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DraftKings gives Wisconsin Badgers fifth-best NCAA tournament odds in Big Ten

The Wisconsin Badgers have long-shot odds to win the 2026 NCAA tournament, but their odds are still better than most of their Big Ten rivals.
Lorin Cox|
Mar 19, 2025; Denver, CO, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Greg Gard during a press conference at Ball Arena.
Mar 19, 2025; Denver, CO, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Greg Gard during a press conference at Ball Arena. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

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Wisconsin Badgers

Preseason expectations for Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball are tepid despite the team's deep run in the Big Ten Tournament last season.

But oddsmakers know Greg Gard is capable of pulling a team together to exceed expectations, and they're holding onto the possibility of another big postseason push in Madison.

DraftKings' odds for every team to win the NCAA tournament next year put Wisconsin at a long shot of +7000, but that's still the fifth-best odds in the Big Ten.

The four Big Ten teams with better NCAA tournament odds are Purdue, Michigan, Michigan State and UCLA.

Indiana (+7500) and Iowa (+8000) are right behind the Badgers on DraftKings. The sportsbook doesn't currently list any schools from the state of Illinois.

FanDuel actually gives Wisconsin better overall odds at +6000, but it has the Badgers tied with Indiana, Iowa, and USC, while remaining behind the same four schools plus Illinois.

Gard hasn't made it past the second round of the tournament since 2017, but the program's Final Four run in 2015 serves as a reminder of how they can catch fire and surprise the rest of the country.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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Lorin Cox
LORIN COX

Lorin Cox is the managing editor of Wisconsin Badgers on SI. He has been covering Badgers sports since 2014, when he was an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin. He previously wrote for the Wisconsin State Journal, NBC Sports Chicago and USA Today Sports Media Group, and he is a former analyst for Pro Football Focus.

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