The 2026 Big East men’s basketball tournament gets underway on Mar. 11 and concludes with the Final on Mar. 14.
All eyes will turn to Madison Square Garden as 11 teams compete over the next four days in the single-elimination tournament.
The St. John’s Red Storm enter as the reigning tournament champions and regular-season conference champions.
Many anticipate the Johnnies will face Dan Hurley and the Connecticut Huskies in the championship game.
An improved Villanova Wildcats squad is aiming to break through and seal an automatic berth to the Big Dance with a potential upset.
2026 Big East men’s basketball Tournament Odds
| Team | Odds to win Big East Tournament |
|---|---|
| UConn | -135 |
| St. John’s | +210 |
| Villanova | +550 |
| Creighton | 50/1 |
| Providence | 80/1 |
| Marquette | 80/1 |
| DePaul | 100/1 |
| Butler | 100/1 |
| Georgetown | 100/1 |
| Xavier | 200/1 |
2026 Big East men’s basketball Tournament schedule
Wednesday, March 11 — First Round
- No. 8 Butler vs. No. 9 Providence
- No. 7 Marquette vs. No. 10 Xavier
- No. 6 DePaul vs. No. 11 Georgetown
Thursday, March 12 — Quarterfinals
- Butler/Providence vs. No. 1 St. John’s
- No. 5 Creighton vs. No. 4 Seton Hall
- Marquette/Xavier vs. No. 2 UConn
- DePaul/Georgetown vs. No. 3 Villanova
Friday, March 13 — Semifinals
- St. John’s/Butler/Providence vs. Creighton/Seton Hall
- UConn/Marquette/Xavier vs. Villanova/DePaul/Georgetown
Saturday, March 14 — Championship
How to bet on Big East men’s basketball Tournament
March Madness is an extremely popular time for sports bettors, and conference tournaments set the precedent for the NCAA Tournament.
The Big East Tournament at the Garden unlocks an atmosphere unlike any other in college basketball.
Below, we’ll detail a few fundamental tips for popular wagering markets for the Tourney, including moneyline, spread, point total, and player prop bets.
One of the easier bets to make, when two teams face each other, simply choose one to win the game outright by betting the moneyline.
For example, Providence is -125 on the moneyline against Butler, who carries +105 odds.
| Team | Moneyline odds | Term |
|---|---|---|
| Providence | -125 | Favorite |
| Butler | +105 | Underdog |
To win $100, you would need to wager $125 on Friars’ moneyline. Vice versa, if you were to wager $100 on the Bulldogs to win, you would earn $205 in a total payout.
Butler, in this case, is an underdog, always shown with a plus, and has a higher payout than Providence, the favorite, shown with a minus.
Point spread
If betting the moneyline isn’t your forte, the point spread or margin victory can up the ante a bit.
Oftentimes, it can also be referred to as a team to cover.
In the Marquette and Xavier matchup, the Golden Eagles are projected to win by 4.5 points or more. On the other hand, the Musketeers are considered to lose by 4.5 points or more.
| Team | Spread | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Marquette | -4.5 | -102 |
| Xavier | +4.5 | -120 |
If you were to take Marquette -4.5, the Golden Eagles would need to win the game by five points or more to cover the spread.
The other betting angle is to take Xavier +4.5, meaning the Musketeers would have to lose by four points or less to cover. If Xavier wins the game outright, they are also covering the +4.5-point spread.
Different from moneyline odds, which display different values and payouts, the spread is typically priced at -110 for both teams.
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Total (Over/Under)
A third betting angle, and easily the most nerve-racking one, is to bet the total.
You might’ve heard someone say, “I’m taking the over,” when asked which wager they’ve placed.
This one is simple: the combined points of both teams at the end of the game can be wagered on.
The total listed for Georgetown and DePaul is 137.5.
If you bet Over, you need the final score to be 138 or higher. An Under would need a score of 137 or lower.
Like spread bets, these are also listed with odds closer to -110.
Player props
A popular wagering market, this one is geared towards a single player’s stat line in a game.
Oddsmakers set a total for specific stats, and you can bet whether the player will go over or under that total.
For example, if you picked the Over 2.5 on Connecticut’s Alex Karaban’s 3-pointers made, he would need to finish the game with at least three made 3-pointers to win the bet.
Say you are choosing against him and taking Under on the 2.5 line. Karaban would need to finish with 2 3-pointers made or fewer.
Three-pointers are one of many prop options for prospective bettors. Other noteworthy player props options include points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.
Best sportsbook promos to use for the Big East men’s basketball tournament
Prediction markets are growing popular by the minute, as the emerging platform Kalshi is also providing a number of uncanny props for March Madness.
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Mike Turay is a sports journalist and editor who closely follows the NBA, NFL, college sports and UFC. He has demonstrated expertise in both NBA and NFL player prop bets for nearly three years. Mike is also highly knowledgeable about the sportsbook offer landscape, frequently trying and reviewing the latest apps and sites.