College Basketball Betting: 2 Best Bets to Win the 2026 National Championship

March Madness is approaching quickly.

With that in mind, who are the best bets to win the 2026 men's college basketball national championship?

Using the college basketball national championship odds from FanDuel Sportsbook, let's dive in.

All college basketball odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook and may change after the article is published.

Best Bets to Win the 2026 College Basketball National Championship

Houston (+950)

History -- and common sense -- tells us national champions tend to be teams that rate out very well both offensively and defensively, with a top-25 KenPom ranking at both ends of the floor being a near necessity.

Houston has consistently checked both of those boxes in recent years, and they nearly won it all a season ago, losing to Florida in the final game. I think the Cougars can get over the hump this campaign.

The Cougs have been defensive juggernauts for a while now, and that's no different this season, with Houston ranking ninth in KenPom defense. The big difference this season is that Houston's offense might be better than its defense as Houston sits fourth in KenPom offense.

A playmaking guard who can hit big shots can sometimes be the difference in March -- someone like Walter Clayton Jr. last year or Kemba Walker a while back. Houston has that type of player this year in point guard Kingston Flemings. A big-time recruit, Flemings has lived up to the billing and then some, averaging 17.1 points and 5.4 assists. He's had some truly eye-popping performances, including a 42-point outing in a win at Texas Tech.

Flemings gives Houston the kind of offensive upside they've lacked at times, and he's not the only future NBA first-rounder on the team as big man Chris Cenac Jr. -- another freshman -- is also projected to go in the first round this summer. JoJo Tugler and Milos Uzan are projected to be second-rounders, so this is a team with some serious talent.

Kelvin Sampson has built Houston into one of the nation's elite programs on the back of toughness and defense. Those two things are still very much intact, and the Cougars have a little more offensive firepower than usual this season. They check all the boxes.

Iowa State (+1200)

Another Big 12 team, Iowa State has all the makings of a potential title winner.

T. J. Otzelberger's bunch ranks 11th in KenPom offense and eighth in defense.

Outside of one bad week -- a two-game span where they lost at Cincinnati and Kansas -- the Cyclones have been outstanding this season, going 21-2 in the face of a tough schedule. Iowa State's 23-point win over Purdue at Mackey Arena is one of the best performances of any team this season.

Iowa State still has games left versus Houston, Kansas, BYU, Texas Tech and Arizona. It's one heck of a finishing stretch, and they'll no doubt enter the big dance battle tested. I like that.

The Cyclones have the ability to suffocate you defensively, and they can also beat you in a track meet if that's what is needed. They have three players scoring at least 13.0 points per game, led by Milan Momcilovic, who is shooting an astounding 53.3% from three on 7.3 attempts per night.

Like Houston, Iowa State checks all the boxes, and Otzelberger has been building this program toward a Final Four, with the Cyclones reaching the Sweet 16 in two of the past four years. If Iowa State is able to pick up some top-tier wins against their upcoming gantlet of a schedule, they should be looking at a 2 or 3 seed for the NCAA Tournament, something that can set them up for a deep run.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.