Florida Gators and Houston Cougars Set for Epic NCAA Championship Showdown

Florida Gators and Houston Cougars Set for Epic NCAA Championship Showdown

As the dust settles from the thrilling Final Four matchups, the stage is set for an electrifying NCAA men’s college basketball national championship game. The Florida Gators and the Houston Cougars are ready to face off in what promises to be a nail-biting contest. Both teams are coming off exhilarating comeback victories, and from a betting perspective, they are neck-and-neck.

According to ESPN BET odds, Florida opened as a 1.5-point favorite over Houston, with the total opening at 141.5 for Monday night’s championship game. This close matchup has already sparked movement in the betting lines. Initially, DraftKings had Houston as the slight favorite, but the line quickly flipped to Florida -1. ESPN BET has already adjusted Houston +1.5 to -125, suggesting a potential move down to +1 could be on the horizon.

The tournament has been characterized by chalk, with a record 52 betting favorites winning games outright. However, Houston’s comeback win over Duke in the Final Four stands out as one of the most shocking upsets of the 2025 event. At one point during Saturday night’s contest, Houston’s live moneyline was as long as +2500, according to ESPN BET.

For sportsbooks, Duke’s loss is likely a cause for celebration. The Blue Devils were a massive liability for sportsbooks, with many bettors backing them heavily throughout the tournament. “It was Duke coming into the tournament, and it’s still Duke heading into the Final Four,” said Adrian Horton, ESPN BET director of North American sports trading, before Saturday’s games. “They were our most-bet futures team all year, and their resounding performances have kept bettors backing them even as the price has shortened through the tournament. It’s Duke by a wide margin, followed by Florida.”

BetMGM also identified Duke as its largest liability, with Michigan State and St. John’s, the next-closest hazards, already eliminated. Patrick Berbert, a college basketball trader at Caesars Sportsbook, told ESPN that Duke winning the title would have been the “ideal outcome” for bettors, with the book being in “very good standing” with the Final Four’s other three teams.

While Florida has been a popular choice among the betting public, sportsbooks have adjusted to the Gators’ rapid rise this season, making them less of a threat compared to Duke. “Florida was a loser headed into the tournament, but money going into the pot has made them now a non-loser. They’re a small winner for us now,” said Johnny Avello, head of sportsbook at DraftKings. “Houston [winning the championship] is good for us.”

In terms of big bets, Duke attracted the largest known future wager of the tournament, with a $500,000 bet at +350 to net $1.75 million at BetMGM. However, Florida and Houston have also seen significant wagers. BetMGM reports a $100,000 wager on the Gators at +900 and a $50,000 bet on the Cougars at +600.

• Florida opened as a 1.5-point favorite over Houston.
• The total opening for the game is 141.5.
• Houston’s live moneyline was as long as +2500 during their game against Duke.
• Duke was the most-bet futures team, followed by Florida.
• BetMGM reports a $500,000 bet on Duke at +350.

As we look forward to Monday night’s championship game, the anticipation is palpable. Both teams have shown incredible resilience and skill to reach this point, and fans can expect a thrilling showdown. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a casual observer, this is a game you won’t want to miss.