:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/45912060/usa-today-8449145.0.jpg)
Let's get right to it. First, the big one.
| Odds to Win the 2015 NCAA Championship | Odds to Win the 2015 NCAA Championship (By Seeds) |
|---|---|
| Kentucky #1 6/5 | Kentucky #1 6/5 |
| Arizona #2 15/2 | Wisconsin #1 17/2 |
| Wisconsin #1 17/2 | Duke #1 9/1 |
| Duke #1 9/1 | Villanova #1 10/1 |
| Villanova #1 10/1 | Virginia #2 10/1 |
| Virginia #2 10/1 | Kansas #2 40/1 |
| Gonzaga #2 16/1 | Arizona #2 15/2 |
| Notre Dame #3 25/1 | Gonzaga #2 16/1 |
| Iowa State #3 33/1 | Notre Dame #3 25/1 |
| Utah #5 33/1 | Baylor #3 50/1 |
| Kansas #2 40/1 | Oklahoma #3 50/1 |
| Michigan State #7 40/1 | Iowa State #3 33/1 |
| North Carolina #4 40/1 | Maryland #4 75/1 |
| Baylor #3 50/1 | Louisville #4 66/1 |
| Oklahoma #3 50/1 | North Carolina #4 40/1 |
| Wichita State #7 50/1 | Georgetown #4 100/1 |
| Louisville #4 66/1 | West Virginia #5 100/1 |
| Northern Iowa #5 66/1 | Arkansas #5 100/1 |
| Maryland #4 75/1 | Utah #5 33/1 |
| SMU #6 75/1 | Northern Iowa #5 66/1 |
| Arkansas #5 100/1 | Butler#6 100/1 |
| Butler#6 100/1 | Xavier #6 150/1 |
| Georgetown #4 100/1 | Providence #6 100/1 |
| LSU #9 100/1 | SMU #6 75/1 |
| Ohio State #10 100/1 | VCU #7 100/1 |
| Providence #6 100/1 | Wichita State #7 50/1 |
| Texas #11 100/1 | Michigan State #7 40/1 |
| VCU #7 100/1 | Iowa #7 200/1 |
| West Virginia #5 100/1 | Oregon #8 200/1 |
| St. John's #9 150/1 | Cincinnati #8 300/1 |
| Xavier #6 150/1 | NC State #8 200/1 |
| BYU #11 200/1 | San Diego State #8 200/1 |
| Indiana #10 200/1 | Purdue #9 200/1 |
| Iowa #7 200/1 | LSU #9 100/1 |
| NC State #8 200/1 | St. John's #9 150/1 |
| Ole Miss #11 200/1 | Oklahoma State #9 300/1 |
| Oregon #8 200/1 | Indiana #10 200/1 |
| Purdue #9 200/1 | Ohio State #10 100/1 |
| San Diego State #8 200/1 | Georgia #10 300/1 |
| Boise State #11 300/1 | Davidson #10 300/1 |
| Cincinnati #8 300/1 | Texas #11 100/1 |
| Davidson #10 300/1 | BYU #11 200/1 |
| Dayton #11 300/1 | Ole Miss #11 200/1 |
| Georgia #10 300/1 | Boise State #11 300/1 |
| Oklahoma State #9 300/1 | Dayton #11 300/1 |
| SF Austin #12 300/1 | UCLA #11 300/1 |
| UCLA #11 300/1 | Buffalo #12 500/1 |
| Wyoming #12 300/1 | Wofford #12 500/1 |
| UAB #14 500/1 | Wyoming #12 300/1 |
| Albany #14 500/1 | SF Austin #12 300/1 |
| Belmont #15 500/1 | Valparaiso #13 500/1 |
| Buffalo #12 500/1 | Harvard #13 500/1 |
| UC Irvine #13 500/1 | UC Irvine #13 500/1 |
| E. Washington #13 500/1 | E. Washington #13 500/1 |
| Georgia State #14 500/1 | Northeastern #14 500/1 |
| Harvard #13 500/1 | Georgia State #14 500/1 |
| New Mexico State #15 500/1 | Albany #14 500/1 |
| North Dakota State #15 500/1 | UAB #14 500/1 |
| Northeastern #14 500/1 | Texas Southern #15 500/1 |
| Texas Southern #15 500/1 | North Dakota State #15 500/1 |
| Valparaiso #13 500/1 | New Mexico State #15 500/1 |
| Wofford #12 500/1 | Belmont #15 500/1 |
| Coastal Carolina #16 1000/1 | Manhattan #16 1000/1 |
| Hampton #16 1000/1 | Hampton #16 1000/1 |
| Lafayette #16 1000/1 | Coastal Carolina #16 1000/1 |
| UL Lafayette #16 1000/1 | UL Lafayette #16 1000/1 |
| Manhattan #16 1000/1 | North Florida #16 1000/1 |
| North Florida #16 1000/1 | Robert Morris #16 1000/1 |
| Robert Morris #16 1000/1 | Lafayette #16 1000/1 |
Not only is Xavier as unfancied to win the title as you might expect from an average 6 seed, they are also well behind every other 6 seed, two of the 9s, a 10, and an 11. That's the level of respect the Musketeers are garnering right now.
When it comes to the odds of winning the region, things are a bit better.
| Odds to win the West Region | Odds to win the West Region (By Seed) |
|---|---|
| Arizona #2 8/5 | Wisconsin #1 19/10 |
| Wisconsin #1 19/10 | Arizona #2 8/5 |
| North Carolina #4 10/1 | Baylor #3 12/1 |
| Baylor #3 12/1 | North Carolina #4 10/1 |
| Ohio State #10 18/1 | Arkansas #5 20/1 |
| Arkansas #5 20/1 | Xavier #6 22/1 |
| VCU #7 20/1 | VCU #7 20/1 |
| Xavier #6 22/1 | Oregon #8 50/1 |
| BYU #11 40/1 | Oklahoma State #9 50/1 |
| Oklahoma State #9 50/1 | Ohio State #10 18/1 |
| Ole Miss #11 50/1 | BYU #11 40/1 |
| Oregon #8 50/1 | Ole Miss #11 50/1 |
| Wofford #12 75/1 | Wofford #12 75/1 |
| Harvard #13 100/1 | Harvard #13 100/1 |
| Georgia State #14 150/1 | Georgia State #14 150/1 |
| Coastal Carolina #16 300/1 | Texas Southern #15 300/1 |
| Texas Southern #15 300/1 | Coastal Carolina #16 300/1 |
Sure, VCU has better odds to win the West, but Xavier trails only SMU's 20/1 in odds given to win the region for 6 seeds. I'm certain I don't know enough about gambling to interpret this information, but I think its telling me that Xavier is somehow both a good bet among sixes to get out of the region but a longer shot than any other six to win the title. Like the AP poll, my guess is that this scarcely matters.