March Madness 2015: Best Odds and Value Picks for NCAA Tournament Bracket

This just in—Kentucky is the odds-on favorite to win the 2015 NCAA tournament.

This is not shocking news, but picking the Wildcats to cash in on their favored status isn't exactly profitable. According to Odds Shark, Kentucky is the heavy favorite to emerge from the field of 68 at 6-5 odds. 

Given the difficulty of navigating the road to the championship, that's not a great payoff for any team. Even if they have multiple NBA prospects and a perfect 34-0 record. Below is a look at the top 10 teams in the tournament, according to the odds provided by Odds Shark.

Team	Seed	Odds
Kentucky Wildcats	1	6-5
Arizona Wildcats	2	15-2
Wisconsin Badgers	1	17-2
Duke Blue Devils	1	9-1
Villanova Wildcats	1	10-1
Virginia Cavaliers	2	10-1
Gonzaga Bulldogs	2	16-1
Notre Dame Fighting Irish	3	25-1
Iowa State Cyclones	3	33-1
Utah Utes	5	33-1

While there can only be one champion, these odds are indicative of teams that might be worth backing as you're filling out those brackets. Here's a look at which of these teams can carry the best odds as dependable squads you can count on to make a deep run in the tournament. 

All Your Bracket Essentials

• Download the Printable Bracket
• Play the Free Bracket Challenge 

Wisconsin Badgers (17-2 odds)

There's a lot to love about the Wisconsin Badgers heading into the tournament this year.

First, there's the fact that this group has a tournament run on its resume already. The Badgers are coming off of an appearance in the Final Four last year. They lost to Kentucky by one point in the semifinal game. 

Then there's the fact that this year's carnation of the Badgers is even better. Last year's team struggled at times and backed into the tournament losing two out its last three games. This year's team lost three games throughout the entire season. 

Then there's Frank Kaminsky. Every team needs that guy it can depend on down the stretch. For the Badgers, that guy is Kaminsky. The 7'0" forward is capable of putting the offense on his back for long stretches, just as he did against Michigan in the Big 10 tournament, as noted by ESPN Stats & Info:

It doesn't get much safer than Wisconsin. According to TeamRankings.com, the Badgers are second in offensive efficiency, 28th in defensive efficiency and third in assist-to-turnover ratio. That's a team that isn't going to be upset because it beat itself. 

That makes the Badgers' floor an Elite Eight appearance with a legitimate shot at being national champions. 

Notre Dame Fighting Irish (25-1 Odds)

Yes, the Irish drew the dubious distinction of being in Kentucky's region. But that doesn't immediately spell doom for Notre Dame. 

Kentucky might be the odds-on favorite, but the rest of the region is relatively weak. According to ESPN Stats and Info, Notre Dame is the only high seed other than Kentucky that doesn't shrink when compared to its same-seeded peers:

That spells an easier road for Notre Dame heading to the Elite Eight. If ESPN.com's BPI is to be believed, potential opponent Kansas was over-seeded. Given Notre Dame's wins over Duke and North Carolina en route to the ACC championship, it's not hard to envision the Irish actually being favored over the Jayhawks.

That sets up nicely for a matchup against Kentucky. 

That becomes the ultimate question: Can Notre Dame give Kentucky a run? ESPN's Chad Ford seems to think so:

Led by Jerian Grant, there's no question that Notre Dame has the guard play to challenge Kentucky if the frontcourt can manage to stay out of foul trouble. If the Irish do the unthinkable, those 25-1 odds will shift dramatically rather quickly. 

Villanova Wildcats (10-1 Odds)

With all the hype surrounding the Kentucky Wildcats, even picking other No. 1 seeds seems like a risk. Choosing Villanova seems even more gutsy. The other Wildcats aren't being picked to win very often, per ESPN Fantasy Sports:

The lack of hype is somewhat understandable. The Cats don't have a litany of lottery picks. No one on the team scores more than 14 points per game, and it did lose to Georgetown by 20 at one point this season. 

However, since that 20-point loss, the Wildcats have been playing as well as anyone in the country. Jay Wright's squad has won 15 consecutive games leading into the tournament, including a dominant win over Xavier to claim the Big East championship. 

As Mark Titus of Grantland notes, it's Villanova's balance that defines it:

The advanced metrics love Villanova, too. The Big East champs are No. 5 in the KenPom rankings, No. 2 in RPI and No. 5 in TeamRankings.com tournament rankings. 

The Wildcats might not be the flashiest team, but they are the embodiment of a team. Their ability to share the ball, get everyone involved and find multiple ways to win are what will make them a dangerous draw for anyone throughout the tourney. 

Don't be shocked if they're ultimately the Wildcats that end up cutting down the nets.