The Louisville Cardinals continue to defy expectations under first year coach Pat Kelsey. After Sunday’s 75-60 win at Notre Dame, the Cards have an Atlantic Coast Conference-best four-game winning streak and sit in second place in the conference standings.
At 20-6 overall and 13-2 in the ACC, UofL has already earned one bye in next month’s conference tournament and has a magic number of three to get one of the four double byes. Kelsey also has the Cardinals on track to earn an NCAA Tournament bid, regardless of how they fare in the ACC tourney.
Just as we did during the college football season, tracking the Louisville Cardinals bowl chances, BetKentucky is now watching the UofL hoops team and what seed they may earn come Selection Sunday. You won’t find these March Madness odds at licensed Kentucky sports betting operators, like Fanatics Kentucky Sportsbook.
What Seed Will Louisville Be In NCAA Tournament?
Seed | Percentage Chance | Odds |
2 Seed | +10000 | 1.0% |
3 Seed | +2000 | 4.8% |
4 Seed | +665 | 13.1% |
5 Seed | +340 | 22.7% |
6 Seed | +300 | 25.0% |
7 Seed | +455 | 18.0% |
8 Seed | +1025 | 8.9% |
9 Seed | +2750 | 3.5% |
The Field | +3250 | 3.0% |
These odds are exclusive to BetKentucky.com and are unavailable on Kentucky sports betting apps.
Louisville has five games remaining in the regular season, with four of those at the KFC Yum! Center. According to KenPom.com, the Cardinals are expected to be favored in all five of those contests.
Their next game will take place Saturday when Louisville hosts Florida State. The Cards won their first ACC game of the season against the Seminoles in Tallahassee. That 90-76 win on Dec. 21 started a 10-game winning streak that cemented the Cardinals as a viable NCAA Tournament team.
Sportsbooks, like Kentucky BetMGM Sportsbook, won’t release their odds on the Cards-Noles game until Friday. Barring any late developments, such as injuries or unexpected benchings, BetKentucky forecasts Louisville to be a 12-to13-point favorite in Saturday’s game.
Why Louisville’s Seed Will Matter In March
According to TeamRankings.com, Louisville has a 98.8% chance of making the Big Dance for the first time since 2019. The team’s most likely to end up with a No. 5 or No. 6 seed in one of the four regionals.
While the numbers would indicate a fifth seed would be more advantageous than a sixth seed, that might not be the case this year. Let me explain why.
The 2024-25 college basketball season has featured a lot of parity, with the exception of five or six teams at the top. You likely won’t find much of a difference between a third seed and a sixth seed this year (Good luck filling out your brackets!).
A fourth or fifth-seeded team would be in line to play a top-seeded team in the Sweet 16, giving that team three or four days of rest and preparation. A team seeded second, third, sixth or seventh would not have to face their region’s top seed, assuming the chalk holds, until the Elite Eight, which will be held two days after the Sweet 16.
Any No. 1 seed this year will be a tough team to beat, but the better chance to pull an upset will likely come on short rest.
At bet365, Louisville’s odds to win the NCAA Tournament are +10000, meaning a $10 bet would return a profit of $1,000 if the Cardinals cut down the nets in San Antonio on April 7. UofL’s odds to get to the Final Four are +2500.
BetKentucky.com is home to the best Kentucky sportsbook promos for March Madness and everything else.
Louisville’s Upcoming Games
The Cardinals next play Wednesday night at NC State. TheWolfpack are just 2-10 in conference play and 9-14 overall.
No Kentucky licensed sports betting operator has set lines on the game as of early Tuesday afternoon, but they should be released later in the day. Based on the ratings for both teams, Louisville should be a 12- or 13-point favorite on the road, with the total around 146.
BetKentucky.com is home to the best Kentucky sportsbook promos for March Madness and everything else.
USA Today photo by Jordan Prather.
Author
Steve is an accomplished, award-winning reporter with more than 20 years of experience covering gaming, sports, politics and business. He has written for the Associated Press, Reuters, The Louisville Courier Journal, The Center Square and numerous other publications. Based in Louisville, Ky., Steve has covered the expansion of sports betting in the U.S. and other gaming matters.
