March Madness Predictions 2020: Which Teams Will Reach The Final Four?

Brian Sausa, Last Updated: June 20th, 2024 - NJ Sports Betting - Free $3,250 For Sports Bets In New Jersey

There are still a few weeks left before the 2020 NCAA Tournament bracket is released, but it’s our obligation to the bettors out there to take a serious look toward the postseason and give out some early 2020 March Madness picks!

Legal online sportsbooks across the United States, including all the best NJ betting sites, are offering odds for more college basketball futures markets than ever before. One of these wagering categories is selecting which teams will reach the Final Four despite there being several weeks left in the regular season.

2020 March Madness Betting Odds: Who Will Make The Final Four?

Traditionally, the only way people really invested into which teams reached the third and final weekend is by filling out an NCAA Tournament bracket and trying to earn the points that come along with picking the winner of a region.

That is no longer the case thanks to the addition of new markets that allow us to take part in March Madness betting throughout the entire season, including making Final Four predictions. Below are the odds to reach the final four for the elite programs in college basketball, and you can get access to them by signing up with a FoxBet NJ promo code:

Make 2020 Final Four Picks At FoxBet NJ!

Depending on which region a given team winds up in, those odds can change. Of course, it can go both ways and better odds come up once the NCAA Tournament field is developed, but that’s why we’re here to help you narrow down your options.

No surprise that many of the teams at the top of the list are elite programs in some of the best conferences in the nation. Because there are still games remaining on the NCAA basketball schedule, resumes are only halfway built. It adds to the guessing game but can also provide value to certain programs.

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2020 Final Four Predictions: Which Teams Can Win An NCAA Tournament Region?

Making Final Four picks with no bracket or seeding may feel like going into your wager a bit blind, but that’s also what can help create extra betting value. It’s a little bit of a guessing game for bettors but it’s the same exact way for oddsmakers as well. Because of the lack of information you’d generally want, this is a rare occasion in which you can be on a somewhat level playing field with sportsbooks.

We have narrowed our choices down to eight teams we feel have a legitimate chance to win an NCAA Tournament region AND have some betting value. Some programs have been left out (sorry, Gonzaga) not because of they aren’t elite, but because we don’t feel the current line holds enough value. Below are explanations for why each program may be worth considering for your 2020 Final Four betting predictions:

• Baylor Bears (+135)

What is there to do other than point out that Baylor has a 21-game win streak dating back to the second game of the season in early November? Any team that finds a way to win basically every game it plays is certainly capable of winning an NCAA region, and we love +135 odds for Final Four betting predictions on Baylor.

The Bears are a perfect 8-0 in Quadrant 1 games and are a perfect 8-0 away from home as well, which includes conference wins at Texas Tech and Kansas. Some would prefer to wait for Baylor to slip up in order to get better odds in all of these futures markets, but oddsmakers are unlikely to give you too much value with a team that starts the season 22-1 in a power conference.

• Kansas Jayhawks (+135)

The Jayhawks are still in second place in the Big 12 but have caught up to Baylor in terms of odds to reach the Final Four. Both the eye test and advanced stats say Kansas is one of the best teams in the country yet again and primed for a deep run after likely securing a No. 1 seed.

Part of the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET), the quadrant system breaks down a team’s schedule and results, rating each win and loss with extra focus being put on neutral site and road games. This is especially useful for March Madness, so it is a popular statistic to view when filling out brackets.

The Jayhawks are tops in ‘Quadrant 1′ wins with 10 and also ranks No. 1 according to KenPom, a predictive system commonly used to rate college basketball teams. Kansas really has no bad losses and passed every test in Big 12 play since losing to Baylor in December, but gets another crack at the Bears on the road in February.

• Louisville Cardinals (+165)

Louisville leads the ACC as of this writing and owns a 21-4 record with just one ‘bad’ loss to Georgia Tech in there, though not many impressive wins. This is one of our favorite 2020 Final Four picks and one of the few teams that can reach the Final Four from any seed line.

It looks like they’ll either be a No. 1 or No. 2 when it’s all said and done, though the final few weeks including a February 24 game at Florida State will have plenty to do with it. If Louisville winds up off the top seed line but in a region with a No. 1 seed like Gonzaga or San Diego State, these odds will drop and the Cardinals could become the favorite in that part of the bracket.

• Duke Blue Devils (+165)

This year’s Duke team isn’t getting quite the hype that last years’ did when Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett were stealing the show every night, but this team is absolutely thriving.

It’s not Coach K’s most experienced group, but they could still be primed for a deep run and are worth being part of your 2020 Final Four predictions at +165 odds. The ACC isn’t the powerhouse conference it has been in past years and quality wins are hard to come by, but Duke is still 21-3 overall.

The more impressive record, though, is what the Blue Devils do on the road. At 7-1 away from home (including an incredible comeback at rival UNC), Duke is winning regardless of the gym they play in and are finding ways to win even without their best game on many nights.

• Dayton Flyers (+250)

We suggested Dayton at +700 earlier this season, and odds have fallen quite a bit. Dayton is most likely to wind up with a No. 2 or No. 3 seed and will be a serious threat to win whatever region they’re placed in. Obi Toppin is the star player most NBA teams will be looking at while three other players average in double-figures to keep opponents honest.

The Flyers go under the radar a bit because they are dominating a mediocre Atlantic 10 conference but this is the same team that took Kansas to overtime in Maui, only losing because the Jayhawks shot 55.9 percent from the field. With Kansas being the measuring stick for almost any team in the nation, there’s serious value on Dayton at +250 that could be lost down the road.

• Michigan State (+300)

The Spartans came into this season as the preseason No. 1 but haven’t lived up to that billing. Our previous March Madness predictions had us sticking with Michigan State and because of the current line, we are going to stick with them again.

This is the perfect buy-low time for Michigan State at +300. This team can fly a bit under the radar thanks to the Big Ten being relatively deep this season with several teams in the top 25 at all times. While this likely will cost the Spartans any shot at a No. 1 seed, any team with Tom Izzo behind the bench and Cassius Winston running the offense is going to have a chance in March and is enticing at the current line.

• San Diego State (+450)

There is rarely a top-five team with as little hype as San Diego State, a team dominating the Mountain West Conference. We were hesitant to jump on the Aztecs earlier in the season but the time has come to give this team its due to and look at these huge odds, which are still inflated.

The Aztecs will be forced to play multiple teams better than any of the ones on its schedule in order to win its region, but it could snag a No. 1 seed if it closes the regular season undefeated. Getting a top seed at +450 is far too valuable, regardless of the conference.

• Louisiana State Tigers (+850)

LSU isn’t really a team anyone is talking about going incredibly deep in March, and it’s hard to blame them. But if you’re looking for a top-six seed with a bit of value, look no further. We think of LSU a little bit like Auburn last year: a talented offensive team that could catch lightning in a bottle.

March Madness games tend to get a bit out of control and unpredictable, but LSU is perfectly fine with that. Whether you want to hold the ball for 30 seconds every possession or run up and down the floor for the next 40 minutes, the Tigers are capable of playing any style

Most commonly they score a ton of points while allowing a ton of points, but they just aren’t a team you want to see on your schedule come NCAA Tournament time. With a little help from the bracket, LSU could make an unexpected run the way SEC-rival Auburn did a season ago.

March Madness Picks: Odds To Reach 2020 Final Four Predictions

• Baylor Bears (+135)
• Kansas Jayhawks (+135)
• Louisville Cardinals (+165)
• Duke Blue Devils (+165)
• Dayton Flyers (+250)
• Michigan State Spartans (+300)
• San Diego State Aztecs (+450)
• LSU Tigers (+850)

All odds for this article come courtesy of Fox Bet, which operates both in the Garden State and as one of the top options in Pennsylvania. Don’t forget to line shop around both NJ and PA online betting sites in order to get the most profitable lines possible! For more information about wagering on college basketball, visit out our March Madness betting guide before the 2020 NCAA Tournament!

ABOUT Brian Sausa

Brian Sausa is BonusSeeker’s Copy Editor and lead sports betting pundit. A journalism graduate with an extensive sports background, Brian has been employed by multiple professional leagues including MLB, MiLB (Minor League Baseball), and the NHL. MLB, NHL, IBTimes, Brooklyn Cyclones, FanSided