March Madness 2024 First Round Betting Odds, Predictions, and Picks

The First Round of March Madness 2024 starts this week, and we have the odds available. It’s time for me to explore them, share my predictions for all games, and highlight my best bets!

A total of 32 First Round matchups are scheduled for Thursday and Friday. In this article, I go through the 2024 March Madness First Round odds and make a pick for every game on the board at Bovada.

You will only find 30 predictions, since two of the matchups are waiting for the First Four to finish. I also picked the three games I’m the most confident in, sharing my reasoning behind each recommended betting pick for the first round of the NCAAB Tournament 2024.

March Madness 2024 First Round Predictions and Betting Odds

The following March Madness Round of 64 odds are courtesy of Bovada:

You can find March Madness Round of 64 predictions for every matchup currently available for betting at Bovada.

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The No. 1 overall seed UConn Huskies have the largest odds to open the NCAA Tournament with a win. The reigning champs are -26.5 favorites and -10000 to beat Stetson at the best March Madness betting sites. That looks like too many points for a competitive game, though.

Did Stetson make it on my list of recommended picks for the round of 64? Check out my best bets for March Madness’ First Round to find out!

UAB Blazers (+7.5) vs. San Diego State Aztecs

The No. 12 seeds are some of the most dangerous underdogs in the tournament. Drawing the No. 5 seed always feels like punishment rather than reward. Since 2019, six No. 12 seeds have won outright.

Additionally, at least one No. 12 seed has won in 32 of the last 38 NCAA Tournaments¹. Past success doesn’t guarantee future success, but UAB (23-11) is underrated in the First Round against San Diego State (24-10).

The Blazers are coming off an impressive performance in the AAC Tournament after blowing out Temple by a score of 85-69. It was the team’s fifth consecutive win and fourth victory in five games they’ve won by double digits.

San Diego State received an at-large bid after faltering against New Mexico in the Mountain West Tournament. I am not so sure that they deserved as high as a fifth seed. They’ve lost three of their last five games and have an offense that isn’t going to scare UAB.

The Aztecs are 133rd in the NCAA, with an average of 74.2 points scored per game. Conversely, UAB is 59th, averaging 77.4 points per contest². San Diego State reached the 2023 Men’s National Championship with defense, but they are not that good on that end of the floor either.

I don’t believe San Diego State can simply lean on their defense to cover the point spread. Teams shot 45.3% against the Aztecs’ defense this season. Look for UAB’s Eric Gaines and Yaxel Lendeborg to give San Diego State a tough matchup in the opening round.

San Diego State might hold on to win, but it likely won’t be easy. I expect the Blazers to keep it close and stay within 7.5 points.

James Madison Dukes (+5.5) vs. Wisconsin Badgers

The Wisconsin Badgers (22-13) reached the Big Ten Championship game after upsetting the No. 1 seeded Purdue Boilermakers, one of the top contenders in the NCAA Tournament odds. The team got hot from the floor and edged out Purdue for a 76-75 win.

They nearly did it again versus the Illinois Fighting Illini, but you aren’t going to win too many games by allowing 93 points. After a solid conference run, Wisconsin must switch gears to face an upset-minded James Madison (31-3) squad.

Following a 20-point win in the Sun Belt Championship, James Madison is among the potential March Madness Cinderella teams to note. With 13 straight wins on their resume, the Dukes are budding with confidence.

James Madison is led by multi-talented guard Terrence Edwards Jr.

He helped lead the college to 83 points per game, which ranks 12th in the NCAA. Wisconsin was 110th, with 75.1 points scored per contest. Additionally, James Madison boasts an offensive efficiency rating of 1.125 for 20th in the nation³.

The Dukes can score and do it against any team. After getting so close to a Big Ten title and exerting plenty of energy, this should be a slight letdown for the Badgers. Consider backing James Madison, in a game that should go to the wire.

McNeese State Cowboys (+6.5) vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs

From one potential Cinderella team to another, the McNeese State Cowboys (30-3) are a team with Sweet 16 DNA and you can’t ignore that in your March Madness betting strategy.

The Cowboys romped through the Southland Tournament and capped it off with a 92-76 win over Nicholls State for the conference title.

The highly regarded mid-major program is on an 11-game winning streak, with double-digit victories in five consecutive assignments. If Shahada Wells stays hot, there is no telling how far McNeese State can go in the men’s NCAA Tournament.

Wells leads the Cowboys with 17.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game⁴. He will prove to be a difficult player to contain for Gonzaga.

Wells’ offensive prowess has helped lead McNeese State to 78.4 points per game and the 11th-ranked offensive efficiency rating in the NCAA.

The Cowboys aren’t solely an offensive-focused team, either. They can play defense just as well. McNeese State is 11th, with a defensive efficiency mark of 0.942. Conversely, the Bulldogs are 53rd, with a rating of 0.975 on defense.

On top of that, the Cowboys are a top-3 unit with an opponent field goal percentage of 42.9%. Only Iowa State and Houston have been stronger in this regard⁵.

McNeese State’s March Madness 2024 First Round betting odds as a 6.5-point underdog are generous. If Gonzaga gets past McNeese State, they have a chance to make a run, but this should be a difficult opening round for the Bulldogs.

What Are Your March Madness Round of 64 Bets?

Do you have any best bets for the March Madness Round of 64? Consider locking in your picks for the Men’s NCAA First Round at Bovada.

With March Madness First Round odds for every game and even March Madness prop bets and in-game wagering, Bovada is a top choice for college basketball bettors.

If you decide to join, you can grab a 50% match bonus of up to $250, or 75% crypto bonus of up to $750 on initial deposits.

Lastly, we highly suggest checking out the best March Madness 2024 contests. With millions in cash rewards up for grabs, fill out your brackets and score big this year!

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