March Madness 2021: Who Will Win the Midwest Region?

Selection Sunday went off without a hitch and the 68-team field for the 2021 NCAA Tournament is officially set.

March Madness Sportsbook Bonuses 2021

Trying to figure out which team wins it all is a tall task. If you are looking for an easier bet to cash at your favorite online sportsbook, you can narrow things down to betting the futures odds to win a particular region. Here is a closer look at betting the Midwest.

2021 NCAA Tournament Midwest Region Favorites

The Big Ten has attracted quite a bit of attention this season with three teams in the Top 5 of the AP Top 25. That being the case, it is hard to go against Illinois winning this region.

The Fighting Illini got past Iowa and Ohio State to win the recent Big Ten Tournament. They finished the regular season with three road wins as part of a seven-game winning streak.

This run included a very impressive upset against Michigan near the end of the regular season schedule. Illinois has one loss since mid-January playing in the nation’s most competitive conference this season.

Given what this team has already accomplished, it is in a class of its own as far as betting favorites to win the Midwest Region.

Free March Madness Predictions

2021 NCAA Tournament Midwest Region Contenders

Houston is a legitimate contender to win this region as the No. 2 seed. The Cougars’ resume speaks for itself but their strength of schedule remains a legitimate concern. Rutgers would be a tough test in the second round. West Virginia is another potential pitfall in the Sweet 16.

If this team’s current form stays true, Houston should get a chance to face Illinois in the region final. This is where the Cougars lack of experience against the best teams in the nation could cause their impressive run to end.

You can definitely add Oklahoma State to this list of legitimate contenders in the Midwest. Cade Cunningham is projected to be the first pick in this year’s NBA draft. Anytime you have a player of that caliber in the starting lineup, there is no limit to how far that team might go.

The Cowboys’ loss to Texas in the Big 12 Tournament’s title game does squeeze some value out of their Midwest Region odds but a small play might make some betting sense as a hedge to going chalk on Illinois.

Shop US Bookies for the Best March Madness Odds

2021 NCAA Tournament Midwest Region Longshots

One team that does offer some value at longer odds is Loyola Chicago at +1200 odds. The main issue I have in betting this way is a second round matchup against Illinois. If the Ramblers had a chance to win a few games before facing the Fighting Illini, the value in a bet like this would be much higher.

Georgia Tech might be a sexy pick after a stunning run to the ACC Tournament title. Yet, that conference was a bit watered down this season when it comes to the actual quality of that conference championship run.

Liberty will catch some attention in light of its current 12-game winning streak. That fire could soon go out with the Flames facing Oklahoma State in the opening round.

2021 March Madness Midwest Region Betting Odds

Illinois +130

Houston +350

West Virginia +650

Oklahoma State +750

Tennessee +900

Loyola Chicago +1200

San Diego State +1200

Georgia Tech +1400

Clemson +2500

Rutgers +2500

Syracuse +2500

Oregon State +4000

Liberty +5000

Cleveland State +10000

Drexel +10000

Morehead State +10000