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The first few rounds of the 2022 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament have come and gone, and only four teams remain as we enter the final weekend of the college basketball season. Four blue bloods — Duke, North Carolina, Kansas, and Villanova — will battle it out in New Orleans with a national championship on the line.

All four would be worthy champions of the 2022 season, but which team is the betting favorite to win it all, and are there any valuable bets left to be made?

Final Four odds and breakdown

We couldn’t have asked for a better Final Four than the one we’ve been presented in 2022. On one side, the greatest rivalry in college basketball history will write its first NCAA Tournament chapter when Duke faces off against North Carolina in Coach K’s final season. On the other, championship-winning coaches Jay Wright and Bill Self go head-to-head as Villanova takes on Kansas.

Duke currently sits as a four-point favorite against UNC, with the total sitting at 151. Interestingly, the Blue Devils were -12.5 against the Tar Heels when these two teams faced off back on March 5. North Carolina won that one by 13 in Coach K’s final home game, so the spread has significantly adjusted for the rematch.

Similarly, Kansas is a 4.5-point favorite against Villanova in the other semifinal matchup, but the total is all the way down at 133. This spread would most likely be much shorter if Nova guard Justin Moore hadn’t suffered a season-ending injury against Houston in the South regional final. The Wildcats might have a tough time scoring without one of their best shooters on the floor Saturday.

Which team is the favorite to cut down the nets?

Coach K talks with Bill Self.
Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski talks with Kansas head coach Bill Self | Lance King/Getty Images

Unsurprisingly, North Carolina is the biggest underdog remaining to win the national championship at +500. The Tar Heels have had an impressive run through the NCAA Tournament, but they’re the lowest seed left in the field and had the worst regular season of the four.

Then comes Villanova at +450. The Wildcats have an experienced head coach and a slew of upper classmen on their roster, but losing Moore might be too much to overcome.

Kansas is the biggest favorite of the two games in the Final Four, but Self’s squad isn’t the favorite to win it all. The Jayhawks are +185 to win the title.

And as you might’ve expected, Duke is now the favorite to cut down the nets at +155. The Blue Devils have the most talented roster left in the NCAA Tournament, and they have multiple first-round draft picks (including the possible No. 1 pick in Paolo Banchero) in their starting lineup.

There’s also a Coach K tax mixed into this price, but it’s warranted.

Bet Duke to win it all in Coach K’s last Final Four

If you’re deciding which team is the smartest bet to win the title in the NCAA Tournament, it might just be the favorite. At +155 heading into the Final Four, it’s likely the Blue Devils would be short favorites against Kansas and hefty favorites against Villanova. A win against North Carolina would give you a great price for the national championship game.

If we want to talk narratives, there’s no better story at this point than Mike Krzyzewski winning a title in his final season at Duke.

It’s Duke or nothing at this point.

All betting odds courtesy of DraftKings as of 3/30.

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Staff Writer

Jack Dougherty

Writing professionally since 2015, Jack Dougherty spent six years as a sportswriter with publications such as GoPSUSports.com, the Centre Daily Times, and the Associated Press before joining Sportscasting in 2020. He covers the NBA, the NFL, and the world of golf extensively and has added expertise on any team located in or around his hometown of Philadelphia. Yes, that includes the Philadelphia Eagles, the Philadelphia 76ers, and Philadelphia Phillies.

When Jack isn’t writing about sports, he’s watching them or playing them as he regularly heads to the gym for some pickup basketball or the golf course to hit the links. He’s also an avid participant in the sports betting scene who worked at a casino sportsbook for a year and learned the ins and outs of the industry before bringing his expertise to Sportscasting with one excellent gambling recommendation after another.