2025 March Madness champion picks from all 50 states

As the excitement for the 2025 March Madness tournament builds, basketball fans across the United States are rallying behind their favorite teams, hoping for a coveted championship. From Maine to Alabama to Washington, and everywhere in between the U.S., each state has its own leader, a team that embodies their passion and enthusiasm for college basketball. With a mix of powerhouse programs and potential dark horses, the stage is set for an unforgettable tournament where anything can happen. Since “Selection Sunday” the good folks at BetOnline.ag have been tracking tweets, hashtags, and direct keyword phrases about who will win the NCAA Tournament this year. For example, “Duke will win it all,” “Duke will win the national championship,” “betting on Duke,” etc. as well as tweets with hashtags such as #NationalChampionship, #WinItAll, #FinalFour, and the teams most associated with those tweets in every state. Over 290,000 tweets were tracked. A lot of the states are picking the “homer” such as Indiana going with Purdue. However, outside of that, the top seeds are clearly the favorite, with the Duke Blue Devils being on top. Duke muscled its way to an ACC tournament championship without their star Cooper Flagg, so many believe it’s going to be tough to bet against them… but… as we have all seen in the past… anything can happen in March Madness. Here’s the state-by-state breakdown for cutting down the nets on April 7 at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

Duke Blue Devils (19 states)

(Alaska, California, Colorado, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wyoming)

Maine, among many states, is backing the Duke Blue Devils for the 2025 March Madness title. With a strong record and Cooper Flagg’s impressive performance, Duke is the top contender, currently favored at +300 to win the title. Their consistent dominance makes them the most popular choice nationwide.

Florida Gators (9 states)

(Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oregon, Vermont)

The Florida Gators are a big-time contender to win the 2025 March Madness tournament. With their potent offense and defensive prowess, they could make a deep run. Dick Vitale is gaga about the Gators. It’s because their ability to shoot from beyond the arc and force turnovers are key factors.

Houston Cougars (4 states)

(Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas)

The Cougars are badass on offense and especially defense. They’ll be a mighty tough out. Many are picking them to win it all. Per Houston Chronicle writer Matt Young “If you listened to most of the college basketball experts making TV appearances since the March Madness brackets were released Sunday, the NCAA Tournament is Florida’s to lose. However, the University of Houston did get its fair share of love.

ESPN’s Josh Pastner — who, to be fair, grew up in Houston — Fox Sports’ Danny Parkins and CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein all picked the Cougars to win their first national championship.”

Auburn Tigers (3 states)

Auburn fans in Alabama are optimistic about their Tigers, but they face tough competition. Despite a strong season, Auburn’s path to the championship is challenging, with powerhouses like Duke and Houston dominating the brackets.

Alabama Crimson Tide (1 state)

(Alabama)

According to the folks at AL.com, here are the three things ‘Bama must do to make another Final Four run.

BYU Cougars (1 state)

(Utah)

The BYU Cougars have made 32 NCAA Tournament appearances, and even though Utah State is in the field, this was an obvious call considering BYU’s nationwide fanbase.

St. John’s Red Storm (1 state)

(New York)

St. John’s, led by Coach Rick Pitino, enters the NCAA Tournament as a No. 2 seed, boasting a 30-4 record. The Johnnie’s won both the BIG EAST Regular Season and Tournament titles, marking their first dual championship since 1986. Led by RJ Luis Jr., they aim for a deep tournament run.

Tennessee Volunteers (1 state)

(Tennessee)

The Vols always have a strong backing for their fans and head coach Rick Barnes’ squad are absolutely dangerous in this tourney. Their defense is as intense and as great as it gets. This looks like an Elite Eight team at least and maybe more.

Kentucky Wildcats (1 state)

(Kentucky)

Kentucky enters the 2025 March Madness with strong potential, despite recent inconsistency. They have a 5-4 record since their second win over Tennessee, but their talent and experience make them a contender.

Purdue Boilermakers (1 state)

(Indiana)

Indiana fans are backing the Purdue Boilermakers, despite recent struggles. Purdue has dropped six of its last nine games, including five of its last seven regular-season contests, which might make them vulnerable to upsets like the predicted one by No. 13 High Point in the first round.

Here are the other nine teams:

Michigan State – 1 state (Michigan)

Wisconsin – 1 state (Wisconsin)

Illinois – 1 state (Illinois)

Iowa State – 1 state (Iowa)

Kansas – 1 state (Kansas)

Clemson – 1 state (South Carolina)

Arizona – 1 state (Arizona)

Gonzaga – 1 state (Washington)

Maryland – 1 state (Maryland)

Conclusion

With March Madness 2025 promising thrilling matchups and unpredictability, fans will be on the edge of their seats. Each team’s journey in the tournament reflects not only their strength and strategy but also the fervent support of their dedicated following. As these states cheer on their chosen teams, only time will tell which of these basketball powerhouses will emerge victorious and capture the hearts of fans nationwide.