The NIT Tournament betting odds are now live at the best online sportsbooks. Running concurrently with the NCAA Tournament, the NIT Tournament provides bettors with another opportunity to win big this March Madness.
Some notable schools withdrew from the NIT Tournament after feeling snubbed by the NCAA Tournament committee: St. John’s, Ole Miss, Indiana, Memphis, Washington, Oklahoma, and Pittsburgh are all out.
It’s going to be fun, and there will be opportunities to make some money. I explore the latest odds for the NIT Tournament, analyze the top teams, and share my predictions and best bets for 2024 in this article.
2024 NIT Tournament Winner Odds
The following odds to win NIT Tournament 2024 are courtesy of BetUS:
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Wake Forest Demon Deacons | +700 |
| Ohio State Buckeyes | +900 |
| Villanova Wildcats | +900 |
| Indiana State Sycamores | +1000 |
| Cincinnati Bearcats | +1000 |
| Butler Bulldogs | +1200 |
| Utah Utes | +1200 |
| Iowa Hawkeyes | +1400 |
| Virginia Tech Hokies | +1600 |
| Providence Friars | +1600 |
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are favored to win the NIT Tournament in 2024. The +700 odds equal an implied probability of 12.5% for the team to win the NIT. Many other colleges are just behind Wake Forest, so it should be close.
You can find NIT Tournament winner odds for most contestants at BetUS, one of the top sites for college basketball.
NIT Tournament 2024 Bracket
The Seton Hall Pirates (20-12), Wake Forest Demon Deacons (20-13), Indiana State Sycamores (28-6), and Villanova Wildcats (18-15) are the No. 1 seeds in the NIT Tournament.
Despite being a No. 2 seed, Ohio State has stronger odds of winning than Indiana State, and the lowest price among non-top seeds.
Note that Seton Hall, who were trounced by St. John’s in the Big East Tournament, do not currently have odds to win the NIT available. The Pirates are in a fairly manageable region, but potential matchups against Princeton and Providence should be tough opponents.
The most stacked region has to be the Wake Forest and Indiana State regions. Although Wake Forest is a top seed and the favorite to win the tournament, they drew a tricky opponent in Appalachian State in the opening round. This team shouldn’t have been an 8th side, if you ask me.
Another favorite, Indiana State also has a few capable teams to deal with on the opposite side of the bracket. Cincinnati, Bradley, and Loyola Chicago are all difficult matchups. Even SMU in the NIT Tournament opener is not a guaranteed win.
It’s going to be a tough tournament to predict, but I’m here to help! Let’s go through the favorites next.
NIT Tournament Top Favorites
Let’s review the top favorites to win the NIT Tournament at BetUS, since they are the most likely eventual winners.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons (+700)
Wake Forest hasn’t been to the NIT Tournament since reaching the Final Four in 2017. They went to the NIT Tournament for the first time since 2006 in 2022, where they fell to Texas A&M in the quarterfinals.
Steve Forbes has an overall head coaching record of 70-53 through four seasons at Wake Forest. In his first season, the Demon Deacons finished at 6-16 in 2020-21 but they have been above .500 the past three years.
Record & Recent Form:
The Demon Deacons carry an overall record of 20-13 into the NIT Tournament. They went a mediocre 11-9 in the ACC this season.
Wake Forest finished with the fifth-best record in a conference that includes Duke and North Carolina. On Thursday, the Demon Deacons were blown out in their second ACC Tournament matchup by Pittsburgh, 81-69.
It wasn’t a hot end to the season for Wake Forest. They lost three straight contests before getting back on track with an 81-76 victory at home over Clemson.
As the No. 5 seed in the ACC Tournament, Wake Forest routed Notre Dame, 72-59, but came up well short in the next round versus Pitt.
NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) Ranking & Team Stats:
Wake Forest enters the NIT Tournament with a respectable NET ranking of 43rd. That puts them ahead of several NCAA Tournament squads, including NC State, Oregon, and South Carolina.
The Demon Deacons rely primarily on their offense, which has been in solid overall form this season. They are 36th in offensive efficiency and averaging 78.2 points per game.
Where Wake Forest tends to get lost is in their defensive schemes. Exploiting the team’s pedestrian play on that end of the floor is how opponents will compete with the Deacons in the NIT Tournament. Currently, Wake Forest is 111th in the nation, with an average of 70.5 points per game yielded.
Star Players
The Demon Deacons have a terrific 1-2 guard combo with Hunter Sallis and Kevin Miller in the backcourt. The former is the primary scorer for Wake Forest with 18.1 points per game on 49.3% shooting.
The 6-foot-5 guard has also chipped in with 4.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. Sallis has been a sharpshooter from beyond the arc, as well. Heading into the NIT Tournament, he is shooting an impressive 41.3% from three.
With Miller on the floor, Wake Forest has two players averaging more than 15 points per game. Down low in the paint, Efton Reid III and Andrew Carr provide Wake Forest with a well-balanced attack.
The team’s odds to win the 2024 NIT Tournament look justified as the favorite. That said, there could be a bit better value on the board in a wide-open tournament.
Ohio State Buckeyes (+900)
An invitation to the NIT Tournament isn’t exactly what Ohio State was looking for on Selection Sunday. Perhaps the college should have considered firing Chris Holtmann earlier.
On Feb. 14, Holtmann was released from the basketball program after failing to live up to expectations. Jake Diebler was subsequently named the interim head coach, and he’s done a serviceable job since taking over at Ohio State.
Record & Recent Form
Ohio State boasts a record of 20-13 heading into the NIT Tournament. Many NIT teams would be fine with that mark, but the Buckeyes were looking for more — hence Holtmann getting canned.
Since taking over as head coach, Diebler has led Ohio State to six wins in eight outings. The Buckeyes finished the regular season on a four-game winning streak, including a win over Purdue, and a 90-78 win over Iowa in the first game of the Big Ten Tournament.
The March Madness contestant and eventual conference winner, Illinois, dispatched Ohio State in a competitive matchup by a score of 77-74. Despite the loss, it was a strong performance against a strong opponent.
NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) Ranking & Team Stats
In 2023-24, the Buckeyes rank 49th in the NCAA’s NET metric. Wake Forest has a slight edge over Ohio State in this respect.
However, it’s important to note that Ohio State pre- and post-Holtmann has looked quite different. Since Diebler was named the interim bench boss, Ohio State has been playing much better basketball.
Entering the NIT Tournament, Ohio State has averaged a respectable 74.9 points per game. With Diebler at the controls, though, the defense has witnessed markedly improved form.
Limiting Purdue to 69 points in a 73-69 win was their best performance of the season. The Buckeyes allowed only 65.8 points per game in Diebler’s six regular season games as head coach.
Star Players
Bruce Thornton is a well-rounded guard with the talent to give Ohio State a spark on both ends of the floor. The second-year point guard leads the Buckeyes in points, assists, and steals.
Thornton cruises into the NIT Tournament with 16.1 points, 4.6 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. If Ohio State needs an important three-ball, they typically get it from marksman Jamison Battle.
He is shooting an impressive 43.8% from three-point land. He is also averaging 14.9 points per game on 47.2% shooting from the field. 6-foot-11 center Felix Okpara and his 2.3 blocks per game afford Ohio State a big defender at the rim.
Villanova Wildcats (+900)
For the second straight year, Villanova will not be going to The Dance, which is certainly disappointing for the program.
The 2022 head coach transition from Jay Wright to Kyle Neptune didn’t go as smoothly as many Villanova fans wanted. The team’s season ended with an early exit in the NIT Tournament last year. Villanova has shown improvement in 2024, but will it be enough for an NIT title?
Record & Recent Form
Villanova had the misfortune of playing in the crowded Big East Conference. Six teams, including Seton Hall, Providence, and St. John’s could have been First Four schools.
Overall, the Wildcats posted a record of 18-15 and 10-5 in the Big East. They’ve lost three of their previous four games, but they were competitive in a 69-67 loss to a strong Creighton side.
Marquette cut Villanova’s Big East Tournament short with a 71-65 final in the second round. The Wildcats barely survived in the tournament opener, with a 58-57 win over No. 1 seed DePaul.
NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) Ranking & Team Stats
Villanova’s tough schedule reflects their quality NET ranking of 41st in the NCAA. They have the worst record in the NIT Tournament amongst No. 1 seeds, but their NET ranking tells another story, even if it wasn’t enough for March Madness.
The Wildcats lacked the offensive punch required to put them ahead of the competition in the Big East. In 2023-24, Villanova has averaged just 70.5 points per game for 235th in the NCAA.
The 1.047 offensive efficiency rating has Villanova well behind the more potent offenses in the NIT Tournament. That said, the team’s 65.5 points allowed per game, 15th in the country, is one of the best marks in the country.
Star Player
Forward Eric Dixon is the catalyst for Villanova on the offensive end. The offensive system for the Wildcats consists of feeding Dixon and running the playbook through him.
The star is averaging 16.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. For a big man, he’s also a very efficient free-throw shooter.
Currently, Dixon is shooting 87.4% from the charity stripe, so fouling him intentionally in the paint is not a sensible game plan for opponents.
NIT Tournament Best Sleepers
For your 2024 NIT Tournament predictions, consider including two sleepers for your March Madness betting strategy in the NIT:
Utah Utes (+1200)
Utah drew a fairly easy bracket in the NIT Tournament. As the No. 2 seed, only Villanova, who has been inconsistent this season, ranks higher than Utah.
If the Wildcats are upset early, Utah could have homecourt advantage to the NIT Final Four in Indianapolis. South Florida is potentially a tricky assignment, but Utah would enjoy homecourt advantage.
As a home team, Utah went 10-6-0 against the spread (ATS) for a 62.5% cover rate. Having a generous No. 2 seed and playing at least their first two games at home will bode well for the Utes.
The Pac-12’s Utah has a respectable NET ranking of 48th in the NCAA. Additionally, the team is 52nd with an average of 78.1 points scored per contest. If Branden Carlson gets hot from the field, Utah is a serious sleeper to win the NIT at +1200 odds.
Providence Friars (+2000)
Providence with +2000 odds to win the 2024 NIT Tournament? That appears like an awfully generous offer. With a record of 21-13 in the Big East, the program was hoping for an at-large bid, never mind a No. 3 seed in the NIT Tournament.
As far as I am concerned, Providence is ranked too low at the best March Madness betting sites and their seeding in the NIT Tournament. At +2000, Providence is a bet that you have to consider before wrapping up your card.
The Friars have amongst the best betting value in this event. With a NET ranking of 58th, Providence ranks higher than many NCAA Tournament schools, including Oregon, Yale, and NC State.
The team’s physical defense is likely to serve them well in the NIT Tournament. The Friars conceded 69 points per game and come into the event with a strong defensive efficiency rating of 0.970 for 37th in the NCAA. Playing in the ultra-competitive Big East makes it more impressive for Providence.
NIT Tournament Best Longshots
Three NIT Tournament longshots have made it to our shortlist for 2024. While these teams don’t have the best chance of winning, there could be Cinderella teams in what should be a wide-open event.
- South Florida Bulls (+6000)
- Georgia Bulldogs (+4000)
- UNLV Rebels (+2500)
The 24-7 South Florida Bulls at +6000? 2024 NIT Tournament betting odds for this team are way too disrespectful and deserve a small wager.
As the No. 1 seed in the AAC Tournament, South Florida lost to the red-hot UAB Blazers. However, they’ve otherwise been in great form, with 16 wins in their previous 18 games.
Georgia has a battle-tested roster after playing an SEC schedule against some of the best teams in the NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, UNLV has a recent win against a San Diego State team that many people believe can go deep into March Madness this season.
The Rebels couldn’t win the rematch in the Mountain West Tournament but had a respectable attempt in a 74-71 loss to the Aztecs. Following a 19-12 season, UNLV is a great NIT bet at +2500 odds.
If you want even more value in March, check out the best March Madness 2024 contests.
NIT Tournament Predictions and Betting Pick
Ohio State is not the same team they were earlier in the season. Prior to Holtmann’s dismissal, the team played careless basketball without much direction. As soon as Diebler replaced Holtmann, the Buckeyes rediscovered their mojo and improved significantly.
If Diebler was the head coach at the start of the season, we may very well be talking about an NCAA Tournament run in Columbus. In Diebler’s six wins, Ohio State beat Michigan State and Purdue — two solid NCAA Tournament teams.
Look for Thornton to take command in the NIT Tournament and direct the Buckeyes to a long run. Talented guards are generally required for success in March, and the Buckeyes have two of them with Thornton and Battle.
If Thornton can find Battle for open three-point attempts consistently, this will be a tough offense to stop. Meanwhile, Okpara is a mismatch against smaller lineups on the defensive floor. Winning the NIT Tournament wasn’t in Ohio State’s cards at the start of the 2023-24 campaign. Nevertheless, this is a nice opportunity for the Buckeyes to springboard into next year. At +900, this is the best bet for the NIT Tournament.
Where To Bet On The NIT Tournament?
You can find NIT Tournament winner odds for 2024 at BetUS, but the sportsbook doesn’t stop there. The lines for all first-round games are already available, and you can expect coverage from the entire competition.
On top of that, you can claim a welcome bonus of up to $3,125 for new customers and enjoy a bunch of other cool promotions.
