It’s almost time to dust off those whiteboards and get your bracket strategy aligned for March Madness.
With Selection Sunday closing out the week, Tuesday brings us first round action of the 2026 ACC Tournament in Charlotte.
Fifteen teams will compete over a five-day window to earn an automatic bid to the Big Dance.
To no one’s surprise, AP No. 1 and conference regular-season champion Duke is an overwhelming (-375, BetMGM) betting favorite to capture their second straight title.
The Blue Devils finished the regular season 29-2 overall, winners of eight straight games, and fielded a dominant 17-1 record in conference play to secure the top seed in the tournament.
Duke also set an ACC record with 11 regular-season victories over ranked opponents, finishing atop the conference with a +20.5 margin of victory.
The question is, who can really give the Blue Devils a run for their money?
A pair of first year head coaches established themselves in terrific debut seasons at Virginia (+750) and Miami (20/1) to finish in the top three behind Duke.
Meanwhile, Tobacco Road rival UNC (22/1) did the unthinkable and handed the Blue Devils their lone conference loss about a month ago.
These top four seeds will receive a double bye, taking the court on Wednesday, while Monday and Tuesday will feature first and second round action between seeds 5 through 15.
Let’s dive into some longshot odds and sleepers that could present good value.
2026 ACC Tournament betting odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Duke | -375 |
| Virginia | +750 |
| Louisville | +900 |
| Miami | 20/1 |
| North Carolina | 22/1 |
| Clemson | 40/1 |
| N.C. State | 50/1 |
| SMU | 150/1 |
| Florida State | 150/1 |
| Virginia Tech | 200/1 |
| California | 250/1 |
Under-the-radar freshman on the Cardinals: Louisville (11/1, Caesars Sportsbook)
Louisville provides sneaky upside as a No. 6 seed, and those +900 odds may drop if starting point guard Mikel Brown Jr. is cleared to play come Wednesday.
The 6-foot-5 freshman leads the Cardinals in assists (4.7) and steals (1.2), while also being the team’s second-leading scorer (18.3 ppg) despite missing 10 games with a nagging back injury.
On Feb. 9, he erupted for a career-high 45 points, shooting 10-of-16 from 3-point range against N.C. State.
This performance set an ACC freshman record for most points scored in a game and tied Wes Unseld for the school’s single-game scoring record.
Betting on College Basketball?
The Cardinals received a first round bye and will await the winner of SMU and Syracuse.
If they advance, they’ll take on third-seeded Miami in the quarterfinals, who they defeated 92-89 in their season finale without Brown Jr.
Entering tournament play in Charlotte, the Cardinals have an offensive rating of 125.6 per KenPom, which ranks 15th in the country.
In this win-or-go-home type of atmosphere, all it takes is one player to catch fire, and if healthy, Brown Jr. could propel Louisville to a potential title game berth.
Two teams to sprinkle on: Miami (20/1, bet365) & Florida State (200/1, Caesars)
The loss of Caleb Wilson has reduced the Tarheels’ juice to 22/1, but Miami and Florida State do carry some intrigue.
Jai Lucas has done a fantastic job coaching the Canes in year one, as Miami finished 13-5 in ACC play and No. 32 in the NCAA NET rankings.
Miami enters as the No. 3 seed, paced by leading scorer Malik Reneau and top rebounder Ernest Udeh Jr., who, entering Tournament play, averaged 9.4 rebounds per outing.
The Canes would need a revenge win against Louisville in the quarterfinals and will likely face Virginia or N.C. State in the semis to reach the title game.
The 17-14 Seminoles arguably played the Blue Devils the closest this season, with the game tied at halftime and ultimately ending in a marginal four-point Duke win.
As the 8 seed, they’ll play California in the second round, and if they advance, a rematch with Duke awaits in the next round.
Momentum could be on their side as Duke could come out a bit rusty after having a four-day layover between their season finale and this potential quarterfinal contest.
FSU has gone 9-3 since Jan. 20 and is on a three-game winning streak.
The Consensus
With Wooden Award favorite Cameron Boozer leading the charge, Jon Scheyer’s group, entering Charlotte, ranks first in the nation in net rating (+40.60) and defensive rating (87.7) per KenPom.
The number one overall seed is there for the taking.
Somehow, this Duke team on paper is better than last year’s group that reached the Final Four with Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel, hence why it’s simply foolish to think the Blue Devils won’t walk away with ACC Tournament title number 24.
PREDICTION: Duke to win ACC Tournament (-350, DraftKings Sportsbook)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Mike Turay is a sports journalist and editor who closely follows the NBA, NFL, college sports and UFC. He has demonstrated expertise in both NBA and NFL player prop bets for nearly three years. Mike is also highly knowledgeable about the sportsbook offer landscape, frequently trying and reviewing the latest apps and sites.
