The stage is officially set for the NCAA Championship as Florida and Houston face off tonight. Florida is making their fourth NCAA Championship appearance and searching for their third title while Houston is in search of their first trophy after reaching this stage twice before.
Florida enters as narrow -115 favorites on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook while Houston holds -105 odds. The game total is set at 140.5 for the matchup. Both sides are represented with massive wagers on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Florida to win on Moneyline (-112): $75,000 to win $66,967.50
The biggest bet on DraftKings Sportsbook has been place on Florida to win at -112 odds on the Moneyline. This user set themselves up for an improved payout compared to the -115 odds at which the line is currently set.
Florida to win on Moneyline (-111): $10,000 to win $18,929
This user has been replaced for the largest current wager on the National Championship game but is also backing Florida to win with a $10,000 wager. They set themselves up for an even more favorable odds shift by taking advantage of the -111 odds.
Houston to win on Moneyline (-108): $9,600 to win $18,488.64
On the other side of these wagers, a DraftKings user has risked $9,600 to win $18,488.64. This user got the short end of the stick from an odds movement perspective as Houston now holds -105 odds of winning outright.
The Case for Florida:
Florida has been regarded as one of the best teams in college basketball all season and has lived up to this during NCAA Tournament play. They rank third in the country in scoring at 83.5 points per game and rank third in rebounds per game. They defeated Norfolk State, Connecticut, Maryland, Texas Tech, and Auburn to reach this point and have had to rally for come-from-behind victories multiple times already in this potential title run. Walter Clayton Jr. headlines the production and is coming off back-to-back 30+ point performances entering tonight. He can catch fire as well as anyone and will be Florida’s primary offensive option as has been the case all season. Todd Golden’s squad is well coached, knows who they are as a team, and will not roll over during this high-intensity matchup.
The Case for Houston:
Houston enters with a more defensive-minded approach and shows no willingness to quit. They will be riding the momentum of their comeback victory over Duke in the previous round in which they outscored the Blue Devils 11-1 in the final 1:34 to secure the 70-67 victory. The Cougars also defeated Tennessee, Purdue, Gonzaga, and SIU-Edwardsville to reach this stage. Kelvin Sampson’s squad has held opponents to just 58.5 points per game this season, which is the best rate in the country. They also shoot 39.5% from beyond the three-point arc on offense, which is also the best three-point efficiency in the country. Houston makes opponents earn every single point and has more balance on the offensive end than has traditionally been the case.
Expect a hard-fought battle tonight in which neither team can be counted out until the final whistle. At least one big bettor will be thrilled and one will leave displeased with whatever results end up occurring in the National Championship matchup.
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