The top of the odds board for the men’s college basketball national championship will feature several blue bloods as it heads into March Madness.

Duke is the favorite to win the NCAA tournament with +330 odds, followed closely by Michigan at +350. Arizona (+400) and Florida (+700) are the other 1-seeds, and Houston (10-1), Iowa State (15-1) and Illinois (19-1) round out the teams shorter than 20-1.

Purdue and UConn at 30-1 and 35-1, respectively, represent two of the teams receiving bigger money in the betting markets. The Boilermakers have the fifth-most handle at DraftKings and have also attracted a $100,000 wager to make the Final Four at BetMGM. The Huskies have garnered several large bets at both books, which both name them as large liabilities.

The bottom of the odds board features 14 teams at 200-1, largely comprised of the lowest seeds.

MORE: Spreads, money lines and totals for every first-round matchup.

Odds by DraftKings Sportsbook, subject to change.

The first World Baseball Classic semifinal is in the books, with Team USA edging the Dominican Republic 2-1 in the matchup many had been dreaming about since the start of the WBC.

Ace Paul Skenes delivered a strong outing, Gunnar Henderson and Roman Anthony each hit clutch home runs, and a slew of stellar defensive plays and gutsy relief moments pushed the United States to Tuesday’s championship game, where the winner of Monday’s Venezuela-Italy clash will await.

How did the U.S. get it done? Here are our takeaways and updates from a thrilling night of baseball in Miami.

Takeaways

Paul Skenes really is that guy. The reigning National League Cy Young Award winner wasn’t exactly dominant. Junior Caminero crushed a 1-2 slider to open the scoring in the second inning for his third home run of the tournament. Skenes escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fourth. He exited the game with two runners on base in the fifth. But he held the powerful Dominican lineup — arguably the best one ever assembled — to one run over 4⅓ innings in front of a pro-Dominican crowd. It was Skenes’ most important start since turning professional, and he met the moment. — Jorge Castillo

In a game of star pitchers and elite hitters, it was the defense that stood out. Julio Rodriguez was hit on his right hand by a 98 mph fastball, then robbed Aaron Judge of a potential home run in center field. Judge threw out Fernando Tatis Jr., who was trying to go first to third on a single, to end the inning with Juan Soto next to bat. And Bobby Witt Jr. went deep into the hole to field a grounder from Manny Machado and throw him out, one of several spectacular defensive plays turned in by the young Kansas City Royals shortstop in this tournament. In a game like this, with the rosters so closely matched and the fans so amped, that type of defense made all the difference. — Alden Gonzalez

That was a wonderful baseball game. Tension. Drama. Passion. Pride. Everything baseball can be. Everything you want baseball to be. So, for it to end on a called strike three by home plate umpire Cory Blaser on a Mason Miller slider that was clearly below the zone was such a gut punch, not just to the Dominican Republic players, whose country cares more about the WBC than any, but to a game that deserved better. ABS cannot come soon enough because this should be about the quality of the game, which was tremendous, and not the bitter taste left due to human fallibility. — Jeff Passan

Live updates

Team USA is headed back to the World Baseball Classic (WBC) final, as they toppled the Dominican Republic, 2-1, in a thriller in Miami on Sunday night. 

The U.S., who fell to Japan in the WBC final in 2023, will look for redemption against either Venezuela or Italy, who play their semifinal matchup on Monday night.

The hype and hysteria coming into this contest between two world baseball powerhouses lived up to it all despite what the box score said. Both teams came in clutch during key moments, while matching the raucous energy of the crowd. 

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Of course, the Dominican Republic dugout and faithful went ballistic when Junior Caminero, the 22-year-old Tampa Bay Rays rising star, belted a hanging breaking ball from Skenes in the bottom of the second inning with two strikes. The ball was pelted to left field at over 400 feet, and their patented celebration ensued. 

The D.R. got the first strike off Skenes, who had been looking forward to this start against a lineup littered with some of the best baseball players in MLB. But two innings later, it was Team USA’s own young stars who turned the game around in their favor. 

Gunnar Henderson, who manager Mark DeRosa chose to play at third base, his secondary position as a shortstop for the Baltimore Orioles, over Alex Bregman, one of the best defensive players at the hot corner in MLB, due to how well he hit Luis Severino. The veteran right-hander was amped for his start for the D.R., and his emotion showed it. 

JAPAN SUFFERS SHOCKING COLLAPSE TO VENEZUELA IN WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC

However, DeRosa’s decision came down to how much success Henderson had against Severino. The decision paid off, as Henderson hit a moon shot over the right-center field fence to tie the game at one apiece. 

Severino was pulled after one more batter for Gregory Soto, who was facing Boston Red Sox phenom Roman Anthony, the 21-year-old who has had a great first appearance in the WBC. After running the count full, Anthony took advantage of a fastball right down the middle, launching it over the center field wall to take a 2-1 lead. 

Paul Skenes of Team United States reacts after giving up a home run to Junior Caminero #13 (not pictured) of Team Dominican Republic during the second inning at loanDepot park on March 15, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Al Bello/Getty Images)

The entire American dugout was on the field, as Anthony motioned across his chest, showing off his pride as he celebrated with teammates. 

It was just what Team USA needed in the top of the fourth inning, especially after having runners at second and third with one out in the previous frame and not being able to get runs across. Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber both struck out to end the inning, which fired up Severino who screamed toward Team USA’s dugout. 

But Judge clearly let that go from his head, as he had a crucial defensive play in the bottom of the third inning when he gunned down Fernando Tatis Jr. trying to go from first base to third. Tatis, who is a fast runner, was out by a mile, with Judge proving his elbow, which caused issues in 2025, is more than fine heading into the 2026 season. 

The Dominicans ultimately chased Skenes from the game after 4.1 innings, as his final line read six hits, one earned run on the Caminero homer and two strikeouts. Severino lasted 3.1 innings, giving up five hits while striking out six Team USA hitters in an impressive outing that saw triple-digit fastballs on the radar gun. 

Luis Severino of Team Dominican Republic reacts after striking out Kyle Schwarber #12 (not pictured) of Team United States to end the third inning at loanDepot park on March 15, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Al Bello/Getty Images)

The U.S. knew a 2-1 lead was not enough, but as the Dominican bullpen continued to stifle their bats, and Julio Rodriguez appeared to rob a home run from Judge, they needed their own relievers to come through. After Tyler Rogers and Griffin Jax did their jobs, David Bednar found himself in some trouble with runners on second and third with one out – the same situation Judge and Schwarber found themselves in – in the bottom of the seventh. 

But Bednar, who escaped a similar situation against Canada in the quarterfinals, struck out Tatis and Ketel Marte to get out of the jam and keep the score the same. 

Garrett Whitlock was solid in the eighth inning to keep the one-run lead alive, which led for the easiest decision for DeRosa on the night: Mason Miller to pitch the ninth. 

The San Diego Padres All-Star closer got a strikeout to start the inning, but things got interesting when he walked Rodriguez and Will Smith couldn’t handle a pitch from Miller that allowed a free pass to second base. 

Gunnar Henderson of Team USA rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the fourth inning of the 2026 World Baseball Classic WBC game presented by Capital One between Team USA and Team Dominican Republic at loanDepot park on Sunday, March 15, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Daniel Shirey/WBCI/MLB Photos)

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Oneil Cruz moved Rodriguez to third on a groundnut to Bobby Witt Jr., leaving Geraldo Perdomo as the D.R.’s last hope. He had a clutch at-bat earlier in the game, one that could’ve tied it up if Wells read the line drive to center field better from second base. 

But Miller got Perdomo looking on a 3-2 slider at the bottom of the zone to secure Team USA’s spot in the WBC final.

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