-Underdogs

• Straight Up (SU): 25-12
• Against the Spread (ATS): 19-18

Total

• Over-Under (O/U): 17-20

NCAA TOURNAMENT BETTING RECAPS - LAST SIX YEARS

2023

Connecticut aka UConn captured the 2023 NCAA Men's Tournament in dominant fashion. The Huskies ran past the San Diego State Aztecs 76-59 in the championship game at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. The school covered as a 6.5-point favorite and the combined 135 points slid 'over' the closing total of 131.5 points.

UConn went 6-0 both straight up and against the spread in the NCAA Tournament, winning all six games by double digits. The Huskies were the No. 4 seed in the West Region and were listed as a +550 betting choice to emerge from the group. Overall, UConn was listed as high as a 25/1 betting choice to cut down the nets in the championship game.

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.

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