Five Futures Bets To Win It All

Last year around this time, I tweeted a few longshot futures picks to win the national title. They…turned out pretty good. Miami made the Final Four and San Diego State was 40 minutes away from cashing a 70-1 ticket.

If I had to pick five “longshot” teams to put a futures bet on I would pick:

Tennessee (+3000)
San Diego State (+7000)
Florida (+8000)
Dayton (+10000)
Miami (+12500) https://t.co/DB4xWfEZBl

— Trilly Donovan (@trillydonovan) October 28, 2022

Using Caesars Sportsbook as our oddsmaker, we’re running it back this year with five more picks of +3000 or more.

Creighton +3000

We already picked the Bluejays to win the Big East, so getting them at +3000 to win it all is a no-brainer. We’re all in on an All-American caliber season from Ryan Kalkbrenner (who was wrongfully snubbed from the AP Preseason list). We’re also very excited to watch Utah State transfer Steven Ashworth play alongside Trey Alexander and Baylor Scheierman in McDermott’s offense. This kid is a certified bucket and will be a household name come March. Getting Creighton at this price feels like stealing.

Villanova +3500

The Wildcats were a last-second omission from our “10 teams that can win it all” list and we would love for them to prove us wrong at +3500. Villanova is going to roll out a starting lineup of five seniors/grads that all averaged double digits in scoring last season. Led by a fully healthy Justin Moore, this group has the guard play and experience to win in March. Richmond transfer Tyler Burton is an All-Big East caliber player and will make an immediate impact for the Cats. If this group of old heads can gel quickly, lookout.

Texas A&M +6000

The Aggies return 76% of their rotational minutes from a team that won 25 games last season. There’s your value right there. Texas A&M was picked second in this year’s SEC Preseason poll and Wade Taylor IV was picked to win SEC Player of the Year. Despite all that, Caesars is giving us 60-1 odds for what is supposedly the second best team from the second best conference in the country (per KenPom). Buzz Williams doesn’t need to write a manifesto to convince me to throw some coin on the Aggies this year.

Saint Mary’s +8000

This is the year for Randy Bennett and the Gaels. Saint Mary’s was picked to win the WCC for only the second time since 2001. Aidan Mahaney, Alex Ducas and Mitchell Saxen are back from last year’s 27-win squad. The Gaels ran into UConn in the second round of last year’s tournament, which goes to show how much postseason success is based on the draw. 80-1 is plenty of value for a team as well coached and talented as this one. If Saint Mary’s lands on the right side of the bracket, they could make a run at a title.

TCU +12500

Jamie Dixon hit the portal hard and put together a roster with some intriguing pieces. Delaware transfer Jameer Nelson, Jr. will be the focal point of the offense and sharpshooting TAMU-CC transfer Trevian Tennyson will run alongside him. If TCU maintains their up-tempo style from last year, those two are capable of some big nights. In the frontcourt, Emanuel Miller is expected to make a big jump and Kansas transfer Ernest Udeh, Jr. has a ton of untapped potential. TCU’s upside gives them legitimate value at 125-1.

*Other bets I like that didn’t make the cut*

Arkansas +2500 | FAU +5000 | Miami +5000

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