2026 NCAA Tournament bets to make right away
Selection Sunday is now behind us, which means we have a 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket. While we all will take the week to look into all of the games and determine all of our bets and how to fill our brackets out, DraftKings Sportsbook wastes no time getting March Madness on the board.
Lines on NCAA Tournament games were populating as the selection committee released the matchups, and money flooded into the markets immediately. Here are some games that I feel are worth betting right away on Selection Sunday.
No. 11 Miami OH vs. No. 11 SMU (Wednesday, March 18 in Dayton, OH)
The good news for Miami of Ohio is that it did indeed get an at-large big to the NCAA Tournament after losing in the MAC Tournament. The Redhawks can also probably expect a decent crowd, with their opening game scheduled in their home state. That’s about where the good news ends.
The bad news is that they are going to play a legitimate opponent for the first time this season, and I’m not expecting it to go well. I don’t think going 31-0 is all luck. Miami has a skill to win close games, and we saw it over and over again during the regular season. We also saw the luck finally run out against UMass.
The problem is that I don’t think the Redhawks are going to have a chance to use their experience in close games when they face SMU. Not that the Mustangs were all that dominant this season, but they rank 26th on KenPom in offensive efficiency and are top-60 in rebound rate. For comparison, Miami ranks just 70th on offensive efficiency by the same metrics, and has a rebound rate outside of the top-150.
Miami can also be a disaster on defense, ranking 156th on KenPom. The Redhawks are going to have a lot of trouble coming up with stops, and when they do, they will struggle to keep SMU off the glass. This team played absolutely nobody, with the toughest non-conference game against Wright State. We’re about to find out who this Miami team really is, and I don’t think it’s going to go well.
CBB Pick: SMU -7.5 (-110)
No. 9 Saint Louis vs. No. 8 Georgia (Thursday, March 19 in Buffalo, NY)
The Billikens got off to a scorching start to the season, going 24-1 with the lone loss by a single-point on a neutral floor to Stanford. From mid-February on, Saint Louis did not appear to be the same team. The Billikens finished the season going just 4-4 over its last eight games, and went just 2-6 ATS.
This one could be a barn burner, with Saint Louis ranking 21st in adjusted tempo and Georgia ranking 16th. If the game is going to be a track meet, I just don’t feel Saint Louis will be ablt to keep up with an SEC team like it did in the A-10. The Bulldogs have the superior offense, ranking 16th in the country. With Georgia well tested against elite teams and Saint Louis trending down, I like UGA to get whatever it wants on offense and break away.
CBB Pick: UGA ML (-135)
No. 11 VCU vs. No. 6 UNC (Thursday, March 19 in Greenville, SC)
VCU is a very solid team out of the A-10. The Rams are pretty well balanced in all aspects, but don’t really do anything at an elite level. I actually like VCU as a team, but catching just 2.5 points against UNC, even without Caleb Wilson, feels like a bit too much respect — likely because it has won 16 of its last 17 games.
Outside of the A-10, the Rams’ best win was likely over South Florida — which is a pretty fair fight. But VCU lost to better teams on the schedule anytime it stepped up in class, falling to Utah State, New Mexico, NC State and Vanderbilt. Even without Wilson, UNC has continued to prove it can get quality wins, over the likes of Clemson and Louisville. I understand the love for the underdog here, but the number is just too short to pass on the Tar Heels.
CBB Pick: UNC ML (-140)
No. 10 Santa Clara vs. No. 7 Kentucky (Friday, March 20 in Saint Louis, MO)
Similar story here with Stanta Clara and Kentucky to the VCU and UNC game. I think the Broncos are a good team, but I do not think they are good enough to hang with the Wildcats. So with Kentucky priced as a pretty short favorite, I have to back the Wildcats.
Santa Clara can hang its hat on a pair of wins over Saint Mary’s, which earned the at-large bid. While those are legit wins, Kentucky is just a completely different matchup of size and athleticism. The Wildcats are balanced on both sides of the ball, and have the type of defense that can slow down Santa Clara’s elite offense. I believe Kentucky will be able to force turnovers and get out in transition, which will be nearly impossible for the Broncos to stop.
