Opening Odds for All Sweet 16 Games
- Opening odds have been released for the Sweet 16 games at the 2021 NCAA Tournament
- Undefeated Gonzaga, the top seed in the West, is currently the largest favorite on the board, while the highest total belongs to Oral Roberts and Arkansas
- See below for opening odds analysis ahead of the Sweet 16
March equals Madness every year the NCAA Tournament is contested, but this year’s version has been especially wild. The 2021 Sweet 16 includes three double-digit seeds, in addition to a 7 and 8 seed. Three of the four top seeds remain, including Gonzaga, and once again the Bulldogs will be the largest favorite when Sweet 16 play begins on Saturday (March 27th).
Sweet 16 Opening Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total | Date / Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (12) Oregon State | +6.5 (-110) | +220 | Over 126.0 (-110) | Sat. 2:40 pm ET |
| (8) Loyola Chicago | -6.5 (-110) | -270 | Under 126.0 (-110) | |
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total | Time |
| (5) Villanova | +6.5 (-110) | +220 | Over 139.0 (-110) | Sat. 5:15 pm ET |
| (1) Baylor | -6.5 (-110) | -270 | Under 139.0 (-110) | |
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total | Time |
| (15) Oral Roberts | +11.0 (-106) | +480 | Over 159.0 (-110) | Sat. 7:25 pm ET |
| (3) Arkansas | -11.0 (-116) | -650 | Under 159.0 (-110) | |
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total | Time |
| (11) Syracuse | +6.0 (-106) | +220 | Over 140.5 (-106) | Sat. 9:55 pm ET |
| (2) Houston | -6.0 (-116) | -270 | Under 140.5 (-116) | |
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total | Time |
| (5) Creighton | +13.5 (-110) | +660 | Over 158.5 (-110) | Sun. 2:10 pm ET |
| (1) Gonzaga | -13.5 (-110) | -1000 | Under 158.5 (-110) | |
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total | Time |
| (4) Florida State | +3.0 (-110) | +136 | Over 144.5 (-110) | Sun. 5 pm ET |
| (1) Michigan | -3.0 (-110) | -162 | Under 144.5 (-110) | |
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total | Time |
| (11) UCLA | +5.5 (-102) | +198 | Over 143.0 (-110) | Sun. 7:15 pm ET |
| (2) Alabama | -5.5 (-120) | -240 | Under 143.0 (-110) | |
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total | Time |
| (7) Oregon | +1.0 (-106) | +100 | Over 139.0 (-110) | Sun. 9:45 pm ET |
| (6) USC | -1.0 (-116) | -118 | Under 139.0 (-110) |
Odds taken March 23rd at FanDuel.
Bulldogs’ Dominance Continues
The Zags opened up as a 13.5-point favorite over 5-seed Creighton and don’t be surprised if the line moves further in the Bulldogs’ favor. Gonzaga has now won 25 straight games by double-digits, and has covered spreads of 33.5 and 14.5-points through two rounds at this year’s tournament.
Another W for the Zags ✔️
Gonzaga advances to the Sweet 16 behind a 30-point performance from Drew Timme. pic.twitter.com/8b3W4LgTN4
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 22, 2021
On Monday, they knocked off Oklahoma by 16, on the strength of a 30-point performance by Drew Timme, and are only four wins away from completing the first undefeated championship season since Indiana 45 years ago. They’ll take on a Bluejays program that was pushed to the brink by 12-seed UCSB in the First Round, before cruising past 13-seed Ohio in the Second Round.
Early Action On Oregon State
12-seed Oregon State’s improbable run is continuing in the MidWest Region, after upsetting 4-seed Oklahoma State on Sunday. The Beavers were left for dead after a 10-10 record in league play, and needed to win the Pac-12 Tournament just to get into this field.
These Cinderella teams are moving on to the Sweet 16:
✨ No. 8 Loyola Chicago
✨ No. 11 Syracuse
✨ No. 12 Oregon State
✨ No. 15 Oral RobertsWhat a day. @marchmadness pic.twitter.com/kt6tJp6Q3i
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 22, 2021
They’re neck and neck with Oral Roberts for this year’s Cinderella label, and will now take on 8-seed Loyola Chicago as a 6.5-point underdog. The Ramblers, the nation’s number one defense per KenPom’s metrics, put the entire tournament on notice by knocking off top seed Illinois on Saturday, and are seeking their second Final Four appearance in the past four years.
🚨 8-SEED LOYOLA CHICAGO UPSETS 1-SEED ILLINOIS 🚨 pic.twitter.com/WSr8kW4MIJ
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 21, 2021
Loyola Chicago made a big move in the Futures market after upsetting the Fighting Illini, and now have the sixth shortest odds to win the entire tournament. Early action however is backing the Beavers, as 69% of the spread bets and 75% of the spread money is on Oregon State.
Shootout Brewing Between Oral Roberts and Arkansas
As far as totals go, the lowest belongs to the aforementioned Beavers versus Ramblers matchup, while the highest belongs to 15-seed Oral Roberts and 3-seed Arkansas at 159. The Golden Eagles feature two legit stars in Kevin Obanor and Max Abmas, who’ve been unstoppable through two rounds.
Max Abmas and Kevin Obanor are the 3rd pair of teammates in NCAA Tournament history to each score 25 points in consecutive games.
They join Bryant Stith and Richard Morgan in 1989 for Virginia and Gail Goodrich and Keith Erickson in 1965 for UCLA. pic.twitter.com/10e3zIJ0rL
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) March 22, 2021
The duo has combined for 113 of the team’s 156 points, and were the main reason Oral Roberts ranked 11th nationally in points per game this season.
Arkansas meanwhile, survived a scare against 6-seed Texas Tech on Sunday, prevailing by two points after a disappointing offensive performance. The Razorbacks shot just 41.9% from the field against a very tough Red Raiders defense, but were one of the premier offensive teams in the country in 2020-21.
YOUR ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS ARE GOING TO THE SWEET 16 pic.twitter.com/3p9sFRtaeR
— Arkansas Razorbacks Men’s Basketball 🐗 (@RazorbackMBB) March 22, 2021
They ranked 7th nationally in points per game, and are only one game removed from hanging 85 on Colgate.
As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
