Connecticut Is Favored to Win NCAA Tournament, Oddsmakers Say

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Connecticut Is Favored to Win NCAA Tournament, Oddsmakers Say

March 13 (Bloomberg) -- The University of Connecticut is the favorite to win the men's national college basketball tournament, according to Las Vegas oddsmakers.

The Huskies (27-3) are one of four top seeds in the 65-team field, along with Duke (30-3), Villanova (25-4) and Memphis (30- 3). Although Connecticut lost to Syracuse in the Big East tournament, the Huskies are listed as the 5-2 favorites to win the championship by the Las Vegas Hilton Race & Sports Book.

Duke, which lost its final two regular-season games before winning the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, is the second choice at 4-1.

``As of late, Duke's had a lot of close games and it's just edged UConn to the forefront of the power rating,'' Jeff Sherman, assistant manager of the Las Vegas Hilton Race & Sports Book said in a telephone interview.

The tournament, which is divided into four regions, starts tomorrow with a game between Monmouth and Hampton, the lowest- rated teams in the field. The 32 first-round games are scheduled for March 16 and 17 around the country. The Final Four is scheduled for April 1 and 3 in Indianapolis.

John Harper, a senior oddsmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants, said Connecticut and Duke are listed as the top two choices because they have large national fan bases and have won five titles between them in the past 15 years. His company, which advises casinos on their betting lines, set Connecticut's odds at 3-1 and Duke's at 7-2.

Connecticut's Opener

``Many people who haven't followed college basketball will make their first bet on the NCAA tournament,'' Harper said in a telephone interview. ``While the more sophisticated bettor might avoid (Connecticut and Duke), the lines are set for the public. They'll get a lot of attention.''

Connecticut, the top seed in the Washington bracket, plays its first game against No. 16 Albany (21-10) in Philadelphia on March 17. Tennessee is the second seed in Connecticut's bracket, followed by defending champion North Carolina and Illinois.

Villanova, which shared the Big East regular-season title with Connecticut, is the third betting choice at 7-1, according to the Las Vegas Hilton. The Wildcats and Huskies, among a record eight Big East teams in the tournament, would meet in the national semifinals if they advanced to the Final Four.

Memphis is the fourth choice at 10-1, followed by Texas and UCLA at 12-1, North Carolina at 15-1 and Ohio State and Florida at 20-1. Gonzaga, which received a third seed after going 27-3, has 25-1 odds to win the championship. Also at 25-1 are Boston College, Tennessee, Kansas, Louisiana State and Illinois.

Futures

Connecticut, which won national titles in 1999 and 2004, is also the favorite among futures traders.

Contracts that would pay $100 for a Connecticut title are trading for $23.60 at Dublin, Ireland-based TradeSports.com, the highest price among teams in the tournament. Duke is the second choice, trading for $17.50 on the online exchange.

Duke, a No. 1 seed for the eighth time in nine seasons, plays its opening game against No. 16 Southern University on March 16 in Greensboro, North Carolina. The Blue Devils won the ACC tournament title in Greensboro yesterday with a 78-76 win over Boston College.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament has grown to rival football's Super Bowl in popularity among bettors in Nevada, the only U.S. state where sports gambling is legal.

More than $80 million will probably be wagered legally this year, according to the Nevada Gaming Control Board. A record $94.5 million was bet on this year's Super Bowl at Nevada's 176 sports books.

Opposed

The NCAA, the governing body of college athletics, opposes all forms of legal and illegal sports wagering on its sports.

``The gambling issue very much rises to the forefront during this time of year,'' Rachel Newman-Baker, the NCAA's director of agents, gambling and amateurism activities, said on a media conference call.

While the tournament may mean a profit for sports books, it takes a toll on other U.S. businesses, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas. The Chicago-based placement firm said in a press release that U.S. companies might see $3.8 billion in lost productivity over the 16 days of the tournament.

``The cost may end up being much higher since it will now be possible to watch entire games on the Internet,'' John Challenger, the chief executive of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, said in a statement.

Las Vegas sports books expect to be especially productive during the first four days of the tournament, when 48 first- and second-round games are played.

``This is just an incredibly popular event for the betting public,'' Harper said. ``People arrange trips to Vegas around the NCAA tournament.''