2025 Women’s March Madness national title odds: UConn stays atop odds entering Final Four
An unpredictable season in women’s college basketball concludes with a loaded lineup of teams competing in the 2025 Final Four. Familiar programs like Connecticut and South Carolina stay atop the national championship odds board as both programs attempt to add another national title. No. 1 seeds UCLA and Texas also possess the talent and own enough elite wins this season to remain major threats.
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As the 2025 NCAA Tournament wraps up in Tampa Bay, here’s a look at where the odds board stands.
2025 women’s basketball title odds
UConn stays in the driver’s seat
Back in the Final Four for the fourth time this decade, the Huskies attempt to win their first national title since 2016. The Huskies have been the favorites to win the national championship since blowing out South Carolina by 29 points in February. UConn looks unbeatable during its current 14-game winning streak.
The Huskies, trying to win a national title in star Paige Bueckers’ final collegiate season, obliterate any team that comes in their path. Winning every game by double digits during the streak, No. 1 USC was the only UConn opponent to finish within 19 points of the Huskies over the last seven weeks. A red-hot Bueckers just set a new Connecticut women’s scoring record with 105 total points over a three-game stretch.
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UConn (-130) went from +280 at the start of the NCAA Tournament to +145 entering the Sweet 16 (and following the injury to USC star JuJu Watkins). Throttling No. 3 Oklahoma to advance to the Elite Eight, Connecticut jumped to -110 before reaching its current odds.
With the way Bueckers is playing, and consistent support coming from Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong, it’s going to take a near-perfect effort to topple Connecticut in Tampa Bay.
South Carolina falls after sluggish wins
In the midst of five consecutive Final Four appearances it seems hard to believe defending champion South Carolina (+250) is second on the odds board.
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Since the NCAA Tournament’s opening round, games have been anything except easy for South Carolina. The second round saw the Gamecocks trail at halftime against No. 9 Indiana before a comeback win. During the last two rounds, South Carolina trailed in the fourth quarter of each matchup before eventually outlasting No. 4 Maryland and No. 2 Duke by four points each.
After some close calls on the way to the Final Four, the Gamecocks are still the clear No. 2 to Connecticut entering the national semifinals.
Resilient throughout March, the Gamecocks are comfortable allowing multiple players to make key plays down the stretch during close games. South Carolina struggles to maintain consistent intensity throughout tournament games — a trait that could hurt it in a deep Final Four.
Entering the 2025 NCAA Tournament as the slight favorite at +280, South Carolina’s odds sat at +175 during the Sweet 16 before dropping to +200 after the Elite Eight.
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Facing Texas for a fourth time this season is less than ideal for the Gamecocks. South Carolina went 2-1 against the Longhorns during the regular season. The teams split two games in SEC play before the Gamecocks won decisively by 19 points in the SEC tournament final.
Should South Carolina advance past Texas to the national title game, the Gamecocks would face a team that beat them by double-digits in the regular season. If South Carolina is to repeat as national champions, they’ll need to overcome a Final Four featuring three opponents who have already defeated them this season.
Texas gets another shot at South Carolina
After losing in the Elite Eight in three of the previous four tournaments, Texas finally broke through with a win over No. 2 TCU to advance to its first Final Four since 2003.
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The Longhorns (+600) elevated from +800 entering the Sweet 16 and bounced around at +700 before settling on this number.
Next for Texas is another chance to face defending champion South Carolina. The Gamecocks open that national semifinal as 4.5-point favorites over their new SEC rivals.
With South Carolina’s sluggish NCAA Tournament run and Texas being very familiar with the Gamecocks, this semifinal could stay close.
Inside play might be the difference for the Longhorns to get past South Carolina. Only making eight 3-pointers in four tournament games (33.3 percent), the Longhorns shot a combined 2-for-17 from distance in three games against South Carolina this season.
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When Texas defeated the Gamecocks in February, size inside aided allowed the Longhorns to outscore South Carolina 40-26 in the paint.
Top overall seed UCLA keeps rolling
UCLA is the NCAA Tournament’s top overall seed yet comes fourth in odds amongst a loaded Final Four. The Bruins are more than capable of winning a national championship based on talent and pedigree. Led by Player of the Year candidate Lauren Betts on the interior, UCLA’s only two losses this season came against rival and fellow No. 1 seed USC.
But the prospect of facing UConn and potentially South Carolina (or Texas) the final two games of the season puts UCLA in a difficult position on the odds board.
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Making its first Final Four appearance in program history, UCLA sat at +600 before the Sweet 16 and slowly declined to +700 during the Elite Eight.
Although UConn is favored by 8.5 points against the Bruins in the national semifinals, UCLA had the upper hand on the Huskies during non-conference play last season. The Bruins earned a 78-67 win in a matchup that saw UConn struggle for production outside of Bueckers’ 31 points.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
UCLA Bruins, South Carolina Gamecocks, Connecticut Huskies, Texas Longhorns, Women’s College Basketball, Sports Betting, Women’s NCAA Tournament
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