Sweet 16 Predictions, Odds & Preview for March Madness 2023

This year’s NCAA Tournament has been one of the most exciting in recent memory, and bettors are gearing up for more action as March Madness heads into the Sweet 16 round. This season’s regional semifinals round – commonly called the “Sweet 16” – sees several top-flight programs (and a few Cinderella stories) three wins away from playing for a National Championship.

In this article, we’ll review the regional semifinal round of March Madness, provide our best Sweet 16 predictions, and explain how to qualify for up to $1,000 in bonus bet credits with FanDuel Sportsbook. No promo code is required for the promotion: users just need to sign up using this link to qualify.

ARKANSAS VS. UCONN PREDICTION: UConn -3.5 (-115) at FanDuel Sportsbook

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Sweet 16 preview for the 2023 NCAA Basketball Tournament

Let’s get right into our favorite Sweet 16 prediction: we love the #4-seed, UConn (-3.5), over #8-seed Arkansas, currently listed at (-115) on FanDuel Sportsbook. The Huskies have impressed so far in the tournament, most recently taking down #5-seed St. Mary’s by 15 points. Meanwhile, Arkansas has been a surprise success story of the tournament, defeating Illinois by 10 in the first round before upsetting #1-seed Kansas in the Round of 32.

Offensively, UConn is a step above Arkansas. The Huskies rank 29th in the NCAA in total points, 14th in the NCAA in rebounding, 42nd in free throw efficiency and in the top 100 in field goal percentage and three-point percentage.

On the other hand, Arkansas only ranks in the top 100 in one offensive category: field goal percentage. They rank near the bottom of the NCAA in three-point percentage and free throw percentage, which makes it difficult for them to overcome deficits. On the offensive end, UConn holds a clear advantage.

Where Arkansas has found success is on the defensive side of the ball, ranking within the top 100 in four categories (points allowed, field goal percentage allowed, three-point efficiency, and total rebounds). However, UConn has just as strong a defense as Arkansas, if not better: the Huskies outrank the Razorbacks in each of those categories.

Considering the advantages the Huskies hold on both ends of the floor, their -3.5 (-115) betting odds seem to be very valuable. To put the icing on the cake: UConn has covered the spread in seven of their last eight matchups, while Arkansas is just 2-3-1 ATS in their last six.

If you like UConn against the spread, head over to FanDuel and sign up using this link. When you bet on UConn (or on any other sports market), you’ll receive first-bet insurance on your wager, up to $1000. If you lose, you’ll receive bonus bets equal to the value of your bet.

There are eight total Sweet 16 matchups for bettors to take advantage of, including:

• #1 Alabama Crimson Tide (-7.5, -120) (-360 money line)

#5 San Diego State Aztecs (+7.5, -102) (+280 money line)

• #1 Houston Cougars (-6.5, -120) (-285 money line)

#5 Miami Hurricanes (+6.5, -102) (+230 money line)

• #6 Creighton Bluejays (-9.5, -120) (-580 money line)

#15 Princeton Tigers (+9.5, -102) (+420 money line)

• #3 Xavier Musketeers (+3.5, -102) (+146 money line)

#2 Texas Longhorns (-3.5 -120) (-178 money line)

• #9 Florida Atlantic Owls (+4.5, -105) (+188 money line)

#4 Tennessee Volunteers (-4.5, -115) (-235 money line)

• #8 Arkansas Razorbacks (+3.5, -105) (+146 money line)

#4 Connecticut Huskies (-3.5, -115) (-178 money line)

• #3 Kansas State Wildcats (+1.5, -102) (+112 money line)

#7 Michigan State Spartans (-1.5, -120) (-134 money line)

• #3 Gonzaga Bulldogs (+2.5, -115) (+110 money line)

#2 UCLA Bruins (-2.5, -105) (-132 money line)

The biggest favorite on the slate is the Alabama Crimson Tide, currently posted as 7.5-point favorites against the spread and (-360, $360 wager to win $100 profit) money line favorites. The closest spread for the Sweet 16 is in the Kansas State vs. Michigan State game, with the Spartans holding a narrow 1.5-point edge over the Wildcats.

March Madness Sweet 16 predictions

Each of these eight games are bound to be hard-fought, evenly-matched showdowns; however, we’ve assembled our Sweet 16 predictions to help grow your sportsbook account’s balance.

Our first Sweet 16 prediction is for Alabama to cover the 7.5-point spread against San Diego State. While San Diego State has been playing well thus far in the tournament, it has been against lesser competition (Furman and College of Charleston). 

Alabama may be the most talented team in the nation and are playing like it, with an impressive 20+-point win in their last showing. Expect that momentum to continue into the next game, with Alabama covering and cashing their (-120) odds.

Our second and final bet from our Sweet 16 predictions see the Miami Hurricanes covering the 6.5-point spread against the Houston Cougars. While we’d be hard-pressed to pick Miami outright, they should keep their matchup against the uber-talented Cougars close with a rebounding edge, considering star forward Norchad Omier is likely to play. Take the 6.5 points at (-102) and run.

If any of our March Madness Sweet 16 predictions caught your eye, head over to FanDuel and create an account using this link. Once you make a deposit of at least $10 and place a bet, you’ll get up to $1,000 back in bonus bet credits if your first bet doesn’t win. It’s a rare win-win situation that any savvy bettor should quickly take advantage of.

March Madness schedule & bracket 2023

This year’s Sweet 16 matchups will each take place on either March 23 or March 24, 2023. Here are the tip-off times for each game and where you can watch them:

• Thursday, March 23:

#3 Kansas State vs. #7 Michigan State - 6:30 PM, TBS

#4 Connecticut vs. #8 Arkansas - 7:15 PM, CBS

#4 Tennessee vs. #9 Florida Atlantic - 9:00 PM, TBS

#2 UCLA vs. #3 Gonzaga - 9:45 PM, CBS

• Friday, March 24:

#1 Alabama vs. #5 San Diego State - 6:30 PM, TBS

#1 Houston vs. #5 Miami - 7:15 PM, CBS

#6 Creighton vs. #15 Princeton - 9:00 PM, TBS

#2 Texas vs. #3 Xavier - 9:45, CBS

How to bet on the NCAA Tournament and unlock $1000 in betting bonuses

If you’re gearing up to bet on the Sweet 16 of the March Madness tournament, FanDuel is offering new users with an incredibly attractive promotional offer. No actual promo code is required – users just need to sign up using one of the links in this article. To qualify, you’ll need to satisfy the following conditions:

• Be a first-time FanDuel customer
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• Sign up using this link
• Make a real-money deposit of at least $10
• Place a bet on any sports market

Once you complete these steps, you’ll qualify for this promotion. Your first bet will be used to determine the size of your bonus bet payout, if you qualify. If your bet wins, you’ll receive the associated winnings as usual. If your bet loses, you’ll receive your initial wager back in promotional credits, up to $1000.

NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 odds provided by FanDuel Sportsbook

Beyond single-game betting odds, FanDuel is also offering an assortment of futures bets that can provide excellent value for bettors. One of the best ways to maximize your return on investment at this point in March Madness is to bet on the overall winner of the tournament. Here are FanDuel’s current odds for each remaining team to win the 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament:

• Alabama +320
• Houston +400
• UCLA +850
• Connecticut +900
• Creighton +950
• Texas +1000
• Tennessee +1100
• Gonzaga +1200
• Michigan State +2500
• Kansas State +3000
• San Diego State +4000
• Arkansas +4000
• Xavier +4500
• Miami +4800
• Florida Atlantic +5000

If you’re a believer in one of these teams, betting on them to win the National Championship can yield some huge returns; however, if you wait, their odds can only get shorter. Head over to FanDuel and sign up using this link to receive up to $1,000 in bonus bet credits if your first bet loses.

If you or a loved one has questions or needs to talk to a professional about gambling, call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit 1800gambler.net for more information.