NCAA Tournament 2017: National Championship Odds and Dark-Horse Contenders

You don't have to be a No. 1 seed to be the Vegas favorite to win it all in the NCAA tournament, and that's exactly what No. 2 Duke is discovering as the early odds come in following the bracket unveiling on Selection Sunday. 

The Blue Devils have higher odds than No. 1 seeds Villanova (the defending champion) as well as No. 1 seeds Kansas and Gonzaga. That's perhaps strange, given that Duke finished fifth in the ACC. But oddsmakers appear to be higher on the Blue Devils than the selection committee. 

Duke may have gotten bested by North Carolina for what some believe is its rightful No. 1 seed, but the odds still have the Blue Devils as the best bet to revel in the notes of "One Shining Moment" as the NCAA national champion.

Speaking of UNC, the Tar Heels have slipped in ahead of defending champion Villanova for the second spot in the odds. 

OddsShark has the odds for the Vegas favorites to win it all on April 3 in Phoenix. 

Team	Odds
Duke	6-1
North Carolina	6-1
Villanova	15-2
Kansas	8-1
Kentucky	17-2
Gonzaga	10-1
Arizona	12-1
UCLA	12-1
Louisville	16-1
Oregon	18-1
Florida State	25-1
West Virgnia	25-1
Florida	28-1
Purdue	28-1
Baylor	33-1
Virginia	33-1
Iowa State	33-1
SMU	33-1
Michigan	33-1
Notre Dame	40-1
Wisconsin	40-1
Butler	50-1

Duke, North Carolina and Villanova may be the favorites in Vegas, but that doesn't mean there isn't a hungry group of dark-horse contenders waiting in the wings to steal the spotlight once we get into the final rounds of the tournament. 

One of the hottest teams in the country right now is No. 7 Michigan, whose chances of winning out are 33-1, according to Vegas.

"

Michigan is heating up just in time for the madness (➡️ @Toyota) pic.twitter.com/HI834XckmP

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 13, 2017"

The Wolverines triumphed over Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship game 71-56 and stepped it up on defense in their final few games, allowing just 64.5 on average in their last four. 

Because they've attracted so much of the country's attention, between their plane crash en route to the Big Ten tourney and their recent hot streak, Michigan isn't so much a sleeper, but it's a dark horse for sure. 

Only one seventh seed has ever won a national championship: the 2014 UConn Huskies. 

Another team that could quietly put together a strong case for the championship is No. 5 Notre Dame, which faces No. 12 Princeton in the first round.

Notre Dame may have fallen to Duke in the ACC tournament, but it was a testament to Notre Dame's tenacity and dedication that the Irish made it there at all.

After losing five of six against ACC foes, the Irish turned it around and won eight of their last nine en route to the conference final.

The Irish have reached the Elite Eight the last two years and, thanks to their experience and upperclassmen leaders, should be able to at least get there again this year.