Day 1 of March Madness 2025 is in the books and it’s already living up to the hype. First Round action started March 20, and we’ve got some March Madness favorites flexing while a few are barely surviving. Been tracking odds movement all day across BetNow and Bovada—some interesting shifts already 
Here’s where the top contenders stand after their opening performances:
So what are y’all riding now that the dust settled from opening day? Any big hits or busted brackets already? Drop your March Madness predictions, bets, and favorite odds while the tourney's still young!
Here’s where the top contenders stand after their opening performances:
- Duke Blue Devils (+300) – Cooper Flagg came out HOT. Books like MyBookie already adjusted their odds after that win. If he stays healthy, Duke might be the most complete team left. Flagg for MOP might be worth a sprinkle too.
- Auburn Tigers (+400) – Still the top overall seed, but man... they didn’t look dominant. Some sharper books now got them drifting slightly. I’d hold off on adding more unless they destroy in Round 2.
- Florida Gators (+360) – Liked what I saw from them. Balanced offense, clean ball movement. If you got them at +380 earlier in the week, you’re in a great spot. They’ve become my dark horse among the March Madness betting favorites.
- Houston Cougars (+600) – They hit the court today, and everyone’s watching to see if that 13-game win streak holds up. BetNow still holding them steady at +600, but a convincing win might push them tighter to +500 by the Sweet 16.
- Player Props – Flagg’s point totals are getting juiced but still playable.
- Live Betting – Bovada was fire yesterday for first-half spreads. Gators 1H -2.5 was money.
- Parlays – Did a Duke/Florida ML parlay and it hit nice. Might run another combo with Houston today.
So what are y’all riding now that the dust settled from opening day? Any big hits or busted brackets already? Drop your March Madness predictions, bets, and favorite odds while the tourney's still young!