Anyone who bet on Syracuse winning the NCAA Tournament could have quite the return come next Monday night.
Regardless of what some people might say, there is rarely such a thing as a sure bet in the world of sports. The NCAA Tournament is a perfect example of that…just ask seeds high seeds like Michigan State, Baylor and West Virginia how much of a sure thing they were this year.
The “cinderella” story of this year’s tournament has turned out to be the Syracuse Orange. A 10th seed that was considered controversial when it was announced they made the field, the Orange upset top seeded Virginia on Sunday to win the Midwest Region and become the first 10th seed to make it to the Final Four.
As it turns out, a simple bet on the Orange when things weren’t looking so promising earlier in the season could make someone plenty of cash now:
"Westgate Superbook in Las Vegas has four total bets on the Orange winning the National Championship dating back to the beginning of this year including a $100 bet that, wait for it, $100,100."
While Syracuse was busy losing four straight ACC games in the middle of the season and players were fighting with head coach Jim Boeheim, the odds were 1,000 to one on the Orange hoisting the championship trophy.
Syracuse will take the court in Houston on Saturday night when they play fellow ACC member North Carolina, with the winner advancing to Monday’s national championship game against either Villanova or Oklahoma. If the Orange do win the title, they will be the lowest seeded team to ever win the tournament.
For more NCAA March Madness news, check out our NCAA March Madness hub page.