Below is a table of the favorites to win the National Championship heading into the Tournament and how they have performed. Also listed are the pre-Tournament odds of the eventual National Champion.
| Year | Nat'l Champ Favorite Team |
Nat'l Champ Favorite Seed |
Nat'l Champ Favorite Odds |
Nat'l Champ Favorite Result |
Nat'l Champ Winner |
Nat'l Champ Winner Seed |
Nat'l Champ Winner Odds |
Nat'l Champ Winner Odds Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Houston | 1 | +500 | Lost S16 | Connecticut | 4 | +1600 | 8th |
| 2022 | Gonzaga | 1 | +300 | Lost S16 | Kansas | 1 | +900 | 4th |
| 2021 | Gonzaga | 1 | +200 | Lost NC | Baylor | 1 | +500 | 2nd |
| 2020 | Tournament Canceled | |||||||
| 2019 | Duke | 1 | +255 | Lost E8 | Virginia | 1 | +675 | 3rd |
| 2018 | Villanova | 1 | +570 | Won NC | Villanova | 1 | +570 | 1st |
| 2017 | North Carolina | 1 | +535 | Won NC | North Carolina | 1 | +535 | 1st |
| 2016 | Kansas | 1 | +485 | Lost E8 | Villanova | 2 | +1500 | 6th |
| 2015 | Kentucky | 1 | +110 | Lost SF | Duke | 1 | +1000 | 5th |
| 2014 | Florida Michigan St Louisville |
1 4 4 |
+550 | Lost SF Lost E8 Lost S16 |
Connecticut | 7 | +9500 | 22nd |
| 2013 | Louisville | 1 | +450 | Won NC | Louisville | 1 | +450 | 1st |
| 2012 | Kentucky | 1 | +185 | Won NC | Kentucky | 1 | +185 | 1st |
| 2011 | Kansas Duke |
1 1 |
+400 | Lost E8 Lost S16 |
Connecticut | 3 | +2500 | 14th |
| 2010 | Kansas | 1 | +175 | Lost R2 | Duke | 1 | +650 | 3rd |
| 2009 | North Carolina | 1 | +400 | Won NC | North Carolina | 1 | +400 | 1st |
| 2008 | UCLA | 1 | +350 | Lost SF | Kansas | 1 | +700 | 3rd |
| 2007 | Florida | 1 | +400 | Won NC | Florida | 1 | +400 | 1st |
| 2006 | Duke | 1 | +400 | Lost S16 | Florida | 3 | +2000 | 11th |
| 2005 | North Carolina | 1 | +350 | Won NC | North Carolina | 1 | +350 | 1st |
| 2004 | Kentucky | 1 | +350 | Lost R2 | Connecticut | 2 | +450 | 4th |
| 2003 | Kentucky | 1 | +250 | Lost E8 | Syracuse | 3 | +1800 | 10th |
| 2002 | Duke | 1 | +250 | Lost S16 | Maryland | 1 | +350 | 3rd |
| 2001 | Duke | 1 | +250 | Won NC | Duke | 1 | +250 | 1st |
| 2000 | Michigan State | 1 | +400 | Won NC | Michigan State | 1 | +400 | 1st |
| 1999 | Duke | 1 | +160 | Lost NC | Connecticut | 1 | +400 | 2nd |
| 1998 | North Carolina | 1 | +500 | Lost SF | Kentucky | 2 | +1000 | 5th |
| 1997 | Kentucky Kansas |
1 1 |
+400 | Lost NC Lost S16 |
Arizona | 4 | +1800 | 7th |
| 1996 | Kentucky | 1 | +140 | Won NC | Kentucky | 1 | +140 | 1st |
| 1995 | UCLA | 1 | +400 | Won NC | UCLA | 1 | +500 | 1st |
| 1994 | North Carolina | 1 | +600 | Lost R2 | Arkansas | 1 | +700 | 2nd |
| 1993 | North Carolina | 1 | +450 | Won NC | North Carolina | 1 | +450 | 1st |
| 1992 | Duke | 1 | +300 | Won NC | Duke | 1 | +300 | 1st |
| 1991 | UNLV | 1 | -167 | Lost SF | Duke | 2 | +1200 | 3rd |
| 1990 | Oklahoma | 1 | +250 | Lost R2 | UNLV | 1 | +500 | 2nd |
| 1989 | Georgetown Arizona |
1 1 |
+300 | Lost E8 Lost S16 |
Michigan | 3 | +1200 | 8th |
| 1988 | Temple Purdue |
1 | +400 | Lost E8 Lost S16 |
Kansas | 6 | +2000 | 19th |
| 1987 | UNLV North Carolina |
1 1 |
+300 | Lost SF Lost E8 |
Indiana | 1 | +500 | 3rd |
| 1986 | Duke Kansas |
1 1 |
+400 | Lost NC Lost SF |
Louisville | 2 | +600 | 3rd |
| 1985 | Georgetown | 1 | +200 | Lost NC | Villanova | 8 | +3500 | 20th |
| 1984 | Georgetown North Carolina |
1 1 |
+400 | Won NC Lost R2 |
Georgetown | 1 | +400 | 1st |
| 1983 | Houston | 1 | +350 | Lost NC | NC State | 6 | +2500 | 16th |
| 1982 | North Carolina | 1 | +220 | Won NC | North Carolina | 1 | +220 | 1st |
| 1981 | DePaul | 1 | +500 | Lost R2 | Indiana | 3 | +1000 | 6th |
| 1980 | Kentucky | 1 | +400 | Lost S16 | Louisville | 2 | +800 | 4th |
| 1979 | North Carolina | 1 | +450 | Lost R2 | Michigan State | 2 | +550 | 3rd |
| 1978 | Kentucky | 2Q | +500 | Won NC | Kentucky | 2Q | +500 | 1st |
