Michigan State Basketball: End-of-Season Betting Odds

The Michigan State Spartans’ regular season kicks off Monday night, Nov. 2, against Quinnipiac.

Just 24 hours removed from losing an hour and watching the sunset at 5:30 p.m., the world is reminded that it’s time to start hunkering down. It’s time to eat twice your weight in holiday food and hibernate until the first dandelion appears on your lawn, welcoming you to 2027 after the gray and hazy fog of winter clears.

While in hibernation, there is nothing better than folding into your own fur and fat in your butt-cheek-imprinted La-Z-Boy, with a big bowl of hot stew that has engulfed every inch of the house for the last eight hours as it slowly cooks. Turn on the TV, and from noon to midnight and beyond, college basketball rules the airwaves.

For Spartan fans, watching college basketball hits just a little differently. Watching a jolly man make Grinch-esque faces from November to April gives many fans purpose in life.

Unfortunately, it’s been rough sledding for the Spartans and their fans as of late. Michigan State has been unable to reach even the Final Four since 2019. Since then, the world has experienced a global pandemic, AI robots and another Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck marriage. Now, 2026 is mere months away from closing its doors and opening the next chapter in 2027.

The Spartans have not gone this long without making a Final Four since Tom Izzo took over in 1995-96.

Enter the 2026-27 team, which has some of the highest expectations in recent memory. When I asked Izzo about those expectations, he said, paraphrasing, that it’s not his first rodeo and he has experience dealing with the pressure that comes with them.

For Jeremy Fears, the expectations surrounding the team seem to be matched by those resting on his own shoulders. Fears has been named preseason player of the year by numerous media outlets and is the betting favorite to win the Wooden Award at +850, as well as Big Ten Player of the Year.

When I asked Fears about the expectations, he shrugged them off. But it’s no secret that this kind of pressure can weigh on a player. The question remains: Can he turn that pressure into a pristine diamond?

The team brings back more than just its phenomenal point guard. Players like Coen Carr, Jordan Scott, Cam Ward and Kur Teng bring veteran knowledge that cannot be coached, built through experience and spending most of their time together on the court.

There are also new faces, including transfer portal addition Anton Bonke, who has underperformed through exhibition play. However, the Spartans also have four freshmen who helped Izzo secure a top-five recruiting class. Led by Jasiah Jervis, who may have played himself into a starting role, the freshman could become the first rookie to start Izzo’s opening game since Max Christie in 2021.

All this is to say that, on paper, this team looks dominant. And that is where the betting odds come into play.

The Spartans currently sit second in the betting odds to win the Big Ten, with Illinois leading the way at +150 and Michigan State coming in at +375.

The two teams will face off in early February in Illinois, and the matchup is shaping up to be one of the best games of the season in college basketball.

Michigan State is currently tied for sixth in the odds to reach the Final Four. Duke and Florida lead the way at +140, while Connecticut (+300) and Illinois (+320) round out the top four. Texas sits fifth at +425.

Arizona, Louisville and Michigan State are all listed at +475 to make the Final Four.

Lastly, the Spartans are tied for sixth in the odds to win the national championship, sitting at +2000.

For anyone wondering where the Lady Spartans rank, Bet365 has Michigan State’s women’s basketball team tied for 58th at +25000 to win the national championship.

But everyone loves an underdog story.