5 2024 NCAA Tournament Sleepers You Should Bet On

Author ImageAuthor: | Last Updated: February 2024
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Betting on NCAA Tournament sleepers could be your ticket to a huge payday in early April. Lower-seeded teams have made huge runs in March Madness in recent years.

With the NFL season behind us, many sportsbooks have already turned their attention to the NCAA Tournament. You can already bet on March Madness and start building your bracket. Some sportsbooks even have betting contests available for the tournament.

Keep reading to see five sleepers for the NCCA Tournament that you should bet on. Every team on my list is listed at 40-1 or longer to win the tournament this year. I will break down the odds for each sleeper team and tell you why I think they could make a run this year.

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NCAA Tournament Sleepers 2024

Last year, ninth-seeded Florida Atlantic University made it all the way to the Final Four. Every team in the Final Four was a fourth seed or lower. Here are five NCAA Tournament sleepers I believe can make a deep run this year, with odds courtesy of BetOnline.

Baylor (#11) (+4000)

Starting off my list of sleepers for the NCCA Tournament in 2024 is the #11 Baylor Bears. BetOnline has Baylor listed at +4000 to win the March Madness Tournament this season. Baylor is 19-7 so far this season, including a 13-1 record at home.

The Bears entered last year’s tournament as a three-seed but were upset in the second round by sixth-seeded Creighton. Baylor is in line to be a three-seed again this season, giving the Bears another good shot at making a deep run in the tournament.

I believe last year’s early exit will be a wake-up call for the Bears. Baylor is an experienced team, with multiple starters returning from last season. The school also had a top-10 recruiting class that should only get better with every game that goes by.

My biggest concern for the Bears is that they are just 3-4 on the road. Last season, Baylor went 5-5 in road games, and their struggles on the road came back to haunt them in the tournament. If Baylor cannot learn to win away from home, then they are in danger of another early exit in this year’s March Madness tournament.

Illinois (#12) (+4000)

The next team on my list of sleepers in the NCCA Tournament this season is #12 Illinois. The Fighting Illini are 19-7 so far this season, including a 13-2 record at home. However, like Baylor, Illinois has a losing record, 4-5, on the road.

Illinois finished last season as the sixth-best team in the Big Ten, earning them a ninth seed in the 2023 tournament. The Fighting Illini lost in the first round to Arkansas, falling 73-63.

This year, Illinois is the second-best team in the Big Ten so far, behind only #3 Purdue (24-3). A better finish in their conference will give Illinois a higher seed in the NCAA tournament in 2024. If they can keep their slight lead over Northwestern and Wisconsin, then the fighting Illini should have a much better seed this season.

Six players returned to Illinois from last season, and four veterans transferred to the team. There are a lot of talented, experienced players on the team as a result. That experience should serve the team well and allow them to make a deep run in this year’s tournament.

Washington State (#21) (+7500)

Up next is #21 Washington State, which is currently listed at +7500 to win the NCAA Tournament this year. The Cougars (21-6) are 13-1 at home and 6-3 on the road. They are also the top-ranked team in the Pac-12 and recently took down #4 Arizona on the road.

WSU has won eight straight games, giving them one of the longest active winning streaks in Men’s college basketball. If they continue winning to end the regular season, then the Cougars could move up in the Top 25 rankings. A higher seed would, in theory, give Washington State an easier path to the championship.

The Cougars are currently projected to be an eighth seed, which could give them tough matches early and often in the tournament. Unlike many of the other sleeper teams on my list, WSU does not have a lot of tournament experience recently. The Cougars’ last appearance in March Madness came in 2008 when they made it to the Sweet 16.

Despite their inexperience in March Madness, I am still confident that the Cougars can make a deep run. They have played well on the road, and that should translate into success in the tournament.

Gonzaga (+8000)

You can bet on teams currently ranked outside of the Top 25, too. Sports betting sites have the Gonzaga Bulldogs listed at +8000 to finally win the NCAA Tournament this year.

Many of the familiar faces that have represented Gonzaga in recent years have graduated. Given all of the disappointment in those Gonzaga stars found in March Madness, a fresh start could be a good thing.

The Bulldogs are not currently ranked, but they have earned a 21-6 record this season. Redshirt Junior Graham Ike has led the team in scoring this season, averaging 16 points per game (PPG). Ike is one of five players on the Bulldogs who is averaging 10+ PPG.

Gonzaga is also 6-2 on the road this season, including a road win over #17 Kentucky. Most of the Bulldogs’ losses have come against top-ranked teams, such as Purdue and UConn. They lost by two points against #18 St. Mary’s CA (22-6), which is currently the top-ranked team in the West Coast.

That loss could hurt the Bulldogs in the race for the conference title. Since that loss, though, Gonzaga has won five straight games. The teams are scheduled to play again in the regular season finale.

Dayton (#16) (+10000)

Rounding out my list of the five best NCAA Tournament sleepers is #16 Dayton. BetOnline has the Flyers listed at +10000 to win March Madness this season. That puts Dayton behind multiple teams ranked below them, including the aforementioned #21 WSU and unranked Gonzaga.

Dayton is 21-5 so far this season and undefeated at home. They are third in the Atlantic 10, behind Loyola IL (19-7) and Richmond (19-7). The Flyers have a better overall record, but they are behind both Layola and Richmond in conference record.

Layola has not played Dayton yet, but Richmond beat Dayton in January. If The Flyers lose to Layola too, then they are likely locked into the third spot in the division. That could hurt them significantly when it comes to their seeding in the NCAA Tournament.

On the other hand, If Dayton can be Richmond and maintain their Top 25 ranking, they should get in with a high seed. This would be the Flyers’ first tournament appearance since 2017 when they went one-and-done. Assuming they end the regular season on a high note, I think Dayton can make a much deeper run this time around.

How to Bet on the NCAA Tournament 2024

March Madness is one of the premier betting events on the sports calendar every year. Sites like BetOnline make it easy to wager on every game of the tournament.

In addition to having competitive betting odds on every game of the NCAA Tournament in 2024, BetOnline also has great betting bonuses. These bonuses are a great way to fund your bankroll for the March Madness tournament. The sportsbook is offering a fun betting contest for the tournament.

BetOnline’s $200,000 Bracket Madness Contest

BetOnline is already allowing members to buy entries for its $200,000 Bracket Madness contest. You cannot make your picks until March 17th, but the sportsbook has allowed members to pre-purchase their entry tickets.

Members can buy up to $20 entries, and your price decreases with each ticket you buy. Your first ticket costs $20, but your 11th to 20th tickets only cost $5 apiece.

You will get one point for each of the games you pick correctly in the first round. Then, the points double for every round after that, all the way up to 32 points for picking the National Championship winner.

Your final score determines your palace on the leaderboard, and the top 1,250 contestants receive a cash prize. The first-place prize is $50,000 in cash, with zero rollover requirements.

Which NCAA Tournament Sleepers Will You Bet On?

The college basketball regular season is winding down, and the start of March Madness is right around the corner. Top-ranked teams like UConn and Purdue will enter the tournament as favorites. However, you can make a lot more money by correctly betting on NCAA Tournament sleepers.

Check out the list above to see my five sleeper teams that could make deep runs in this year’s tournament. My list includes five teams that have 40-1 odds to win the tournament but are poised for deep runs. Then, head over to BetOnline Sportsbook to wager on this year’s March Madness tournament.

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About the Author
Shaun Stack Editor

Shaun Stack, a native of the state of Kansas, has been a lifelong fan of all sports. Shaun has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh Bradford. He has been writing for GamblingSites.org for several years, covering a wide range of topics.

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