March Madness National Championship Odds & Predictions: Florida vs. Houston Best Bets

CBB Game Previews, College Basketball, March Madness, News

Written By Eli Hershkovich | Last Updated April 7, 2025

With the best sports betting sites posting a bevy of national championship game betting markets, I’ve compiled my best bets for Florida vs. Houston odds. The Gators opened as favorites versus the upset-minded Cougars, which already upended Duke in Saturday’s historic comeback. Let’s assess my wagers on Florida vs. Houston, including player props for your same-game parlays.

Click any March Madness odds below to place a wager. We highly recommend checking out the best sportsbook promos for more offers.

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national championship game betting: player props

Use the best March Madness betting sites to find sportsbook promos and bonus codes for various player prop bets below.

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Will Houston ‘Upset’ Florida?

Usually, bettors won’t find much “value” when wagering on the major markets ahead of the national championship game. At this point, the betting market is hyper-efficient. Nevertheless, my raw numbers show a slight edge toward the Cougars, making this line closer to a pick’em.

Houston’s Biggest Edges

Preparation-wise, I give Kelvin Sampson’s staff an edge over Todd Golden and Co., considering the Gators have struggled on a quick turnaround in this tournament, nearly falling to UConn and Texas Tech in the East Region. Unless Walter Clayton Jr. drills a myriad of contested shots, which isn’t inconceivable, Houston’s transition denial should give their uptempo offense fits.

Additionally, the Cougars’ fast-break defense grades in the 79th percentile on a points-per-possession basis (PPP). Even when Florida successfully ramps up the pace, Houston has proven it can force opponents into difficult shots. In the second round of the Big Dance, the Cougars surrendered just 1.00 PPP against Gonzaga’s prolific run-and-gun attack.

Houston’s top-ranked defensive efficiency isn’t a byproduct of sacrificing the frequency with which it crashes the glass. In fact, it’s been a staple under Sampson, with J’wan Roberts and his teammates accumulating the 10th-highest offensive-rebounding rate nationally.

Unfortunately for the Gators, they’ve failed to limit second-chance opportunities, yielding 11.6 offensive rebounds per game in the NCAA tournament. Per CBB Analytics, their interior defense has suffered as a result, allowing a 67.2% field-goal percentage at the rim and a 44% clip in the paint.

The Cougars’ resiliency on the boards should help tally plenty of looks in those areas, whether compiling putbacks or creating off the dribble against a scrambling Gators defense.

Florida vs. Houston Odds: Final Thoughts

I expect the Cougars’ physicality to drain the Gators in San Antonio, resulting in Houston cutting down the nets. On Monday, I bet on Houston +1.5 (-115 at FanDuel Sportsbook), which you’ll find on our free sports betting Discord channel. Just head over to the #roles server to enroll your mobile device in push notifications.

For player prop picks, watch the podcast below. I’ll add to this column when I fire them. Good luck with your wagers on Florida vs. Houston odds!

watcH: Florida vs. houston betting preview

You can subscribe to the audio-only version of the show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

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