Vegas Odds Say West Region Toughest in NCAA Tournament Bracket, Midwest Most Top-Heavy, East Weakest & South Most Balanced

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With the NCAA Tournament bracket set, let's look to Las Vegas for guidance. Using Vegas betting odds, we can break down how the regions look on paper.

Some things stand out, including the West Region being seen as the toughest. So, let's start there.

West Region toughest in NCAA Tournament Bracket

According to DraftKings, four of the 10 most likely teams to win the NCAA Tournament reside in this region. Top-seeded Kansas is naturally the favorite, opening at +800 to win the title. They Jayhawks have the third-best odds in the NCAA Tournament, behind Houston (+500) and Alabama (+700).

Kansas Jayhawks guard Gradey Dick celebrates making a three late in the second half of a Big 12 Tournament game. Kansas is the top-seeded team in the West Region in the NCAA Tournament bracket.

Kansas Jayhawks guard Gradey Dick celebrates making a three late in the second half of a Big 12 Tournament game. Kansas is the top-seeded team in the West Region in the NCAA Tournament bracket. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

But if the Jayhawks don't emerge from the region, Vegas likes some of their competitors as well. UCLA, the #2 team in the West, has the fifth-best odds to win the tournament at +1200. The Bruins only rank behind the four one seeds.

The West's third-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs are tied for the seventh-shortest odds to win the NCAA Tournament at +1600 (same as Arizona). If that weren't enough, fourth-seeded UConn sits at +1800 to win it all, ninth-best odds in the entire tournament.

So, of the nine most likely champions -- according to Vegas odds -- four reside in the West Region. That's bonkers. Obviously, if the teams were evenly distributed, each region would have two teams in the top nine and one would have three. But the West has four.

Talk about a tough road.

East Region appears to be weakest in NCAA Tournament Bracket

Well, if the West is the toughest, then the East is the weakest. Not only is the region's one seed -- Purdue -- the least likely champion (+1000) among the four one seeds, but second-seeded Marquette is just the 11th-most likely champion (+2200). That's easily behind the rest of the two seeds in the NCAA Tournament.

Zach Edey of the Purdue Boilermakers celebrates a play in the Big Ten Basketball Tournament. Purdue is the top-seeded team in the East Region in the NCAA Tournament bracket.

Zach Edey of the Purdue Boilermakers celebrates a play in the Big Ten Basketball Tournament. Purdue is the top-seeded team in the East Region in the NCAA Tournament bracket. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Think that's bad? The three seed in the East Region is Kansas State. DraftKings has the Wildcats at +4000 to win the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats are tied with four other teams for 16th most likely champion: Xavier (3-seed, Midwest), Virginia (4-seed, South), St. Mary's (5-seed, West), and Creighton (6-seed, South).

Top-heavy Midwest slightly tougher than East

As noted above, the third-seeded Xavier Musketeers are just as likely to win the NCAA Tournament as the third-seeded Kansas State Wildcats. But, where the East has Purdue as the least likely top-seed champion, Houston is the tournament favorite.

Marcus Sasser of the Houston Cougars reacts during a game. Houston is the top-seeded team in the Midwest Region in the NCAA Tournament bracket.

Marcus Sasser of the Houston Cougars reacts during a game. Houston is the top-seeded team in the Midwest Region in the NCAA Tournament bracket. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)

The two seed in the region, Texas, ranks just behind UCLA among two seeds with +1400 odds to hoist the trophy. Interestingly, Indiana is the four seed in the East region. They have better odds (+3500) to win it all than third-seeded Xavier.

South could be the most chaotic region

Alabama leads the way in the South, no surprise since they're the #1 overall seed in the tournament. Second-seeded Arizona is tied with Gonzaga as the seventh-shortest odds to win it all. Third-seeded Baylor (+2000) is the 10th most likely champion, giving this region three teams in the Top 10.

Brandon Miller #24 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrates the SEC Basketball Tournament. Alabama is the top-seeded team in the South Region in the NCAA Tournament bracket.

Brandon Miller #24 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrates the SEC Basketball Tournament. Alabama is the top-seeded team in the South Region in the NCAA Tournament bracket. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Beyond those teams, though, fourth-seeded Virginia and sixth-seeded Creighton are also in the Top 20 most likely teams to win it all. This region could be wide open.

Obviously, once the ball goes in the air for the opening tip, none of this matters. But it's an interesting way to look at how the NCAA Tournament Bracket shakes out.

Get ready for the Madness!

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Dan began his sports media career at ESPN, where he survived for nearly a decade. Once the Stockholm Syndrome cleared, he made his way to Outkick. He is secure enough in his masculinity to admit he is a cat-enthusiast with three cats, one of which is named “Brady” because his wife wishes she were married to Tom instead of him.